Bill > HB1080

This bill aims to incentivize the deployment of wireless telephone and communication services infrastructure in Colorado, particularly in rural, unserved, and underserved areas. The legislation allows counties, special districts, and school districts to negotiate tax incentive payments or credits with taxpayers who establish or expand qualified communication services facilities in areas lacking adequate broadband access. A "qualified communication services facility" includes infrastructure and equipment used to provide fixed or mobile broadband internet access, such as cell towers, fiber optics, routers, and servers. The bill defines "unserved areas" as locations without broadband internet access meeting federal benchmarks, and "underserved areas" as locations with limited internet provider options. Taxpayers seeking tax relief must demonstrate to the local government that their proposed investment serves an unserved or underserved area, using Federal Communications Commission broadband coverage maps. The incentive payments cannot exceed the amount of taxes levied on the property for the current tax year, and local governments must apply these incentives in a nondiscriminatory and competitively neutral manner. The legislation also updates an existing sales tax rebate program for broadband infrastructure, recognizing the interconnectedness of various communication technologies and the importance of comprehensive wireless and broadband access for economic and social development in Colorado.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1080