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HR1975119th CongressWALLET

BEAD FEE Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]

Introduced

Summary

Limits state and local fees on broadband construction to qualify for BEAD funding. The bill would withhold BEAD grants from an eligible state, territory, or political subdivision that charges fees to consider requests or to use rights-of-way for placing, constructing, or modifying broadband infrastructure unless those fees are competitively neutral, technology neutral, nondiscriminatory, publicly disclosed, based on actual and direct costs, and described to distinguish recurring from nonrecurring charges and locations with or without existing broadband.

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  • States and territories would need to change fee policies or risk losing BEAD program money for broadband deployment.
  • Local governments and political subdivisions would have to make fees publicly disclosed, nondiscriminatory, cost-based, and clearly described for applicants.
  • Broadband applicants and builders would get clearer information on fees and a required distinction between recurring and nonrecurring charges and between sites with and without existing broadband.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Tighter local broadband fees for federal broadband grants

If enacted, the Assistant Secretary would only award BEAD grants when state or local broadband permit and right-of-way fees meet strict rules. Fees would need to be competitively neutral, technology neutral, and nondiscriminatory, and publicly posted. They would have to be based only on actual, direct, objectively reasonable costs (like reviewing applications or repairing affected equipment). Governments would need to explain fees to applicants by separating one-time and ongoing charges and noting whether broadband already exists on the infrastructure. This would apply after enactment and would not apply to BEAD funds under paragraph (1)(C).

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]

GA • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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