Thursday November 7th, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced the first round of grant awards of an initial $18.5 million for the Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program. This program, designed to expand broadband access in rural areas, includes Kaufman and Henderson Counties in this first round of 17 counties.
The Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program, administered by the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO), was created by the 87th Texas Legislature in 2021 to help bridge the digital divide across the state. This first round of funding reimburses select grantees who have replaced over 11,000 utility poles to support retail broadband infrastructure, enhancing connectivity for thousands of Texans.
“I am proud to see the funding directed to Kaufman and Henderson Counties to extend broadband access to our rural communities further,” Representative Bell said. “This critical infrastructure investment will expand high-speed internet access to families and businesses, boosting local economies and enhancing quality of life.” Awardees in the first round include Bartlett Electric Cooperative, Charter Communications, United Electric Cooperative Services Inc., and MidSouth Electric Cooperative. These organizations serve multiple counties, including Kaufman and Henderson, with broadbandcapable poles now set to deliver speeds up to 1 gigabit per second.
The Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program received support from Texas voters with the passage of Proposition 8 in November 2023, which allocated $75 million to the Pole Replacement Fund from the newly established Broadband Infrastructure Fund.
State Representative Keith Bell represents Kaufman County and North East Henderson County. He serves on the House Committees on Environmental Regulation, Land & Resource Management, Local & Consent Calendars, and the Select Committee on Educational Opportunity & Enrichment. He is also Chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission.
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