Amends existing law to revise provisions about the dig once policy and rights-of-way for broadband.
House Bill 145 revises Idaho’s broadband “Dig Once Policy” statutes to make it easier to coordinate broadband installation with highway and district road projects. The bill updates legislative findings to emphasize that broadband is in the public interest and that use of highway rights-of-way can support statewide broadband expansion. It also adds and refines definitions for terms such as broadband, broadband infrastructure, broadband provider, Dig Once Policy, and micro-trenching.
The bill requires the Idaho Transportation Department and single county-wide highway districts to maintain a registry of broadband providers interested in installing infrastructure along highways, identify eligible road projects, and notify providers so they can submit statements of interest to coordinate installation. It sets timelines and procedures for review, allows agencies to impose conditions and deny installation when it would interfere with safety or construction, and requires nondiscriminatory, competitively neutral rules that promote competition among providers. The bill also authorizes the department to install conduit for its own use or to support broadband expansion.
The bill amends Idaho Code sections 40-516 through 40-520 governing broadband in highway rights-of-way. It expands and clarifies agency duties for project notification, provider coordination, permitting, cost allocation, and rulemaking, while preserving agency control over highway safety and operations. It also requires broadband providers to pay actual installation costs, addresses shared costs when multiple providers participate, aligns access fees with public utility treatment, and adds specific provisions on conduit use, records, relocation, and a prohibition on district micro-trenching. The act takes effect July 1, 2025, under an emergency clause.
The bill’s stated purpose and structure reflect generally supportive sentiment toward broadband expansion and infrastructure coordination, with a strong emphasis on economic development, rural connectivity, and efficient use of public rights-of-way. The absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials limits direct evidence of opposition or support, but the bill text itself frames the policy as broadly beneficial and public-interest oriented. Overall, the measure appears to be a pro-broadband, pro-coordination update rather than a controversial overhaul.
The main points of potential contention are the balance between broadband deployment and highway control, and the allocation of costs and responsibilities. The bill gives the department and districts authority to deny installations that hinder safety, maintenance, or construction, while also requiring them to create neutral rules and coordinate with providers, which may raise concerns about administrative burden or discretion. Cost-sharing provisions, liability and indemnification terms, future relocation costs, and the prohibition on district micro-trenching may also be disputed by broadband providers, highway districts, or contractors depending on project economics and engineering preferences.