72-19-201. Utah Broadband Center -- Creation -- Director -- Duties.
(1) There is created within the department the Utah Broadband Center.
(2) The executive director shall appoint a director of the broadband center to oversee the operations of the broadband center.
(3) The broadband center shall: ensure that publicly funded broadband projects continue to be publicly accessible and provide a public benefit; develop the statewide digital connectivity plan described in Section; 72-19-203 carry out the duties described in Section; 72-19-202 administer the Broadband Access Grant Program created in Section; and 72-19-301 administer the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Grant Program created in Section. 72-19-401
(4) The broadband center shall ensure efficiency with respect to: expenditure of funds; and avoiding duplication of efforts.
(5) The broadband center shall consider administering broadband infrastructure funds in a manner that: efficiently maximizes the leverage of federal funding; avoids the use of public funds for broadband facilities that duplicate existing broadband facilities that already meet or exceed federal standards; and accounts for the benefits and costs to the state of existing facilities, equipment, and services of public and private broadband providers.