Snyder to serve on new Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, announced Wednesday she has been appointed to serve on the newly formed Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority.
Snyder was the main co-sponsor of House Bill 2071, now known as Act 96 of 2021, which was signed by Gov. Tom Wolf in December after passing both chambers of the General Assembly without a single negative vote. This law created the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority. The board will consist of 11 members, one of whom is appointed by House Minority Leader Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia. On Wednesday, McClinton notified Dennis Davin, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, that she had appointed Snyder to the board.
Snyder said, “I’ve championed the issue of expanding broadband access across the state since my election in 2012. I’ve participated in countless hearings, meetings and conversations on the matter. The lack of accessible broadband, specifically in rural areas, is something that directly affects me and the communities I represent. That’s why I sponsored the legislation to create the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority.”
The authority is charged with creating a statewide broadband plan and distributing grant money for broadband expansion projects in underserved areas of the commonwealth. It’s the first official broadband entity in state history.