Contact: Rep. James Edming, (608) 266-7506
MADISON – Today, Representative James Edming (R-Glen Flora) backed legislation that will increase investment in broadband expansion efforts in underserved areas of Wisconsin. Assembly Bill (AB) 123 provides $15.5 million for the broadband expansion grant program and sets guidelines for the program to ensure that funding is going to the areas with the highest need.
“No matter where I go around the 87th Assembly District, one of the issues I hear about most is the need for improved high-speed internet access,” said Rep. Edming. “In today’s world, reliable high-speed internet access is a necessity for education, healthcare, and business. The lack of high-speed internet access in rural Wisconsin not only affects the people in those areas but the State of Wisconsin as a whole by limiting economic growth.”
AB 123 is a part of a package of legislation brought forward by the Rural Wisconsin Initiative (RWI). The RWI is a group of legislators committed to improving access to healthcare, education, technology, and workforce development in rural Wisconsin.
“I am a proud supporter of AB 123 and am pleased to see this bill move forward in the legislative process,” said Rep. Edming. “This bill is another step towards meeting a critical need in rural Wisconsin.”
AB 123 passed the State Assembly with a unanimous 98-0 vote and now moves to the State Senate for further consideration.
