LAS CRUCES - Millions of federal dollars are available to expand broadband Internet access in New Mexico, but the state can’t tap into that money until it has a plan, Senate Finance Committee Chairman George Muñoz, D-Gallup, told his fellow lawmakers.
Senate Bill 93, which passed the Senate on a 33-6 vote Wednesday, March 3, is intended to fix that problem. It would create the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, which would be responsible for evaluating the current system and coordinating its growth.
“The office is going to document the New Mexico broadband plan, something we do across about 17 different departments right now,” said sponsor Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque. “This is going to tie everything together and make it easier to see what’s going on with broadband here in New Mexico,” he said.