HB 1037 Mosley, Jay
HB 1037 -- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S FIBER NETWORK
SPONSOR: Mosley
This bill establishes the "Department of Transportation Fiber Network Expansion Act", which provides that the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission may enter into public-private partnerships with private broadband Internet service providers to expand and develop the Department of Transportation's fiber network. The Commission will prioritize expansion and development under the bill in unserved areas and underserved areas, as defined by law.
The Commission must use a competitive procurement process to form the public-private partnerships, including publishing notice as specified in the bill. The Commission must ensure that at least 25% of the workforce fulfilling the contracts awarded under the bill belongs to a racial minority group. As part of a contract award under the bill, the private partnering entity may use the excess fiber capacity to provide Internet services, as long as the services provided meet the state minimum standard for broadband.
This bill is the same as HB 2908 (2022).