The General Assembly finds:

1. (1) that on November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law by President Biden, which provides for historic levels of investment in the nation's infrastructure;
2. (2) that the United States government has made available $550,000,000,000 for new infrastructure investment for state and local governments through the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act;
3. (3) that it is essential that this State not lose out on funding made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act;
4. (4) that investments in this State's bridges, roads, highways, rail system, high-speed internet, and electricity are essential to the public safety, economic viability, and equity of all citizens in every part of this State;
5. (5) that an important component of infrastructure in the 21st century is access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet;
6. (6) that the persistent digital divide in this State is a barrier to the economic competitiveness in the economic distribution of essential public services, including health care and education; and
7. (7) that the digital divide disproportionately affects communities of color, lower-income areas, and rural areas, and the benefits of broadband should be broadly enjoyed by all citizens of this State.

(Source: P.A. 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)