Bill would give $600 per year for households with students to pay for broadband:

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) -- A bill to expand broadband service in Colorado is under consideration. The bill will also provide financial aid to families with students.

Senate Bill 21-060 amends the definition of "broadband network" to increase downstream and upstream speed requirements. It also adds the term "critically unserved," which is defined as a household or area that lacks access to broadband service delivered of at least 10 megabits per second.

The bill requires the broadband deployment board to develop a reimbursement program for certain households that will amount to up to $600 per year for broadband service.

Households that would be eligible to apply for reimbursement are:

• Households with children enrolled in grades K-12 who receive free or reduced-price lunch through a school's lunch program
• Households that have an income that does not exceed higher than the federal poverty level or 30% of the area median income

In addition to local lawmakers working to help struggling families, the Federal Communications Commission will be providing reimbursement to some families.

On Feb. 26, the FCC approved an order to establish the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to support broadband services and devices that help will help low-income households to stay connected during the pandemic.

In the order, the FCC states that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need for virtual learning, telemedicine, and telework, and only increased every household's need for access to broadband services.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will provide up to a $50 discount per month towards broadband service and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute money towards the purchase price.

To learn more about the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, click here.

To read Senate Bill 21-060, click here.