Governor signs $10M broadband law to help McKinley County low-income households

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 152 into law in early March 2026, creating the Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program, or LITAP, and authorizing $10 million in the first year to help low-income families pay for broadband. State officials project the initial funding could help as many as 27,000 low-income residents, and the statute embeds the program into New Mexico’s telecommunications framework while directing the Public Regulation Commission to administer benefits.

The bill moved rapidly through the Legislature after Sen. Michael Padilla, D-14 and Senate Majority Whip, filed it on January 26. The Senate approved SB 152 unanimously on February 12, with a reported tally of 38–0, and the House passed the measure 48–14 on February 19. The expedited timeline from late January introduction to a signed law in early March has been described as a 25-day legislative marathon by observers involved in broadband policy.

Under the new law, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission will run LITAP and may set monthly benefit levels for eligible households within the statute’s framework. Some reporting and agency materials state the PRC could offer up to $30 per month to qualified households, mirroring the former federal Affordable Connectivity Program subsidy level; other material emphasizes alignment with the FCC’s Lifeline program and use of the federal National Verifier to confirm eligibility. Lifeline currently provides a $9.25 monthly discount for households at or below 135 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines or participating in SNAP or Medicaid.

Funding language in SB 152 ties LITAP to the State Rural Universal Service Fund, which state fiscal material indicates has $40 million earmarked for broadband funding. Separate summaries of the enacted measure note the possibility of larger annual support in subsequent years, with one figure cited as up to $45 million annually. A discrepancy remains between first-year reach estimates of about 27,000 households and a broader figure of 173,000 households that appears in some program summaries; the bill’s fiscal note and PRC guidance will clarify whether 173,000 refers to total eligible households statewide or a different metric.

McKinley County stands to benefit from the bill alongside ongoing state deployment work. The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion reports completion of a local project that ends frequent high-speed outages in Gallup and surrounding McKinley County, and OBAE materials say the agency will award 31 BEAD grants and distribute $40 million in BEAD-related grants. OBAE also plans a Community Connect Grant Program funded at $7 million to expand public Wi-Fi in parks, plazas and municipal buildings across the state, and cites a new Three-Year Statewide Broadband Plan for 2026–2028.

At the bill signing, officials praised the legislative effort. The governor lauded lawmakers for advancing affordability measures and OBAE materials quoted her saying, My administration has been working diligently to secure this federal funding, and this milestone is a major step toward delivering broadband to every home and business in New Mexico. A statement attributed in signing materials to New York Office of Broadband Access and Expansion Director Jeff Lopez said, This law sends a clear message that all New Mexicans deserve access to broadband despite their income, and The governor’s signature ensures that tens of thousands of New Mexicans will now be able to afford high-speed internet.

Next steps for McKinley County subscribers hinge on rulemaking and verification timelines at the PRC: the law is variously described as slated to take effect July 1, 2026, and as requiring the PRC to implement the program by January 1, 2027. County residents and local providers will be watching PRC guidance and OBAE outreach to learn when enrollment and monthly discounts will begin.