A new telecom franchising bill in the Tennessee state legislature contains a provision to encourage service providers to expand high speed Internet deployment across the state - with a particular focus on underserved areas. In order to receive a statewide franchise, incumbent providers would have to meet certain build-out requirements.

House Bill 1144, introduced by Maryland State Delegates Thomas Hucker and Brian J. Feldman would establish a private-public partnership designed to make high speed Internet available universally in Maryland. The bill would model the partnership after the extremely successful Connect Kentucky initiative.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has allocated $100 million over two years to the new California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), whose goal is to incentivize companies to expand high speed Internet service to un-served, under served, low income and rural areas of California. Companies who apply are required to match a minimum of 60 percent of the funds they are given.

With the help of the Communications Workers of America, Gov. Ted Strickland launched Connect Ohio, a public-private partnership with the goal of expanding high speed Internet access across Ohio and bridging the state's digital divide.

CWA has worked tirelessly to promote the availability of high speed Internet, and Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has recognized these efforts, naming CWA Local 4321 President Frank Mathews to Ohio's new Broadband Council.

In an effort to extend high speed Internet access state wide, South Carolina has formed The South Carolina Technology and Communications Study Committee to study the existing high speed Internet infrastructure and examine the need for high speed Internet in both unserved and underserved areas.

Verizon West Virginia announced that it will provide funding for a statewide map of current high speed internet deployment and that it is speeding up deployment of high speed internet service in rural West Virginia.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick unveiled a plan this week that would invest $25 million into a program dedicated to bringing high speed internet access to underserved parts of the state.

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has begun chipping away at the digital divide in his state. Strickland has issued an executive order establishing the Ohio Broadband Council. But Ohio will need to act more decisively in order to bring high speed Internet access to each of Ohio's 88 counties.

Western Massachusetts is suffering from a serious lack of high speed internet. Now a number of projects are underway to help rural Massachusetts catch up, but the WiFi and satellite services being used are just a band-aid on the problem.