American Broadband Act

American Broadband Act

This bill addresses broadband and other communications services.

The bill limits applicable state and local regulatory authority. Limitations include setting (and providing statutory authority for) deadlines for reviews and decisions related to personal wireless and other telecommunication service facilities, as well as cable franchises and services. Further, a state or locality may not provide broadband services in areas with more than one other commercial provider.

The bill exempts certain telecommunications infrastructure projects from environmental and historic preservation reviews, including projects carried out after a declared disaster or emergency (e.g., a wildfire).

The bill also establishes a rebuttable presumption that a request for a review of the effects of deploying wireless service on historically, culturally, or religiously significant tribal or Native Hawaiian land is complete if the tribe or Native Hawaiian organization receives certain forms.

The bill enhances criminal penalties for willful or malicious destruction of a communication facility.

Furthermore, the General Services Administration must establish a common fee schedule for deploying wireless facilities that affect federal property.

Additionally, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration must

• award grants for expanding high-speed broadband access,
• facilitate through an interagency strike force timely reviews of telecommunications-related requests that affect federal property (e.g., a request for an easement or right-of-way), and
• report on certain requests concerning communications facilities on federal real property.

The bill also requires collaboration among federal agencies that support broadband deployment.