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Missouri governor signs extension on broadband, water tests for schools

Gov. Mike Parson signed two pieces of legislation Thursday, one extending the state’s broadband program and another to help provide safe drinking water for Missouri's schools.

On Thursday morning, Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed HB 1768, a piece of legislation that will extend the current Missouri Broadband Grant Program, set to expire in August 2021, through 2027, according to a news release from the Missouri Governor website.

“Now more than ever, access to high-speed broadband is critical to Missouri’s infrastructure,” Parson said in the release. “We greatly appreciate the leadership of Representative Louis Riggs and Senator Dan Hegeman on this legislation, which will help us continue to bring the best possible broadband programs and services to all Missourians, especially to those in rural areas of the state.”

Created in 2018, the Missouri Broadband Grant Program was formed to help providers, communities, counties and regions invest in broadband infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas. In the 2019 legislative session, $5 million was appropriated for the inaugural round of grant funding, according to the release.

The newly signed HB 1768 extends the broadband program an additional six years to June 30, 2027. Under the legislation, grant recipients that do not meet the speed requirement of 25 megabits per second must repay any funds received through the program, the release said.

The extension is expected to help Missouri’s efforts to bridge the digital gap and expand broadband access to all areas of the state.

 Also signed Thursday was HB 2120, which provides protections for safe drinking water in Missouri’s schools, the release said.

HB 2120 will allow Missouri schools to submit a test of potable water for lead content to a laboratory approved by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. This provision is in response to a review that found numerous schools with elevated lead levels in their water.

By signing HB 2120, Missouri’s schools and the Department of Health and Senior Services will be able to capitalize on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant of $719,000 that will assist with lead water testing.