S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9103
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 24, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations,  Authorities
   and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in
   relation to the affordable housing broadband assistance grant program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 16-gg of section 1 of chapter 174 of  the  laws  of
 1968  constituting the New York state urban development corporation act,
 as added by section 2 of part MMM of chapter 58 of the laws of 2022,  is
 amended by adding a new subdivision 10-a to read as follows:
   10-A.  AFFORDABLE  HOUSING BROADBAND ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. (A) THE
 DIVISION SHALL ESTABLISH THE  AFFORDABLE  HOUSING  BROADBAND  ASSISTANCE
 GRANT  PROGRAM.  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL  SUPPORT  NO-COST AND/OR DISCOUNTED
 BROADBAND SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR  HOUSEHOLDS  RECEIVING  FEDERAL,  STATE,  OR
 LOCAL  HOUSING  ASSISTANCE  OR  RESIDING IN HOUSING UNITS DESIGNATED FOR
 LOW-INCOME AND/OR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
   (B) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PROGRAM, ELIGIBLE GRANT RECIPIENTS  SHALL
 INCLUDE  LOCAL  GOVERNMENTS, MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITIES AS DEFINED IN
 SECTION 3 OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING LAW, OR FOR-PROFIT OR NON-PROFIT LOW-IN-
 COME HOUSING PROPERTY OWNERS OR OPERATORS.
   (C) THE  DIVISION  SHALL  ESTABLISH  CRITERIA,  CONSISTENT  WITH  THIS
 SECTION,  FOR  GRANT RECIPIENTS TO SELECT AND CONTRACT WITH AN ENTITY TO
 PROVIDE BROADBAND SERVICE PURSUANT TO THE GRANT.
   (D) THE GRANTS SHALL  SUPPORT  THE  COSTS  ASSOCIATED  WITH  PROVIDING
 BROADBAND  SERVICES  TO  RESIDENTIAL END-USERS CONSISTENT WITH PARAGRAPH
 (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION AT NO COST OR A DISCOUNTED COST, AND WOULD COVER
 EXPENDITURES OF UP TO THIRTY DOLLARS PER MONTH PER HOUSING  UNIT  FOR  A
 PERIOD OF UP TO FOUR YEARS.
   (E)  THE  GRANT  RECIPIENT  SHALL,  TO  THE  GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE,
 PROVIDE FOR BROADBAND SERVICES THAT MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
   (I) PROVIDE A BASELINE LEVEL  OF  SERVICE  OFFERING  MINIMUM  DOWNLOAD
 SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 100 MEGABITS PER SECOND IN EACH UNIT;
   (II) UTILIZE A FIXED, WIRELINE BROADBAND SERVICE;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15116-02-4
 S. 9103                             2
 
   (III)  ALLOW  RESIDENTIAL  END-USERS,  AT THEIR OWN COST, TO OBTAIN AN
 INCREASED LEVEL OF SERVICE BEYOND THE BASELINE LEVEL TO BE SUPPORTED  BY
 THE GRANT; AND
   (IV) UTILIZE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT:
   (A)  OPERATE HIGH-SPEED NETWORKS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING DOWNLOAD SPEEDS
 OF AT LEAST 100 MEGABITS PER SECOND, AND WITH CONSIDERATION TO PROVIDERS
 WHO CAN OFFER FASTER BROADBAND SPEEDS;
   (B) HAVE EXPERIENCE IN IMPLEMENTING AND SUPPORTING  LOW-INCOME  BROAD-
 BAND ADOPTION PROGRAMS; AND
   (C)  HAVE  A  DEMONSTRATED  ABILITY  TO  MEET  THE GRANT'S OBLIGATIONS
 INCLUDING CUSTOMER SERVICE CAPABILITY AND INITIATING SERVICE  FOR  RESI-
 DENTIAL END-USERS AS DETERMINED BY THE DIVISION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.