Community Broadband Act of 2017

Community Broadband Act of 2017

This bill bars state, local, or tribal governments from prohibiting or inhibiting such government entities or their affiliates from serving as "public providers" of telecommunications services or advanced telecommunications capabilities to any person or any public or private entity.

The bill prohibits such government and government-affiliated providers of public telecommunications services from favoring themselves over competing providers in the application of regulations, ordinances, public rights-of-way, or permitting requirements.

The bill expresses the sense of Congress that such governments or affiliates intending to provide public telecommunications services should consider public-private partnerships.

Public providers must provide public notice and opportunities for public input and private-sector bidding before providing telecommunications service to the public.

The bill provides an exemption from the prohibition on such governments favoring themselves in the application of regulations, and from the requirement to provide public notice and private bidding opportunities, during an emergency declared by the President, a governor, or an authorized elected local official.