Bill > H0145

This bill amends existing Idaho law to expand and clarify the "Dig Once Policy" for broadband infrastructure installation, which aims to reduce excavation costs and minimize disruption when installing internet infrastructure along highway rights-of-way. The bill adds single county-wide highway districts to the policy's scope, requiring them to develop nondiscriminatory rules for broadband infrastructure installation. It introduces new definitions, including a precise definition of broadband (minimum speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload) and adds a new term "micro-trenching" (a narrow highway cut less than 2 inches wide and less than 18 inches deep). The legislation requires the Idaho Transportation Department and county highway districts to maintain a registry of broadband providers, notify them of potential infrastructure installation projects, and provide opportunities for coordinated infrastructure deployment. The bill establishes detailed guidelines for how broadband providers can access highway rights-of-way, including requirements for license agreements, cost-sharing provisions, and maintaining the safety and efficiency of highways. Notably, the bill prohibits districts from allowing micro-trenching and ensures that all rules and processes remain competitively neutral and fair to all broadband providers. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause declaring its immediate importance.