BROADBAND Leadership Act

Key Points

• The bill prevents state and local governments from blocking or unfairly slowing down the construction of internet and phone infrastructure. It bars any local law that effectively prohibits companies from providing telecommunications service.
• Local governments face strict deadlines to approve or deny construction requests: 90 days for equipment on existing structures, and 150 days for all other projects. If they miss the deadline, the request is automatically approved.
• Fees that local governments charge telecom companies must be based on actual, objectively reasonable costs rather than being used as a revenue source. Fees must also be technology neutral and nondiscriminatory.
• The FCC gains power to override state and local laws that it finds are inconsistent with the bill. It must act on preemption petitions within 120 days.
• Local governments cannot use moratoria to stall telecom construction. Any moratorium, formal or informal, on accepting or considering permit requests is explicitly banned.