(Jan. 22, 2025) – Today, the Kansas Senate Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Senator Rick Billinger (R-Goodland), heard updates from the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce and private sector lobbyists regarding broadband expenditures in Kansas.

Rachel Willis with the Kansas Department of Commerce reported the agency has nine current programs with 86 projects totaling $661.9 million of anticipated funds invested. The nine programs are the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program, Capitol Projects Fund, Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity, Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure, Broadband Equity Access and Deployment, and USDA Broadband Technical Assistance, Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans Program, Advancing Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans, and the Developing Online Opportunities and Ready Skills Programs.

Cory Davis, director of multimodal transportation and innovation with the Kansas Department of Transportation, gave a presentation on the IKE program broadband acceleration and preservation programs, conduit installation, Middle Mile partnership with the Department of Commerce, and the Dig once strategy taken by the agency in coordinating on project development and engineering.

Megan Bottenberg from Cox Communications appeared before the committee to discuss the growth of the private industry during the past five years, from 92 communities to 119 today.

Erik Sartorious from the Communications Coalition of Kansas expressed there is a feeling of less transparency concerning grant awards. He highlighted one-third of the coalition membership submitted applications for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program and noted barriers with other entities such as railroads.