This law sends a clear message that all New Mexicans deserve access to broadband despite their income. The governor's signature ensures that tens of thousands of New Mexicans will now be able to afford high-speed internet. I am grateful the governor and the Legislature took action on this important bipartisan issue to help low-income families pay for this vital infrastructure.
The California Public Utilities Commission has approved $3.29 million in grants from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Broadband Adoption Account that will support 18 digital literacy training projects and three broadband projects across the state. The 21 projects will provide services to about 16,145 Californians.
Owned and operated by AVX Networks, the project will extend high-capacity submarine fiber connectivity originating from Huntington Beach in Orange County, delivering reliable broadband access to approximately 3,700 to 4,400 year-round residents across roughly 1,200 housing units on Catalina Island, where a significant portion of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. The new infrastructure will enable expanded telework, telehealth, and educational access, helping residents overcome geographic isolation while supporting workforce mobility and long-term economic participation.
The law, passed as part of the infrastructure bill, was slated to bring millions in new broadband grants and digital literacy tools, education, and training to Americans (of all kinds). The bill helped everybody (including Trump-supporting rural veterans and rural residents), but because Trump's team seemed to assume that the word equity meant "help minorities," the program was the brutal victim of our mad, incoherent, con man king and his army of mindless earlobe nibblers.
If the Supreme Court doesn't reverse a lower court's ruling, internet service providers (ISPs) could be forced to terminate people's internet access based on nothing more than mere accusations of copyright infringement. This would threaten innocent users who rely on broadband for essential aspects of daily life. EFF-along with the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, and Re:Create-filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the decision.
For families across Longmont, having a high-speed internet connection isn't optional - it's vital. We want our NextLight community to know that when times get challenging, we can help them stay connected so that they can continue to work, study and thrive.
