Those living in rural communities who are plagued by spotty internet connections likely have reason to celebrate this week as a bill to establish a Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority was passed unanimously in the state House of Representatives. Next, it will move on to the state Senate.

The authority would identify access to funding sources and coordinate efforts for broadband deployment as well as act as the single point of contact for parties interested in expanding high-speed internet access.

“Every Pennsylvanian deserves access to the high-speed internet that broadband provides,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “However, in many rural communities, the infrastructure for broadband does not exist. That leaves people without internet access or service that does not meet acceptable standards.”

Currently, an estimated 800,000 state residents lack access to reliable high-speed internet.

Many people — especially those with children — in areas without access to high-speed internet have especially felt the need for broadband this past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Butler County, a story in the Eagle on Wednesday reported, employees at a Boyers company lost their jobs due to a lack of internet access, while others had to reach out to the county commissioners because they were unable to file unemployment claims online.

Students in school districts such as Moniteau and Karns City often flooded their schools’ libraries to print out papers, while one mother had one computer with slow internet access for her four children, who were learning at home due to the pandemic.

One lesson from COVID-19 has been that business and school — when necessary — can be conducted from home during emergency situations. But for those lacking adequate high-speed internet access, doing so will be a struggle.

The pandemic has also led to some companies around the United States considering whether it would save money on office space by having workers conduct business from home. But this would only be feasible for those with viable internet access.

Additionally, the Eagle ran a story last year on how the county’s farm bureau was pushing for high-speed broadband in rural areas because some farm machinery utilizes internet service for navigation. The idea was that the expansion of computer-based elements of farming might attract more young people to the profession in the state.

In other words, our modern world relies heavily on internet use. Those who cannot access it easily are at a disadvantage.

So, we’re glad to see the passage of a bill that has an aim of making broadband more available for those in rural communities or anywhere else in the state that it’s lacking.

— NCD