Legis Daily

BROADBAND Leadership Act

USA119th CongressHR-278| House 
| Updated: 1/9/2025
H. Morgan Griffith

H. Morgan Griffith

Republican Representative

Virginia

Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation significantly revises Section 253 of the Communications Act of 1934 to eliminate barriers to the deployment of telecommunications services. It prohibits state and local governments from enacting regulations that effectively prevent or discriminate against the provision or enhancement of any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service, including facility placement, construction, or modification. A key provision establishes strict timeframes for local governments to act on requests for telecommunications facility authorization: 90 days for eligible support infrastructure and 150 days for other facilities. If a government fails to act within these deadlines, the request is automatically deemed granted upon written notice from the applicant. The bill also specifies conditions for tolling these timeframes due to incomplete applications or by mutual agreement, and explicitly prohibits moratoria. Furthermore, the legislation mandates that any denial of a request must be in writing, supported by substantial evidence, and publicly released on the same day. It also sets requirements for fees charged by state and local governments, stipulating they must be competitively neutral, technology neutral, nondiscriminatory, publicly disclosed, and based on actual, direct, and objectively reasonable costs. These fees must distinguish between nonrecurring and recurring charges, and between existing and new infrastructure sites. The bill provides for judicial review, allowing adversely affected parties to challenge inconsistent state or local actions in court on an expedited basis. While streamlining deployment, it preserves state authority to impose neutral requirements for universal service, public safety, and consumer protection, and local authority to manage public rights-of-way and charge fair compensation, provided these actions comply with the bill's non-discrimination and fee requirements. The Federal Communications Commission is empowered to preempt state or local regulations that violate these provisions.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-7352
BROADBAND Leadership Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-1051
BROADBAND Leadership Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3295
BROADBAND Leadership Act
Jan 9, 2025
Introduced in House
Jan 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-7352
    BROADBAND Leadership Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-1051
    BROADBAND Leadership Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3295
    BROADBAND Leadership Act


  • January 9, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • January 9, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Science, Technology, Communications

BROADBAND Leadership Act

USA119th CongressHR-278| House 
| Updated: 1/9/2025
This legislation significantly revises Section 253 of the Communications Act of 1934 to eliminate barriers to the deployment of telecommunications services. It prohibits state and local governments from enacting regulations that effectively prevent or discriminate against the provision or enhancement of any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service, including facility placement, construction, or modification. A key provision establishes strict timeframes for local governments to act on requests for telecommunications facility authorization: 90 days for eligible support infrastructure and 150 days for other facilities. If a government fails to act within these deadlines, the request is automatically deemed granted upon written notice from the applicant. The bill also specifies conditions for tolling these timeframes due to incomplete applications or by mutual agreement, and explicitly prohibits moratoria. Furthermore, the legislation mandates that any denial of a request must be in writing, supported by substantial evidence, and publicly released on the same day. It also sets requirements for fees charged by state and local governments, stipulating they must be competitively neutral, technology neutral, nondiscriminatory, publicly disclosed, and based on actual, direct, and objectively reasonable costs. These fees must distinguish between nonrecurring and recurring charges, and between existing and new infrastructure sites. The bill provides for judicial review, allowing adversely affected parties to challenge inconsistent state or local actions in court on an expedited basis. While streamlining deployment, it preserves state authority to impose neutral requirements for universal service, public safety, and consumer protection, and local authority to manage public rights-of-way and charge fair compensation, provided these actions comply with the bill's non-discrimination and fee requirements. The Federal Communications Commission is empowered to preempt state or local regulations that violate these provisions.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-7352
BROADBAND Leadership Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-1051
BROADBAND Leadership Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3295
BROADBAND Leadership Act
Jan 9, 2025
Introduced in House
Jan 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-7352
    BROADBAND Leadership Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-1051
    BROADBAND Leadership Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3295
    BROADBAND Leadership Act


  • January 9, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • January 9, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
H. Morgan Griffith

H. Morgan Griffith

Republican Representative

Virginia

Energy and Commerce Committee

Science, Technology, Communications

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted