Establishing a satellite internet grant program

This bill creates a satellite internet grant program under the office of the chief information officer to provide broadband connection to Iowans with limited or nonexistent internet connectivity. The bill defines “initial hardware costs” to mean manufacturing and equipment costs generated from accessing a satellite. The bill defines “satellite” to mean an electronic infrastructure orbiting the earth at atmospheric altitudes between 200 kilometers and 2,000 kilometers that facilitates broadband service. The bill provides that a person may apply for grants administered by the office to cover up to the initial hardware costs for satellite interconnection if certain criteria are satisfied. Criteria for awarding a grant include providing broadband service to areas with no broadband, a statement of the initial hardware costs for the satellite project, interconnection facilitating internet service that provides certain minimum download and upload speeds, and other standards and criteria as determined by the office.