Read more about the article House and Senate Pass Broadband Tax Bill With MACo Amendments
Broadband / County Budgets / General Assembly News / Taxes and Revenues
House and Senate Pass Broadband Tax Bill With MACo Amendments

The House and Senate have passed HB 969 / SB 774 with MACo’s amendments, preserving local decision-making over broadband tax incentives. As introduced, MACo supported HB 969 / SB 774 with amendments to ensure counties retained authority over local fiscal policy. The bill would have granted rural broadband service providers a permanent property tax carveout, giving them a lasting advantage over other industries while shifting significant costs onto counties. This approach ignored the reality that…

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March 17, 2025
Read more about the article Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Expand Broadband Infrastructure
Broadband / Economic Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations
Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Expand Broadband Infrastructure

On Tuesday, January 07, Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing the Digital Infrastructure Group. The Digital Infrastructure Group will be led by Eric Bathras, Chief Technology Officer for Infrastructure at the Department of Information Technology, and work in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. The goal is to help increase internet coverage, boost state revenue through resource-sharing agreements with private sector Internet service providers, eliminate financial inefficiencies,…

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January 9, 2025
Read more about the article Montgomery County Wins Best Broadband Program Award
Broadband / County News / Information Technology
Montgomery County Wins Best Broadband Program Award

Montgomery County has been named the “Best Municipal or Public Connectivity Program” by the Broadband Nation Awards. The County was recognized as having the nation’s top broadband infrastructure program and digital equity program to help close the digital divide. The announcement was made during the Broadband Nation Expo in Washington, D.C. on October 10, 2024. The awards help to focus attention on the importance of bridging the growing digital divide and the need to bring…

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October 17, 2024
Read more about the article Feds Share Health IT Strategy to Enhance Care and Connectivity
Broadband / County News / Health and Human Services / Information Technology
Feds Share Health IT Strategy to Enhance Care and Connectivity

The federal government unveiled a health IT strategy to improve patient care, drive innovation, and expand access to digital health technologies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan. This strategy sets a course for the future of health information technology (health IT). This comprehensive strategy, guided by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, focuses on leveraging technology to improve healthcare…

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October 8, 2024
Read more about the article MD Internet Access: High Statewide, But Rural Counties Struggle to Keep Pace
Broadband / County News / Information Technology / News You Can Use
MD Internet Access: High Statewide, But Rural Counties Struggle to Keep Pace

Access to broadband in rural areas is an issue nationwide, and Maryland is no exception. New data from the Local Estimates of Internet Adoption (LEIA) program reveals that while Maryland maintains strong internet adoption rates overall, significant gaps persist in rural counties, affecting residents’ ability to participate fully in the digital economy, access education, and benefit from telehealth services. These insights, provided by the US Census Bureau in collaboration with the National Telecommunications and Information…

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September 9, 2024
Read more about the article Somerset County Expands Digital Horizon
Broadband / Business Affairs / County News / Economic Development / Information Technology / News You Can Use
Somerset County Expands Digital Horizon

Somerset County receives close to $2 million in funding to expand broadband access. Maryland has allocated almost $2 million to extend high-speed internet access to Smith Island. This grant, managed by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Office of Statewide Broadband, aims to connect over 200 businesses and households in Somerset County. By investing in infrastructure, counties will enhance economic development in their communities, ensuring more reliable internet access for both businesses and…

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August 7, 2024
Read more about the article Federal Court Decision Throws Wrench Into Telecom Access Programs
Broadband / County News / Economic Development / Feature / Government Liability and Courts / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Taxes and Revenues
Federal Court Decision Throws Wrench Into Telecom Access Programs

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in a 9-7 en banc decision, recently overturned the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF), calling it an unconstitutional tax. This ruling has sent shockwaves through the telecommunications industry, as the USF has been a cornerstone of the FCC’s efforts to ensure nationwide access to telecommunications services. For county governments, this decision imperils the funding and sustainability of critical telecom infrastructure projects that support…

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August 2, 2024
Read more about the article MD to Deploy $268M in Federal Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access
Broadband / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / News You Can Use
MD to Deploy $268M in Federal Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access

Governor Wes Moore announced that the United States Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved proposals for Maryland’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) plan. The approval enables access to $267.7 million in federal funding to support the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Connect Maryland initiative to provide all Marylanders with affordable and equitable access to high-speed internet. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding from the…

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July 11, 2024
Read more about the article Let’s Get Techy! Don’t Miss the #MACoCon Tech Expo
Broadband / County News / Cyber / Information Technology / Summer Conference
Let’s Get Techy! Don’t Miss the #MACoCon Tech Expo

MACoCon's Tech Expo, which will take place on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, will feature intense hands-on immersion in new and developing technologies. The exhibit hall will host 60 technology-focused vendors. MACo’s 2024 Summer Conference, “Turning the Tide,” will examine ways counties can, with an eye on the future, foster and fund county priorities like planning for sustainable growth, modernizing mental health and public safety services, and advancing our education system, among others. As always, the…

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July 3, 2024
Read more about the article Gov Moore Announces $19.6M to Provide Internet Access to 2,400 Maryland Households
Broadband / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
Gov Moore Announces $19.6M to Provide Internet Access to 2,400 Maryland Households

Governor Wes Moore announced $19.6 million in fiscal 2024 awards through a new Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development program to help more Marylanders access high-speed, affordable internet. Home Stretch for Difficult to Serve Properties, administered by the department’s Office of Statewide Broadband, will provide internet access to approximately 2,400 unserved Maryland households in its first round. Many unserved locations are unserved not because of a lack of nearby infrastructure but because of the…

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May 20, 2024
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