By Lacie Pierson, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In the waning hours of the 2022 Legislative Session, the West Virginia Legislature finished work on a bill that lawmakers said is one more significant step toward ensuring West Virginians have reliable internet access.
With 14 minutes to spare during a grinding last day of this year’s session, the Legislature finished work on House Bill 4001, which establishes means for the state to map out certain infrastructure resources, set parameters on broadband providers’ use of federal money, and provides consumer protections for West Virginia broadband customers.
The goal of the bill is to better understand where broadband lines can be installed and prepare state government to receive and properly disburse federal money to support the Mountain State’s broadband infrastructure…