SB 571

Commercial Law - Broadband Access - Low-Income Consumer Programs (Maryland Broadband Opportunity and Fairness Act)

Sponsor: Arthur Ellis (District 28)Committee: FinanceSubject: Housing and Community DevelopmentStatus: Hearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring certain broadband providers in the State to establish a program to provide certain broadband services to eligible low-income consumers on or before December 1, 2026; authorizing the Office of Statewide Broadband in the Department of Housing and Community Development to exempt certain providers from the requirement to establish a program; altering the duties of the Office; and establishing a Broadband Affordability Advisory Board.

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Testimony (25)

MGA witness list

FAV 14FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 10Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Muckle, Lonialobbyist	CASH Campaign of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Martinez, Madelinlobbyist	Catholic Charities	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bevan-Dangel, Jenniferlobbyist	Economic Action Maryland Fund	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Lynott, Nancy	League of Women Voters of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kovacs, Lisa	Maryland Association of Local Management Boards	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wisniewski, Amanda	Maryland Legal Aid	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Herrera, Mitsuko	Montgomery County Dept. of Technology & Enterprise Business Solutions	Oral
FAV	Morningstar, Sara	Montgomery County Government	Written (PDF)
FAV	Snyder, Co-Chair, Abby	Poverty Free Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	LeGrand, Gretchen	Robert W. Deutsch Foundation	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mank, Joseph	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Ellis, Senator Ellislegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Stokes, Meganlobbyist	CCIA	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Crandall, Jeremy	CTIA	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Connelly, Valerielobbyist	Choptank Electric Cooperative	Written (PDF)
UNF	Garagiola, Rob	Compass Advocacy	Oral
UNF	Wiggins, Grasonlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
UNF	Hollansbee, B. Lynn	USTelecom	Written (PDF)
UNF	Plymouth, Paul	Verizon	Written (PDF)
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
UNF	Vetter, Drew	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	durkin, margaretlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Cross, Dr Cashenna A	Councilwoman At-Large, Glenarden	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

CASH Campaign of MarylandFAV 1

Catholic CharitiesFAV 1

CCIAUNF 1

Choptank Electric CooperativeUNF 1

Compass AdvocacyUNF 1

Councilwoman At-Large, GlenardenFWA 1

CTIAUNF 1

Economic Action Maryland FundFAV 1

League of Women Voters of MarylandFAV 1

Maryland Association of Local Management BoardsFAV 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceUNF 1

Maryland Legal AidFAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Montgomery County Dept. of Technology & Enterprise Business SolutionsFAV 1

Montgomery County GovernmentFAV 1

Poverty Free MarylandFAV 1

Robert W. Deutsch FoundationFAV 1

USTelecomUNF 1

VerizonUNF 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMuckle, LoniaCASH Campaign of MarylandRegistered for: CASH Campaign of Maryland

FAVMartinez, MadelinCatholic CharitiesRegistered for: Catholic Charities

FAVBevan-Dangel, JenniferEconomic Action Maryland FundRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland; Humane Society of the United States; Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Humane World for Animals

UNFStokes, MeganCCIARegistered for: Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA)

UNFConnelly, ValerieChoptank Electric CooperativeRegistered for: Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc.

UNFWiggins, GrasonMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce; United Way of Central Maryland, Inc.; Madison Marquette Property Investments LLC; Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund; Family Tree, The; OVG Facilities…

UNFdurkin, margaretRegistered for: TechNet