Relates to certain economic development programs; requires reporting on the use of fiber-optic technology in certain economic development grant programs; adds access to high-speed broadband internet service as consideration in certain competitive grant projects.
Summary
This bill amends New York’s economic development reporting and grant-selection laws to incorporate broadband infrastructure considerations. It requires the Department of Economic Development’s annual comprehensive report to include, or at least may include, a summary of the extent to which community revitalization grant programs used end-to-end fiber-optic architecture to provide high-speed broadband internet service. The report must continue to cover economic development assistance, including tax expenditures, grants, awards, loans, program participation, economic impact, and regional distribution, and must be posted on the department’s website each year.
The bill also changes the criteria used by the New York State Urban Development Corporation when evaluating certain projects and properties. For competitive projects, the corporation must consider the extent to which a proposed project will use end-to-end fiber-optic architecture to deliver high-speed broadband service. For properties in economically distressed communities, priority would also be given to properties containing residential apartment units or affordable housing units if the municipality commits to using end-to-end fiber-optic architecture to provide broadband service to those properties. The bill takes effect immediately.
Impact
The bill would amend the Economic Development Law and the New York State Urban Development Corporation Act to explicitly tie certain economic development reporting and project-priority decisions to broadband deployment, especially fiber-optic infrastructure. It does not create a new standalone broadband program, but it adds broadband-related criteria to existing grant and development frameworks and expands the information the state reports on economic development programs. Affected parties include the Department of Economic Development, the New York State Urban Development Corporation, municipalities seeking project priority, and applicants for community revitalization or other competitive economic development grants, particularly those involving housing or distressed communities.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no direct evidence of formal support or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed positively as an economic development and broadband access initiative, with an emphasis on modern infrastructure and community revitalization. The absence of recorded votes or discussion means sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s apparent policy intent.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the added preference for projects and properties that commit to end-to-end fiber-optic broadband, which could be viewed as beneficial for long-term connectivity but also as an added requirement or evaluation factor that may affect project costs, feasibility, or competitiveness. Another possible issue is whether broadband deployment should be a priority criterion within economic development programs that traditionally focus on jobs, investment, and distressed-area revitalization. No specific objections, amendments, or opposing viewpoints are included in the provided materials.