By Steven Soldani
On January 16, 2025, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved $32.5 million in grants to fund broadband infrastructure projects across the state. These grants are part of a broader initiative under SB 156 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) (Chapter 112, Statutes of 2021) and AB 1665 (Eduardo Garcia) (Chapter 851, Statutes of 2017), both of which seek to enhance broadband deployment throughout the state.
SB 156 established the foundation for California’s historic three-year $6 billion investment in broadband infrastructure. The legislation allocated significant funding to the state’s Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative and the Last-Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, both of which focus on providing broadband to remote areas in California. AB 1665 established funding for the program by refining the grant allocation processes and prioritizing projects that serve rural, low-income, and tribal communities.
The latest round of funding, approved by CPUC, will support seven projects designed to deliver high-speed internet to approximately 8,000 Californians across the state. The funding for CPUC’s broadband grants primarily comes from state and federal sources, including California’s General Fund (SB 156), California Advanced Services Fund, and federal sources such as the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided funding for broadband infrastructure, as well as several other federal programs.
The Little Hoover Commission previously addressed California’s broadband challenges. In December 2020, they published an issue brief titled “California’s Digital Divide,” highlighting that, at the time, approximately 2.3 million Californians lacked broadband access. The brief emphasized the impact of this gap on education, economic productivity, and access to government services. Little Hoover Commission Chair Pedro Nava said, “We hope these Issue Briefs will serve as a resource for state policymakers and others to enrich the conversations surrounding key challenges and issues facing California.”
The CPUC previously granted $225 million on December 19, 2024, and $157 million on November 12, 2024. Since 2006, the CPUC has awarded approximately $1 billion in funding for projects in 52 counties.