, Author at Texas 2036

New Internet for All Grants Offer Texas Critical Funding to Bridge Digital Divide

May 17, 2022

The Biden administration’s $45 billion federal investment in “Internet for All” could help the Lone Star State bridge the digital divide. Friday marked a critical milestone in our country’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and connect millions of Americans to affordable, high-speed internet. Following the Biden administration’s Internet for All announcement last week, states...

New Public-Private Partnership Makes High-Speed Internet Service Free for Millions of Texans

May 11, 2022

This week, the White House announced that AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Spectrum and 16 other providers will offer high-speed internet plans of at least 100 megabits per second “for no more than $30/month” to eligible low-income households – the same amount as the new government subsidy established by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)...

Texas 2036 Testifies on HB 5, HB1505 For Broadband Expansion

April 26, 2022

Luis Acuña, a Senior Policy Advisor at Texas 2036, testified in front of the Texas House of Representatives Committee on State Affairs on April 26 on interim charges related to the monitoring of HB 5 and HB 1505. This is an excerpt of his testimony. Good Morning, Chairman Metcalf, Vice-Chair Hernandez, and members of the...

Positioning Texas to Close the Digital Divide

February 4, 2022

The global pandemic accelerated the transition to a digital economy. From virtual learning to telehealth to online commerce, broadband internet was no longer a luxury. For over 9 million Texans, though, a lack of access and digital literacy threatened to leave them behind. Recognizing this, the Texas Legislature acted this year by passing House Bill...

How Texas Can Leverage Federal Funds Under New ARPA Rules

January 20, 2022

Last March, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), a $1.9 trillion dollar stimulus bill to expedite recovery from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Treasury issued its Final Rule regarding the use of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) established by ARPA last...

Texas Projected to Have Historic Fund Balance By FY 2023

November 17, 2021

Newly released numbers from the Texas Comptroller provide insight into the fiscal health of Texas. It’s projected that Texas will have at least a $15.4 billion fund balance – the largest ever – by the end of Fiscal Year 2023. The $15.4 billion balance is the sum of the $3.4 billion balance from the State...

Luis Acuña, Senior Policy Advisor