wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2016 > Original Bill
An additive capital budget is hereby adopted and, subject to the provisions set forth in this act, the several dollar amounts hereinafter specified, or so much thereof as shall be sufficient to accomplish the purposes designated, are hereby appropriated and authorized to be incurred for capital projects during the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2027, out of the several funds specified in this act.
The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this act unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Fiscal year 2025" or "FY 2025" means the period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025.
"Fiscal year 2026" or "FY 2026" means the period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.
"Fiscal year 2027" or "FY 2027" means the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.
"Lapse" or "revert" means the amount shall return to an unappropriated status.
"Provided solely" means the specified amount may be spent only for the specified purpose.
Unless otherwise specifically authorized in this act, any portion of an amount provided solely for a specified purpose that is not expended subject to the specified conditions and limitations to fulfill the specified purpose shall lapse.
The amounts shown under the headings "Prior Biennia," "Future Biennia," and "Total" in this act are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legislative approval of these amounts. "Prior biennia" typically refers to the immediate prior biennium for reappropriations, but may refer to multiple biennia in the case of specific projects. A "future biennia" amount means an estimate of what may be appropriated for the project or program in the 2027-2029 fiscal biennium and the following three biennia; an amount of zero does not necessarily constitute legislative intent to not provide funding for the project or program in the future.
"Reappropriations" in this act are appropriations and, unless the context clearly provides otherwise, are subject to the relevant conditions and limitations applicable to appropriations. Reappropriations are limited to the unexpended balances remaining on June 30, 2025, from the 2023-2025 fiscal biennial appropriations for each project.
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (40000290)
The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:
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$280,000,000 of the federal broadband account—state appropriation in this section is provided solely as match for federal authority allocated under this section for the statewide broadband office to administer the broadband equity, access, and deployment state grants program in section 60102 of P.L. 117-58 (infrastructure investment and jobs act). Expenditure of the amount in this subsection is contingent on the receipt of this grant funding.
To the extent permitted by federal law, the office shall provide state match only for projects where the lead applicant is a public or tribal government entity. The office must allocate state match funds in a manner that prioritizes projects based on affordability, fair labor practices, speed to deployment, open access, local and tribal coordination, and the provision of digital navigation services, as outlined in the scoring criteria contained in the plan submitted by the statewide broadband office to the national telecommunications and information administration.
In addition to scoring and weighting criteria established pursuant to the federal broadband equity, access, and deployment program, the state broadband office must establish additional secondary selection criteria, including, but not limited to, criteria that give weight to projects that:
Provide open-access wholesale last-mile broadband service for the useful life of the subsidized networks on fair, equal, and neutral terms to all potential retail providers; and
Demonstrate support from the local government or any tribal government with oversight over the location or locations to be served.
$300,000 of the federal broadband account—federal appropriation provided in this section is for a staff position dedicated to advising the statewide broadband office on the availability and feasibility of deploying new and emerging technologies in broadband internet service.
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Broadband Infrastructure Federal Match Transfer (40000825)
The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions and limitations: The state building construction account—state appropriation in this section for fiscal year 2025 is provided solely for the statewide broadband office to administer the broadband equity, access, and deployment state grants program in section 60102 of P.L. 117-58 (infrastructure investment and jobs act). The appropriation must be transferred into the federal broadband account established in RCW 43.330.400. Expenditure of the amount in this section is contingent on the receipt of this federal grant funding.
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (40000290)
The reappropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations: The reappropriations in this section are subject to the provisions of section 2 of this act.
2.
Federal funding received by the department for broadband activities must be used in accordance with any federal requirements and, subject to those requirements, may be distributed by the department on a competitive basis to other entities in the state.
The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
Except for section 4 of this act, this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.
Section 4 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2025.