Guest Opinion: Sponsor Responds to Criticism of Broadband Law | Chroniclers

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Troy Becker, Forum News Service

JASON ELLSWORTH

Rep. Kelly Kortum, a Democrat from Bozeman, recently published an opinion column in the Billings Gazette attacking the very bipartisan effort to develop Montana’s broadband internet infrastructure. In his story, Republicans passed Senate Bill 297, a very flawed bill that grabbed a once-in-a-generation opportunity and passed it on to billion-dollar corporations.

If Representative Kortum thinks the bill was so bad, then why has he voted on it every time he got the chance? You read correctly. Representative Kortum voted three times on SB 297, once in committee and twice in the House. All three times he voted yes to pass the bill, with the overwhelming majority of Republicans and Democrats.

More than 94% of the votes cast on SB 297 throughout the session were expected to pass the bill, making it one of the most bipartisan major pieces of legislation. He’s received this incredible amount of support, especially because he’s not doing what Rep Kortum now claims in his recent column. SB 297 doesn’t pick winners and losers and it requires private sector buy-in, so it’s not a handout for anyone. Small independent rural internet providers, especially cooperatives, have strongly supported the bill as it allows all types of providers, using any available technology, to compete and serve more Montanais.

I drafted the bill intentionally to create a level playing field and allow better Internet service in rural and remote communities. I worked with many Democrats on SB 297 during the legislative session, but Rep. Kortum was not part of the effort, never made it to the aisle, and in fact, I don’t even remember that he never took the phone to discuss it. I sincerely appreciate that he voted for the bill several times; I also question his motives for attacking the bill now after seconding it during the session.

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