Alaska Senate approves rural internet bill; Governor Dunleavy plans to sign

renew: 47 a few minutes ago Posted by: 47 a few minutes ago

JUNEAU — Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he intends to sign a bill that overwhelmingly passed the Senate on Monday to increase internet download speeds in rural schools.

House Bill 193 has been fast-tracked through the Legislature so eligible schools can apply for funds before this year’s March 27 deadline. Schools will be able to obtain grants to increase download speeds to 100 megabits per second, four times faster than current state law requires.

“Many schools across Alaska still lack the ability to administer the standardized testing required by state regulations without disruption,” said Sen. Lyman Huffman, a Bethel Democrat who sponsored the bill.

The Senate passed HB 193 on Monday in an 18-1 vote. Sen. Mike Shower, a Wasilla Republican, was the only person not to vote. The House passed the same bill in a 36-4 vote early Thursday morning after a marathon session.

Dunleavy issued a statement on social media saying he intends to sign HB 193 into law before the March 27 deadline.

“While this bill is not perfect and more work needs to be done on the affordability of broadband in Alaska, it is a step in the right direction. Increased internet speeds will help the educational process in schools, especially It’s in rural Alaska,” Dunleavy said.

Supporters say providing faster internet to rural Alaskan students is a matter of equity. They say it will give students the same educational opportunities as urban Alaska students.

The cost of the bill is controversial. The state Department of Education estimates it will cost nearly $40 million annually. But industry experts say the department’s estimates are flawed. According to members of the Alaska Telecommunications Association, the true cost to the state may be closer to $15 million per year. The ratio of federal funding to state funding is typically 8 to 1.

Last year, 151 Alaska schools received $6.6 million in state funding with download speeds up to 25 mbps. The Federal Communications Commission said this month that modern broadband networks should offer speeds of at least 100 Mbps.

Showers voted 16-3 to defeat an amendment. The aim is for satellite internet services to be considered an alternative, provided they cost less than accessing fiber optic networks. Schools can already apply for Internet access from low-Earth orbit satellites, and a handful of schools have contracts with these providers, industry representatives said.

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