Jim Baller Authors Article on Arkansas’ Broadband Expansion

Keller and Heckman Partner Jim Baller authored the Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC) article, “Arkansas State Legislature Significantly Expands Local Broadband Options.” The article discusses how, as the Arkansas General Assembly recently found in enacting SB74 in which Section 3 notes that, “…without access to voice, data, broadband, video, and wireless telecommunications services, citizens of Arkansas also lack access to healthcare services, education services, and other essential services; and that this act is immediately necessary to allow government entities to provide high quality voice, data, broadband, video, and wireless telecommunications services to their citizens.”

As a result, the Arkansas Senate voted 35 – 0 and the House voted 94 – 0 to give government agencies substantial new powers to help accelerate the deployment, adoption, and use of advanced communication services and facilities across the state. 

Among other new powers, this new legislature allows government entities in Arkansas that own electric systems or cable television systems to provide communications services or facilities, now or in the future, directly or indirectly, with the exception of basic local exchange service.

To read the full article, please click here.