JEFFERSON CITY — On Thursday, July 2, Governor Mike Parson announced nearly $50 million to support broadband expansion across Missouri, including support directed at telehealth and education.
The expansion includes several new initiatives:
- Emergency Broadband Investment: $20 million
- Telehealth: $5.25 million
- Libraries: $2.5 million
- K-12 Distance Learning: $10 million
- Higher Education Distance Learning: $10 million
- Broadband Technical Assistance Request: $615,000
The Governor also signed house bill 1768, which expands the state’s existing Missouri Broadband Grant Program until 2027.
Funding for the new programs comes in large part from the Coronavirus Relief Fund and is aimed at improving resiliency and aiding in the COVID-19 response.
“Providing Missourians essential services during this time is one of our top priorities,” Governor Mike Parson said. “Ensuring citizens have appropriate access to telehealth and education and that they are able to telework is critical. These are not optional services, and we want to do our best to increase connectivity across the state.”
Currently, an estimated 300,000 Missouri households, 195,000 K-12 students, and 54,000 businesses and farms lack access to high speed internet.
To learn more about the specific initiatives involved in the expansion project, click here!
— Missouri Department of Agriculture
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