AN ACT relating to the emergency expenses of government related to broadband internet access; authorizing the use of federal funds related to the Connect Wyoming program for broadband development in Wyoming; defining terms related to funding the program; providing for an appropriation; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.
Budget
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Representative Newsome
Last action
2021-04-05
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
4/6/2021
Plain English Breakdown
The bill summary and text do not specify all details about rulemaking authority or deadlines, leaving some uncertainty.
Connect Wyoming Program-Federal Funding
This law allows the state of Wyoming to use federal CARES Act funds for broadband internet projects through the Connect Wyoming program.
What This Bill Does
Defines key terms related to funding, such as 'CARES Act' and 'Connect Wyoming'.
Authorizes the Wyoming Business Council to spend federal CARES Act funds on broadband development in unserved and underserved areas.
Requires the council to make rules for how the funds should be used.
Who It Names or Affects
The Wyoming Business Council will manage and spend the federal funds.
People in unserved and underserved areas who need better internet access may benefit from these projects.
Terms To Know
CARES Act
A federal law that provides relief funds to states for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Connect Wyoming program
A state program using CARES Act funds to improve broadband internet access in Wyoming.
Limits and Unknowns
The exact amount of money available for spending is not set by this law and will be determined later.
If federal rules change, the deadline for spending the money might also change.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Standing Committee • House Appropriations Committee
Corrected, Adopted
Plain English: The amendment changes how the Connect Wyoming program can use federal funding for broadband development in Wyoming by altering specific wording related to appropriations and limits.
Changes 'appropriating funds' to 'providing for an appropriation'.
Removes a limit of up to forty dollars and replaces it with 'an amount determined by the legislature'.
Modifies language from 'to appropriate' to 'shall consider appropriating', giving more flexibility.
Adds that federal funding can come 'from any subsequent federal COVID-19 relief package.'
The amendment's text does not provide specific details on how the legislature will determine the amount of funds, leaving this aspect undefined.
Bill History
2021-04-05LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 92
2021-04-05Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0064
2021-04-01Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0064
2021-04-01House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0064
2021-04-01LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0064
2021-03-31Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-1-0-0-0
2021-03-30Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2021-03-29Senate
S COW:Passed
2021-03-29Senate
S Placed on General File
2021-03-29Senate
S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2021-03-24Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S02 - Appropriations
2021-03-23Senate
S Received for Introduction
2021-03-23House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 47-12-1-0-0
2021-03-22House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2021-03-19House
H COW:Passed
2021-03-12House
H Placed on General File
2021-03-12House
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
2021-03-05House
H Introduced and Referred to H02 - Appropriations
2021-03-04House
H Received for Introduction
2021-03-02LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 21LSO-0572
Bill No.:
HB0197
Effective:
Immediately
LSO No.:
21LSO-0572
Enrolled Act No.:
HEA No. 0064
Chapter No.:
92
Prime Sponsor:
Newsome
Catch Title:
Connect Wyoming program-federal funding.
Subject:
Appropriating CARES Act funds for broadband internet projects.
Summary/Major Elements:
In the federal Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, states were allocated relief funds to cover costs that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wyoming received one billion two hundred fifty million dollars ($1,250,000,000) in relief funds.
In expending these funds, the Governor and Wyoming Business Council created the Connect Wyoming program, which was designed to provide CARES Act funds for middle-mile and last-mile broadband internet projects to improve access and meet the increased need for reliable high-speed internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This act appropriates CARES Act funds, in an amount to be specified by the Legislature, to the Wyoming Business Council for additional broadband internet projects through the Connect Wyoming program. Funds may be expended until December 31, 2021 or the last day on which CARES Act funds may be expended, whichever is later.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.
While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0572
ORIGINAL House
Bill No
.
HB0197
ENROLLED ACT NO. 64,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session
AN ACT relating to the emergency expenses of government related to broadband internet access; authorizing the use of federal funds related to the Connect Wyoming program for broadband development in Wyoming; defining terms related to funding the program; providing for an appropriation; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"CARES Act" means the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, P.L. 116-136, including any amendments to that act;
(ii)
"Connect Wyoming" means the program created by the council that used available CARES Act funds for broadband development projects in Wyoming necessary to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency by bringing faster and more reliable broadband internet service in unserved and underserved areas;
(iii)
"Council" means the Wyoming business council;
(iv)
"Covered period" means the period beginning on the effective date of this act and ending December 31, 2021
except that if the period for which allowable costs may be incurred under section 601 of the federal Social Security Act, as created by section 5001 of the CARES Act and as amended by section 1001 of Division M of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, also known as the
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, is further amended or superseded, or if subsequent federal legislation is enacted that provides the state of Wyoming additional funds in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, "covered period" shall mean the period beginning on the effective date of this act and ending on the last date of the period specified by federal law for which allowable costs may be incurred.
(b)
There is appropriated to the council an amount determined by the legislature from any unexpended, unobligated funds appropriated in 2020 Wyoming Special Session Laws, Chapter 1, Section 2(b) and as authorized and made available for expenditure in Section 2(c)(ii). If CARES Act funds are not available for any portion of this appropriation, the joint appropriations committee or any other committee tasked with developing legislation shall consider appropriating additional COVID-19 relief funds from any subsequent federal COVID-19 relief package. Any funds appropriated under this subsection shall be used only for broadband internet development projects through the Connect Wyoming program and consistent with the terms of the federal gift, grant or appropriation from which the funds originate. This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose. Any unobligated, unexpended funds remaining from this appropriation on the last day of the covered period shall revert as provided by law.
Section 2.
The Wyoming business council shall promulgate all rules necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
Section 3
.
This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
Chief Clerk
1