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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D740D1.8DEBC3A0"></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">May 3, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Gov. Little’s push for more broadband investment now law<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a name="_Hlk71015724"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little recently signed
</span></a><a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/S1199/"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk71015724"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Senate Bill 1199</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk71015724"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk71015724"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">
into law, directing $45 million toward new investments in internet connectivity for underserved areas to improve commerce, economic growth, and education, on top of close to $50 million made available for broadband investments last year.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk71015724"></span>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">The investment supports more remote healthcare access and improved educational and economic opportunities in rural Idaho.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">The investment includes $45 million from “Building Idaho’s Future,” Governor Little’s plan to use Idaho’s record budget surplus to provide Idahoans historic tax relief and make strategic
investments in transportation, education, broadband, and other critical areas to propel our state forward.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">“Added investments in broadband connectivity will assist with our ongoing COVID-19 response and present better opportunities for economic development in underserved parts of Idaho.
I appreciate my partners in the Legislature – especially the floor sponsors, Senator Carl Crabtree and Representative Brooke Green, as well as Representative Megan Blanksma – for recognizing the need to build Idaho’s future through investments in broadband
infrastructure,” Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho was able to support more than 100 projects and improve connectivity for tens of thousands of households in rural Idaho last year with new broadband investments through the
CARES Act. Public safety organizations, local governments, and medical clinics and hospital facilities across the state also benefited through last year’s investments in broadband infrastructure, equipment, and services.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison, Press Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">208-943-1686 or
</span><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001jPcDrZTUF2iffZAaFR5CaCO9D9OTNmcIrS9m2JnRBQLxSmCCDvAfzkhQC6WRNcW4O6931CUyPvAzTSP21AiJ4rioUvabaHbWJxzuwF2hEYM%3D"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Sign
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Reply to this e-mail to unsubscribe</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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