Skip to main content
Evergreen Ledger

2SHB 2365

In Committee

House

Digital opportunities

Advancing digital opportunities for all.

This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.

How does a bill become law?
  1. Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
  2. Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
  3. Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
  4. Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
  5. Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
  6. Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
Introduced: February 8, 2026
Last Action: February 9, 2026
Status: H Rules R
View Bill Text (HTML) (opens in new tab)View Bill Text (PDF) (opens in new tab)

AI Analysis

This analysis was generated by AI and may contain errors. It is not legal advice. Always refer to the official bill text for authoritative information.
People & CommunitiesPeople-leaningCorporate & Wealthy Interests

This bill strengthens Washington’s efforts to expand broadband access and digital equity by creating a centralized broadband office, updating definitions and goals, and expanding programs that support digital literacy and infrastructure—especially for low-income, rural, aging, and other underserved populations. It also establishes a formal advisory forum and updates reporting requirements to ensure accountability and coordination.

  • Establishes the governor’s statewide broadband office to coordinate broadband deployment, adoption, and digital equity efforts across state agencies, tribes, local governments, and private partners.
  • Updates definitions for broadband (requiring minimum 100 Mbps download / 20 Mbps upload), digital equity, digital inclusion, and underserved populations to reflect current needs and technologies.
  • Creates a state digital equity plan to be updated every two years, with measurable goals for expanding access and skills among underserved communities, and requires biennial reporting to the legislature.
  • Establishes the Washington digital equity forum, a multi-stakeholder advisory body with representatives from tribes, local governments, underserved communities, and providers, to advise on policy, funding, and program implementation.
  • Expands the digital opportunity program (administered by the Department of Commerce) to fund digital literacy training, device access, small-scale internet projects (e.g., wireless mesh), AI literacy, cybersecurity training, and technical support—especially for low-income and underserved groups.
  • Requires broadband providers to disclose their three lowest-cost service tiers for inclusion in state outreach materials to help low-income residents find affordable options.

Who is affected

  • Low-income individuals and families — Low-income households gain access to affordable internet and digital literacy support through expanded programs and outreach, including eligibility for federal and state broadband benefit programs.
  • Aging individuals (55+) — Older adults benefit from targeted outreach, digital literacy training, and support to improve access to and use of broadband services.
  • Residents of unserved and rural areas — Rural, frontier, and remote communities receive increased support for broadband infrastructure (last mile and middle mile), outreach, and adoption programs to close connectivity gaps.
  • Federally recognized tribes — Tribes and tribal organizations gain formal consultation and partnership roles in planning and implementing digital equity initiatives, including access to funding and technical support.
  • Internet service providers — Public and private broadband providers must share pricing information for low-cost service tiers to support outreach efforts and improve transparency for consumers.
Effective: July 1, 2025Fiscal impact: The bill authorizes the use of existing accounts (statewide broadband and digital equity accounts) to fund new and expanded programs, including grants for digital equity initiatives, outreach, and administrative support. It does not specify new appropriation but relies on existing and future federal and state funding, including potential federal grants like the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Model: Intel/Qwen3-Coder-Next-int4-AutoRoundGenerated: Mar 19, 2026 at 7:55 PM

Pro/Con Analysis

Stronger case for benefits

Potential Benefits (5)

  • Expands the digital opportunity program to fund digital navigators and skills training for low-income and underserved populations—including K–12 students—supporting equitable access to digital learning tools and reducing the homework gap, especially for students in low-income or rural districts.

    EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 6(1)(b)(v) & Sec. 6(1)(b)(i)

  • Requires cybersecurity and online safety training as part of digital equity programming, which—when well-implemented—can significantly reduce fraud, identity theft, and exploitation among vulnerable populations (e.g., seniors, low-income users), improving personal security and financial stability.

    Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 6(1)(b)(iv)

  • Prioritizes appointment of members from historically disadvantaged and underserved communities (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities, rural residents, people with disabilities) to the digital equity forum, strengthening equitable representation and ensuring that policy development reflects lived experience of those most affected by digital divides.

    Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 5(3)(b)(iii)

  • Establishes a centralized broadband office with authority to coordinate digital equity efforts across health agencies, enabling better integration of telehealth services and remote patient monitoring—particularly beneficial for aging individuals and rural residents with limited access to in-person care.

    HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(a) & Sec. 2(2)(c)

  • Supports small-scale internet connectivity projects (e.g., wireless mesh) and capacity-building grants for local digital equity programs, which can foster local entrepreneurship, support micro-businesses, and create jobs in community-based tech support and training sectors.

    Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 6(1)(b)(iii)
Potential Concerns (5)

  • Requires digital equity programs to prioritize small-scale internet connectivity projects like wireless mesh networks, which may reduce incentives for traditional ISPs to serve low-income or rural areas, potentially limiting competition and long-term infrastructure investment in underserved communities.

    Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 6(1)(b)(iii)

  • Mandates cybersecurity and online safety training as part of digital equity programming, but lacks clear standards or oversight for curriculum quality—risking ineffective or misaligned training that could leave vulnerable populations (e.g., seniors, low-income users) more exposed to scams and exploitation if training is poorly implemented.

    Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 6(1)(b)(vi) & Sec. 6(1)(b)(vii)

  • Requires biennial reporting to the legislature on broadband adoption and affordability, including recommendations for state subsidies and revenue sources—this increases transparency and accountability but imposes modest administrative burden on state agencies and local governments to compile and submit data.

    Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 4(3)(e)

  • Allows stipends for members of the digital equity forum who have lived experience with digital equity barriers, but does not specify funding source or ensure equitable distribution—risking that stipends may benefit only a subset of participants (e.g., those with existing organizational support) rather than broader community members.

    Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 5(6)(b)

  • Includes housing instability as part of the definition of “underserved population,” but does not explicitly tie broadband access funding to housing agencies or programs—limiting the bill’s ability to address digital inclusion in public or subsidized housing settings without additional legislative action.

    HousingRef: Sec. 2(2)(c)

Who Is Most Affected

Low-income individuals and familiesPositive Impact

Low-income individuals and families benefit significantly through expanded access to affordable internet, device subsidies, and digital literacy training—especially via the digital opportunity program’s focus on low-cost tiers and navigators. Federal matching and outreach efforts increase eligibility and awareness for benefit programs.

Aging individuals (55+)Positive Impact

Aging individuals benefit from targeted outreach and digital literacy training, but the bill does not mandate age-specific program design or quality standards—so outcomes depend heavily on implementation by local grantees.

Residents of unserved and rural areasPositive Impact

Rural residents gain from updated broadband definitions (100/20 Mbps), infrastructure coordination, and last-mile/middle-mile support, but the bill does not create new funding—reliance on federal grants and existing accounts may limit speed and scale of deployment.

Federally recognized tribesPositive Impact

Tribes gain formal consultation rights and priority in forum appointments, strengthening self-determination in digital equity planning. However, the bill does not guarantee dedicated funding or enforceable consultation protocols, limiting enforceability of tribal partnership.

Internet service providersMixed Impact

Internet service providers must disclose pricing tiers, increasing transparency and consumer bargaining power. While this benefits consumers, it imposes modest compliance costs on providers, especially small co-ops—large providers are better equipped to absorb these costs.