Idaho § 67-4761 - Idaho broadband advisory board

§ 67-4761. Idaho broadband advisory board

(1) There is hereby created within the department of commerce the Idaho broadband advisory board. The advisory board shall consist of three (3) members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, three (3) members of the senate appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, one (1) nonvoting member with experience and knowledge of the broadband industry appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one (1) nonvoting member with experience and knowledge of the broadband industry appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, and three (3) members of the public appointed by the governor.

(2) The advisory board shall be responsible for creating a statewide broadband plan that will determine the manner of structuring, prioritizing, and dispersing grants from the Idaho broadband fund to areas of the state that are most in need and shall have the authority to determine which broadband projects are undertaken pursuant to this section. At the discretion of the advisory board, grant award grading and scoring shall be conducted by an independent third party, and the independent third party shall provide recommendations to the advisory board. In the preparation, adoption, and implementation of the statewide broadband plan, the advisory board shall solicit the participation and assistance of state agencies with pertinent expertise. All agencies of the state of Idaho shall cooperate with the advisory board by providing requested research, information, and studies pertaining in any manner to the statewide broadband plan.

(3) Once the statewide broadband plan has been adopted by a majority vote of the broadband advisory board, copies of the plan shall be filed in the office of the governor, posted on the website of the advisory board or the department of commerce, and published and distributed in any other manner determined appropriate by the advisory board.

(4) Following adoption of the statewide broadband plan, the board shall administer the implementation of the plan and shall maintain and revise the plan as necessary.

(5) Any state agency may petition the board to revise the statewide broadband plan. The board shall review any petition filed pursuant to this section within three (3) months after it is filed and shall either take action to revise the broadband plan or set forth its reasons for denying the request in writing.

[67-4761, added 2021, ch. 137, sec. 2, p. 383; am. 2025, ch. 115, sec. 1, p. 617.]