Ahead of a Wednesday deadline, Montana lawmakers endorsed one bill and rejected another that aim to increase access to the internet.
The House of Representatives reversed course on House Bill 422 Tuesday and voted it down after giving it an initial vote of wide approval earlier this week.
The bill would have allowed local governments to operate their own broadband utilities and invest in broadband infrastructure. The goal was to allow for public/private partnerships to improve internet access and speed, especially in areas that aren’t served by major providers.