There are in the Senate version of the budget, which Republican Senate leaders say are paid for with spending cuts. Among them is the elimination of $190 million for grants for broadband expansion that鈥檚 in the House鈥檚 budget.
Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said it鈥檚 not that he鈥檚 opposed to expanding broadband. It鈥檚 that he鈥檚 unclear on what the money would do.
鈥淚 think people are anxious to spend money on something that everybody thinks is a good idea. I think it鈥檚 a bad idea to just start spending without a plan," Huffman said.
The Ohio House鈥檚 $190 million was a drop from Gov. Mike DeWine鈥檚 initial request of $250 million.
Nearly 1 million Ohio households lack reliable broadband, and 300,000 have no service at all.
A new law creates a residential broadband expansion grant program with $20 million for construction grants. Last month when , he urged lawmakers to include the $190 million in the House budget.
Reps. Rick Carfaga (R-Genoa Township) and Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) sponsored that bill, which was . They said in a statement that reads in part:
鈥淟ack of broadband access presently denies employment, education, healthcare and commerce opportunities to at least one million Ohioans, and the broadband expansion grants proposed by the House and Governor鈥檚 Office are designed to free up hundreds of millions in private investment to aggressively combat these disparities. Based on the numerous public and private statements of our colleagues in the Senate, I know that there is a strong desire on their end to bring this life-changing infrastructure to those currently deprived. Given today鈥檚 Senate announcement to remove these funds in totality, I look forward to hearing how they intend to accomplish House Bill 2鈥檚 vision of facilitating the expansion of high-speed internet to unserved households across Ohio.鈥�
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