Gov. Evers Vetoes Wis. Broadband Bill

Objecting to a proposed ISP challenge process, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) vetoed a Republican state broadband bill that would narrow what areas may receive grants but not limit by speed what projects could get money (see 2202240041). The challenge process in SB-365 would let ISPs “block competition in rural and outlying areas of the state for up to two years by interfering with grants to other providers, potentially leaving residents with no service, inadequate service, or unaffordable service for a longer period,” Evers said in a Friday veto message: “Now is not the time to grant a competitive advantage to providers that have chosen not to deliver this service to these communities.” Evers also objected to codifying the speed definition of unserved areas, which the bill defines as places where no provider has service with 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds. “Broadband technology is evolving at a rapid pace and defining the speed of broadband service that leaves an individual as ‘unserved’ in state statute could leave the Public Service Commission unable to make necessary updates” to the state’s grant program quickly, the governor said. SB-365 sponsor Sen. Howard Marklein (R), Senate President Chris Kapenga (R) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) didn’t comment Monday.