The Texas Capitol In late March, Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference at Hamshire-Fannett Elementary School in Beaumont, Texas to announce a new bill that would expand broadband access in the state. The choice of venue was purposeful — Beaumont ranks as one of the most poorly internet-connected cities in the country. This weekend HB5, or “The Texas Broadband Bill”, was one of the few pieces of legislation that passed with strong bipartisan support during an especially contentious legislative session only eight weeks after its official announcement by Abbott. The bill was authored by Representative Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) and establishes the creation of a “Broadband Development Office” within the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. That includes the formation of a broadband development program, the establishment of a broadband development map to be updated regularly and published by the office and the development of a statewide broadband plan within one year of the bill becoming law on Sept. 1, 2021.