Abbott 'proud' to have signed broadband, telehealth expansion bills

A month after signing two health care bills that to expand telehealth, telemedicine and broadband access across the state, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a social media post that he's proud to have done it.

"I am proud to have signed laws that increase high speed internet access and expand telehealth services throughout Texas," Abbott said in a July 15 Twitter post.

Abbott also thanked Texas state Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin), an author of House Bill 4, which expands health care service delivery under Medicaid and programs through telecommunication or information technology. House Bill 5, helps with broadband service expansion. Abbott also thanked state Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville), whose strong support helped push both bills through the Senate.

Ashby represents state House District 57, made up of Angelina, Houston, Leon, Madison, San Augustine and Trinity counties, while Nichols represents state Senate District 3, 19 counties in East Texas, including Montgomery County.

Abbott's Twitter post came one month to the day after he signed both bills into law on June 15. Both became effective immediately.

Ashby and Nichols, in a joint statement issued the same day as the signing, particularly expressed what HB 5 will do for the state.

"The passage of House Bill 5 requires the state to create and maintain a broadband access map," Nichols said in the joint statement. "This will identify corners of the state that are lacking broadband. Those areas can receive targeted support and funding to build the infrastructure necessary to deploy broadband. This bill exemplifies Texas' commitment to developing critical 21st century infrastructure and expanding broadband access."

Without a plan for broadband in Texas, the state "was leaving precious resources on the table," Ashby said in his own comments in the joint statement.

"House Bill 5 creates this plan to establish goals and guide our state's investment in broadband," Ashby said. "The more we can do to bring the 21st century to rural and underserved communities, the better chance we have at closing the social and economic gap that has widened due to lack of reliable, high-speed internet."

With Abbott's signature on HB 4 and HB 5, Texas joined a list of more than 20 states to permanently expand telehealth coverage and access beyond the still ongoing pandemic, according to a policy news story. The governor linked to the news story in his Twitter post.