reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
30 V.S.A. § 8068
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8068. Pledge of the State

§ 8068. Pledge of the State|The State does hereby pledge to and agree with the holders of the notes and bonds issued under this chapter that the State will not limit or restrict the rights hereby vested in the Authority to perform its obligations and to fulfill the terms of any agreement made with the holders of its bonds or notes or in any way impair the rights and remedies of the holders until the notes and bonds, together with interest thereon, and interest on any unpaid installments of interest, are fully met, paid, and discharged. The Authority is authorized to execute this pledge and agreement of the State in any agreement with the holders of the notes or bonds. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8069
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8069. Sovereign immunity; credit of State not pledged

§ 8069. Sovereign immunity; credit of State not pledged|The Authority shall have the benefit of sovereign immunity to the same extent as the State of Vermont. Members, officers, employees, and the Executive Director of the Authority shall be deemed employees of the State for purposes of 12 V.S.A. chapter 189 (tort claims against State) and 3 V.S.A. chapter 29 (claims against State employees). Notwithstanding the foregoing, obligations issued under the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to constitute a debt or liability or obligation of the State or of any political subdivision thereof or a pledge of the faith and credit of the State or of any political subdivision but shall be payable solely from the revenues or assets of the Authority. Each obligation issued under this chapter shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the effect that the Authority shall not be obligated to pay the same nor the interest thereon except from the revenues or assets pledged therefor and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State or of any political subdivision thereof is pledged to the payment of the principal of or the interest on such obligations. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8070
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8070. Notes and bonds as legal investments

§ 8070. Notes and bonds as legal investments|Notwithstanding any other law, the State and all public officers, governmental units, and agencies thereof, all banks, trust companies, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, investment companies, and other persons carrying on a banking business, all insurance companies, insurance associations and other persons carrying on an insurance business, all credit unions, and all executors, administrators, guardians, trustees, and other fiduciaries may legally invest any sinking funds, monies, or other funds belonging to them or within their control in any bonds or notes issued under this chapter, and the bonds or notes are authorized security for any and all public deposits. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8073
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8073. Authorization to accept appropriated monies

§ 8073. Authorization to accept appropriated monies|The Authority is authorized to accept and expend such monies as may be appropriated or approved from time to time by the General Assembly for effectuating its corporate purposes including the payment of the initial expenses of administration and operation and the establishment of reserves or contingency funds to be available for the payment of the principal of and the interest on any bonds, notes, or other obligations of the Authority. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8074
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8074. Tax exemption

§ 8074. Tax exemption|(a) All property of the Authority is public property devoted to an essential public and governmental function and purpose and is exempt from all taxes, franchise fees, and special assessments of whatever nature of the State or any subdivision. All bonds or notes issued by the Authority or a municipality under this chapter are issued by a body corporate and public of this State and for an essential public and governmental purpose, and those bonds and notes and the interest thereon and the income therefrom and all activities of the Authority and fees, charges, funds, revenues, incomes, and other monies of the Authority, whether or not pledged or available to pay or secure the payment of those bonds or notes, or interest thereon, are exempt from all taxation, franchise fees, or special assessments of whatever kind except for transfer, inheritance, and estate taxes. This section shall not prevent a municipality from assessing and collecting from the Authority any excavation or construction fees otherwise charged by the municipality.(b) The Authority is not required to make or file any reports, statements, or informational returns required of any other bodies corporate except as provided in this chapter.(c) Buildings and structures of the Authority exempted from property taxation under this section shall be considered "State-owned property" for the purposes of the State payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) provisions of 32 V.S.A. chapter 123, subchapter 4. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8075
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8075. Liberal construction

§ 8075. Liberal construction|Neither this chapter nor anything herein contained is or shall be construed as a restriction or limitation upon any powers that the Authority might otherwise have under any laws of this State, and this chapter is cumulative to any such powers. This chapter does and shall be construed to provide a complete, additional, and alternative method for the doing of the things authorized thereby and shall be regarded as supplemental and additional to powers conferred by other laws. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8076
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8076. Inconsistent provisions in other laws superseded

§ 8076. Inconsistent provisions in other laws superseded|Insofar as the provisions of sections 8064 through 8074 of this title are inconsistent with the provisions of any other law, general, special, or local, the provisions of this chapter shall be controlling. (Added 2007, No. 79, § 1, eff. June 9, 2007.)
30 V.S.A. § 8080
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91 - Vermont Telecommunications Authority|§ 8080. Agreements; telecommunications facilities

§ 8080. Agreements; telecommunications facilities|In awarding loans or grants to entities as permitted under subdivision 8062(a)(6) of this title, the Authority shall develop terms and conditions applicable to agreements covering telecommunications infrastructure that ensure payments accrue in reasonable installments and at reasonable intervals, particularly with respect to the time period commencing after an agreement is entered into but before the telecommunications facility that is the subject of the agreement is ready for commercial use. (Added 2009, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 12, eff. April 15, 2010.)
30 V.S.A. § 8081
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8081. Purpose

§ 8081. Purpose|In recognition of the historic level of broadband funding currently available to the State and the critical need for broadband access and adoption, it is the purpose of this chapter to establish the Vermont Community Broadband Fund to support policies and programs designed to accelerate community efforts that advance the State's goal of achieving universal access to reliable, high-quality, affordable, fixed broadband and to establish the Vermont Community Broadband Board to coordinate, facilitate, support, and accelerate the development and implementation of universal community broadband solutions. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8082
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8082. Definitions

§ 8082. Definitions|As used in this chapter:  (1) "Board" means the Vermont Community Broadband Board. (2) "Broadband service" or "broadband" means a mass-market retail service by wire or radio in Vermont that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications service, but excluding dial-up Internet access service. (3) "Department" means the Department of Public Service. (4) "Eligible provider" means:  (A) a communications union district; (B) a small communications carrier; or (C) an Internet service provider working in conjunction with a communications union district to expand broadband service to unserved and underserved locations as part of a plan to achieve universal broadband coverage in the district.  (5) "Fund" means the Vermont Community Broadband Fund established by this chapter. (6) "Internet service provider" means a business that provides broadband Internet access service to any person in Vermont. (7) "Location" means an E-911 business or residential address connected to the electric power grid. (8) "Municipality" means a city, town, incorporated village, or unorganized town or gore. (9) "Served" means a location that has access to broadband service capable of speeds of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. (10) "Small communications carrier" means:  (A) a carrier that has elected to be regulated under subsection 227d(a) of this title; or (B) an Internet service provider that operates in not more than five counties.  (11) "Underserved" means a location that only has access to broadband service capable of speeds of at least 4 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload but less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. (12) "Universal service plan" means a plan for providing each unserved and underserved location in a communications union district or in a municipality that was not part of a communications union district prior to June 1, 2021 access to broadband service capable of speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload. (13) "Unserved" means a location that only has access to broadband capable of speeds of less than 4 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8083
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8083. Vermont Community Broadband Fund

§ 8083. Vermont Community Broadband Fund|(a) There is created a special fund in the State Treasury to be known as the "Vermont Community Broadband Fund." Expenditures from the Fund shall be made only to implement and effectuate the policies, purposes, and programs established in this chapter. The Fund shall be composed of any monies from time to time appropriated to the Fund by the General Assembly, transferred to the Fund pursuant to subsection 7523(b) of this title, or received from any other source, private or public, subject to the provisions of 32 V.S.A. § 5. Unexpended balances and any earnings shall remain in the Fund for use in accord with the purposes of this chapter.(b) Authorized expenditures from the Fund include:  (1) grants pursuant to the Broadband Preconstruction Grant Program established in section 8085 of this chapter; (2) grants pursuant to the Broadband Construction Grant Program established in section 8086 of this chapter; (3) funding for communications workforce training and development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor, to the extent such funds are not available from other funding sources; (4) funding for a comprehensive, statewide fiber-optic engineering design as specified in subdivision 8084(a)(6)(I) of this chapter; (5) administrative expenses of grant recipients in an amount determined by the Board, subject to applicable federal law and guidance; and (6) up to $1,500,000.00 annually to fund the operational expenses of the Board and the Department to the extent the Department's expenses support the work of the Board.   (c) Expenditures from the Fund shall be authorized by the Board. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8085
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8085. Broadband Preconstruction Grant Program

§ 8085. Broadband Preconstruction Grant Program|(a) There is established the Community Broadband Preconstruction Grant Program to be administered by the Board. The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to communications union districts for preconstruction costs related to broadband projects that are part of a universal service plan.(b) As used in this section, "preconstruction costs" include expenses for feasibility studies, business planning, pole data surveys, engineering and design, and make-ready work associated with the construction of broadband networks, including consultant, legal, and administrative expenses, and any other costs deemed appropriate by the Board.(c) To ensure an equitable distribution of funds under this Program and to encourage collaborative work among communications union districts, grant awards shall be scalable and shall be commensurate with the size of a broadband project as determined by the project's service area, road mileage, the number of unserved or underserved locations, or any other metric deemed appropriate by the Board. In addition, the Board may develop standards for the disbursement of grant funds in a manner that both supports the efficient and timely use of funds and also ensures accountability. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8087
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8087. Centralized resources for communications union districts

§ 8087. Centralized resources for communications union districts|(a) The Board shall provide centralized resources and technical and administrative support to communications union districts with respect to the planning, development, and implementation of broadband projects.(b) In carrying out the purpose of this section, the Board shall:  (1) develop standardized forms, contracts, network business and design models, and templates for use by any communications union district; (2) assist communications union districts with identifying and negotiating with potential partners, including with respect to the development of a memorandum of understanding or other form of legally-binding commitment pertaining to a broadband project; (3) when authorized by one or more communications union districts, apply for grants, loans, permits, licenses, certificates, or approvals, or enter into contractual arrangements for goods or services on behalf of or jointly with a communications union district or districts; (4) assist communications union districts with pursuing route identification for fiber-optic infrastructure and with obtaining pole surveys and negotiating pole attachments; (5) assist communications union districts with completing grant and loan applications for funding opportunities that exist outside this chapter; and (6) assist communications union districts with obtaining access to fiber-optic networks owned by the State or by an electric distribution utility, where appropriate. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8088
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8088. Interagency cooperation and assistance

§ 8088. Interagency cooperation and assistance|Other departments and agencies of the State government, including the E-911 Board, shall assist and cooperate with the Board and shall make available to it information and data as needed to assist the Board in carrying out its duties. The Secretary of Administration shall establish protocols and agreements among the Board and departments and agencies of the State for this purpose. Nothing in this section shall be construed to waive any privilege or protection otherwise afforded to the data and information under exemption to the Public Records Act or under other laws due solely to the fact that the information or data is shared with the Board pursuant to this section. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8089
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8089. Annual report

§ 8089. Annual report|(a) Notwithstanding 2 V.S.A. § 20(d), on or before January 15 of each year, the Board shall submit a report of its activities pursuant to this chapter for the preceding year to the Senate Committees on Finance and on Natural Resources and Energy, the House Committee on Energy and Technology, and the Joint Information Technology Oversight Committee. The report shall include an operating and financial statement covering the Board's operations during the year, including a summary of all grant awards and contracts and agreements entered into by the Board. In addition, the report shall include a description of the progress each start-up communications union district has made in achieving long-term financial sustainability that is not dependent upon public funding, an update on its efforts to secure additional federal funds for broadband deployment, and progress made towards meeting the State's goal of ensuring every E-911 location has access to broadband capable of delivering a minimum of 100 Mbps symmetrical service as required in subdivision 202c(b)(10) of this title.(b) As part of its first annual report, the Board shall include recommended legislation for policies and programs not authorized under this chapter but consistent with its purpose or for any other policies and programs it deems appropriate. The report shall include recommendations concerning increased access to and use of fiber-optic networks owned by the State or by an electric distribution utility in furtherance of the goals of this chapter. In addition, and with input from relevant stakeholders, the Board shall make recommendations on whether and to what extent authorized expenditures under the Fund should be expanded to include:  (1) funding for equipment replacement in the Department of Libraries' FiberConnect Network; (2) funding for building-wide Wi-Fi installations at multi-unit affordable housing owned by nonprofits and housing authorities for the purpose of providing free broadband service to the residents thereof; (3) funding for digital inclusion efforts, such as subsidized customer equipment installations and broadband service, grants for long-term affordability planning, and outreach and digital literacy training; (4) funding for co-worker spaces; (5) additional funding for communications workforce development initiatives; and (6) funding for any other broadband programs or initiatives. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8089a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 91A - Vermont Community Broadband Board|§ 8089a. Sunset; transfer plan

§ 8089a. Sunset; transfer plan|(a) The Fund and Board shall cease to exist on July 1, 2029.(b) As part of its annual report submitted on or before January 15, 2029, the Board shall develop a plan for transferring its assets, liabilities, and legal and contractual obligations to another appropriate State entity. The Board may include in its report a recommendation regarding the continued existence of the Board beyond its statutory sunset date. (Added 2021, No. 71, § 2, eff. June 8, 2021.)
30 V.S.A. § 8090
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 92 - Electric and Gas Companies; Providing Access for Communications Facilities|§ 8090. Definitions

§ 8090. Definitions|For the purposes of this chapter:  (1) "Communications facilities" shall mean facilities that are used to send and receive audio, images, data, or other information via any electromagnetic media, including wires, cables, microwaves, radio waves, light waves, or any combination of these or similar media. (2) "Communications service provider" shall mean the Vermont Telecommunications Authority, a company subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission under subdivision 203(5) or section 502 of this title, or a broadband service provider who is considered to be an "attaching entity" pursuant to subsection 209(g) of this title. (3) "Company" or "companies" shall mean an electric or gas utility subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission. (Added 2007, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)
30 V.S.A. § 8091
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 92 - Electric and Gas Companies; Providing Access for Communications Facilities|§ 8091. Access to facilities

§ 8091. Access to facilities|(a) Any company shall allow and enable access to its plant and equipment where possible for the installation and maintenance of communications facilities by communications service providers.(b) When constructing or substantially reconstructing lines or structures used for electric or gas transmission or electric distribution, a company shall allow for the construction and maintenance of communications facilities thereupon if requested by a communications service provider.(c) Access and services required by this section shall be subject to regulation by the Public Utility Commission and the Department of Public Service and shall be offered on rates, terms, and conditions, including terms of ownership of facilities, established in section 8092 of this chapter, except that services under tariffs developed pursuant to Public Utility Commission rules regarding pole attachments shall be governed by those rules.(d) Owners of self-generation facilities, those not connected to the electric grid and net-metered generators, shall not be obligated to comply with this section.(e) If a communications service provider requests services from a company pursuant to this title, then the communications service provider shall be responsible for all of the costs the company incurs to obtain any easements or limited rights in property necessary to provide those services to the communications service provider, including compensation, legal fees, and the administrative costs of the utility. (Added 2007, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)