Faster Internet for Rural Areas

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Rural areas in Washington could be getting faster internet if a new bill makes it past the legislature.

The potential law would let PUDs provide broadband internet in their service areas. It's being championed most especially for those rural areas, so that students, businesses of every size, and parents can use the internet without a hitch.

Representative Drew Hansen explained why this bill is so important, “There was a problem when electricity wasn’t available in a lot of areas of this state, and a lot of family farms. And the Washington Grange put the very first initiative on the ballot, Initiative number one, to form public utility districts to allow them to offer power directly to the public. This bill does that, but with broadband.”

Hansen, a Democrat from Bainbridge Island, put together a bipartisan coalition in the state House to work on the bill, and the full chamber OK’d it with a two-to-one margin Tuesday afternoon. The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.