Broadband Incentives for Communities Act

This legislation, titled the Broadband Incentives for Communities Act, directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish a competitive grant program. The program aims to assist local governments and Indian Tribes (referred to as covered entities) in streamlining the review and approval processes for zoning and permitting applications related to broadband infrastructure deployment. To be eligible for these grants, entities must demonstrate readiness for broadband deployment by adopting efficient processes, implementing policies for expedited deployment methods like micro-trenching, and establishing reasonable, transparent fees for application processing. Grant funds can be utilized for capacity-building , including employee training and hiring, and for purchasing technology, software, and equipment to enhance the efficiency of application processing. Additionally, the bill mandates the creation of a Local Broadband Advisory Council within 90 days of enactment. This council, composed of broadband deployment stakeholders, will develop solutions to common challenges faced by local jurisdictions and infrastructure providers in facilitating broadband deployment, especially in unserved and underserved communities, and is required to submit a report to Congress within one year.