Massachusetts broadband bill moves to the legislature

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s plan to fund $25 million in broadband build-outs moves to the state legislature as part of an overall $12 billion bill for capital improvements to the state’s IT infrastructure.More details are becoming available ton Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s plan to fund $25 million in municipal broadband build-outs as part of an overall capital budget of $12 billion for state IT infrastructure projects.

According to the Boston Business Journal:

IT projects slotted to receive funding include $5.6 million to replace the state’s unemployment insurance system, $6 million to integrate IT systems and databases used by the state’s criminal justice and law enforcement agencies, and $6.3 million to revamp the state’s Medicaid IT system.

The proposal, which requires the approval of the state legislature, carries funding for other important initiatives, including $500 million toward a proposed $1 billion, 10-year life sciences industry investment plan, which includes funding for stem cell research (another important area of science and technology where the U.S. has let the rest of the world take the lead. But that’s another story and a bit off-topic for Muniwireless‚Äö?Ѭ?)

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