A measure designed to increase funding for rural broadband infrastructure in New Mexico is now in committee in the state legislature as the 2025 session nears its ending.
Senate Bill 126, as introduced by Democrat Senator and Majority Whip Michael Padilla, is calling for increasing the revenue used for building and expanding broadband projects current from $30 million to $40 million.
If approved, the legislation will require the state’s Public Regulations Commission to increase its surcharge rate for use by the State Rural Universal Services Fund to support such projects.
Padilla has said that his bill is a piece of “our promise to take high speed broadband internet across the state of New Mexico.”
In an analysis of the legislation compiled by the Legislative Finance Committee it is noted that the State Rural Universal Services Fund was created to provide “financial assistance to eligible telecommunications carriers operating in rural areas to cover the high costs of infrastructure development and maintenance.”
Accordingly, the fund reduces the financial burden that otherwise may be passed along to rural users.
The Public Regulations Commission itself earlier issued a report contending that the current $30 million cap for the services fund had negatively impacted “urgent broadband access needs” during the months of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The measure is now being reviewed before the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee.
March 18, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of NM.gov
