BEAD FEE Act of 2025
BEAD FEE Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# BEAD FEE Act of 2025 - Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would restrict what fees states and territories can charge companies that want to build broadband networks using federal BEAD program funding. Specifically, it would prohibit states from charging fees for reviewing applications to place or build broadband infrastructure, or for using public rights-of-way (like areas along roads) to install infrastructure. States that impose such fees would lose their federal BEAD funding. **Who It Affects:** The bill primarily impacts states and territories receiving broadband funding, and broadband companies seeking to expand infrastructure in those areas.
It indirectly affects residents who depend on broadband expansion projects funded through the BEAD program, which was created to improve internet access nationwide. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee (HR 1975), meaning it has been introduced but not yet debated or voted on by the full House. It was sponsored by Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA).
CRS Official Summary
Broadband Expansion And Deployment Fee Equity and Efficiency Act of 2025 or the BEAD FEE Act of 2025This bill limits the nature of fees that states and territories receiving Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program funding may impose on applicants seeking authorization to construct or deploy broadband infrastructure. (The BEAD Program is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and provides funding to eligible entities for broadband deployment, connectivity, mapping, and adoption projects. Eligible entities include U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.) Under the bill, BEAD funds may not be provided to an eligible entity if the entity or a political subdivision of the entity charges fees (1) to consider a request to place, construct, or modify broadband infrastructure; or (2) for the use of a right-of-way owned or managed by the entity or a political subdivision, or for the use of infrastructure within such a right-of-way, to place, construct, or modify broadband infrastructure. However, this restriction does not apply to fees that are competitively neutral, technology neutral, nondiscriminatory, publicly disclosed, and based on actual, direct, and objectively reasonable costs. Any such fee must be described to applicants in a manner that distinguishes between (1) recurring and nonrecurring fees, and (2) the use of infrastructure on which there is no existing broadband infrastructure and the use of infrastructure on which there is existing broadband infrastructure as of the date of the application.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.