RS 2370.3 - Ineligibility due to funds; submission of census block, shape file area, and address data; time limitations
A. A provider receiving Universal Service, Connect America Phase II, Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, or nonfederal funds to deploy broadband service may qualify the area for protection by submitting, within sixty days of the close of the application period, a listing of the census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof, comprising the federally-funded project areas meeting this requirement to the office.
B. In future program years, the deadline for submitting the census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof shall be established by the office, but shall not be less than sixty days prior to the beginning date of the application period. This will enable the office to update maps and advise applicants as to the unserved areas of the state that are ineligible for consideration in that program year.
C. The office shall only utilize the data to update maps of census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof and to reflect the census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof as being served.
D. In no instance shall an applicant be required to provide any data beyond that which it is required to provide to the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 641 et seq.
E. Failure on the part of a provider to submit the listing of census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof by the deadline shall result in those areas being ineligible for exclusion under the GUMBO program during the upcoming program year. A provider that has facilities in the area or that intends to deploy broadband service within twenty-four months shall be able to protest ineligibility.
F. The office shall use the provided census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof only for mapping of unserved areas.
G. Upon expiration of the twenty-four month reservation period described in Subsection E of this Section, a provider that has received a reservation of census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof shall submit written documentation by April thirtieth of the year following the program year that the initiation of activity related to broadband infrastructure will or has begun in the census blocks, shapefile areas, individual addresses, or portions thereof, that have been deemed ineligible by the office due to the existence of a federally-funded project area.
Acts 2021, No. 477, §1, eff. July 1, 2021.