GREG CONTE
CINDY FISHER GLENN HEGAR
Universal Broadband
Connecting All Texans for a Brighter Future PROP. 8 PASSED By Michele Chan Santos NEARLY SEVEN MILLION. That’s how many Texans lack access to broadband services. “That’s seven million Texans who can’t access job postings, telemedicine appointments, work or educational opportunities from home,” said Comptroller Glenn Hegar, whose office includes the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO). Hegar compares universal broadband to when Texans were able to drive on a paved road across the state for the first time, or when Texans first had electricity to keep their homes lit at night. “And so universal broadband is the interstate highway system of this century,” Hegar said. “It is a transformative effort that, similar to highway construction or electrification,
7 | Texas Library Journal WINTER 2023
will open up huge opportunities across rural Texas and unlock the tremendous potential that has been pent up in underserved communities.” Greg Conte, Director of the BDO, said the need for universal access is constantly increasing. “On a daily basis, our dependence on reliable internet is growing. Texas has something like 70+ counties without a hospital; if you can access a doctor by clicking on a screen, that’s a game-changer,” Conte said. It’s a goal the federal government is promoting through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) — that’s why Texas was granted $3.3 billion in federal funds for broadband expansion, more than any other state. Priority areas are
What does that mean for universal broadband?
With the passage of Proposition 8 on November 7, Texas now has $1.5 billion in state funds to invest in broadband. Proposition 8 creates a special fund that lasts until 2035 to build out broadband infrastructure. This investment is “a substantial dedication to ensuring we will achieve the goals this office was created for,” Conte said. Passage of Proposition 8 makes Texas “less reliant on federal funds. We do have a diverse set of needs that is unique to our state.”
