Bill > SB571

This bill, the Maryland Broadband Opportunity and Fairness Act, mandates that certain broadband providers in Maryland establish a program by December 1, 2026, to offer affordable broadband services to eligible low-income consumers, defined as individuals or households meeting specific criteria related to federal nutrition programs, tax credits, energy assistance, or income levels at or below 350% of the federal poverty guidelines. The program must provide a minimum broadband speed of 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload for smaller households and 200 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload for larger ones, with at least 1.2 terabytes of data storage and low latency for real-time applications, and network outages should not exceed 48 hours annually on average. The Office of Statewide Broadband, within the Department of Housing and Community Development, can exempt providers from this requirement if they serve fewer than 20,000 households and compliance would cause an unreasonable financial burden, and this Office will also oversee provider compliance reports and periodically review and potentially update the required broadband speeds and eligibility criteria. Additionally, the bill establishes a Broadband Affordability Advisory Board, composed of state officials, legislators, and provider representatives, tasked with defining what constitutes a "low-cost broadband service option" in accordance with federal guidelines, and any violation of these provisions will be considered an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice.

Budget and Finance

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0571?ys=2026RS