Republican Rep. Matt Lockett authored legislation that would restructure the agency overseeing Kentucky’s rural internet utility.
Kentucky lawmakers on a state government committee advanced a bill this week that would significantly overhaul the state agency responsible for delivering internet access through the KentuckyWired project.
The Kentucky Communications Network Authority was established in 2015 by former Gov. Steve Beshear through an executive order. The agency created KentuckyWired, a state-run utility designed to provide high-speed internet to rural communities and critical locations such as local government offices and schools.
Over time, the statewide internet project has faced a series of setbacks.
In 2018, a state audit revealed that KentuckyWired could cost taxpayers nearly $1.5 billion more than initially projected. In recent years, the project has also been drawn into a contentious lawsuit that has threatened service disconnections in certain areas.
“There is a real widespread concern about how KCNA is currently overseeing this project,” said Republican Rep. Matt Lockett.
Lockett, who sponsored the bill, said the proposal would eliminate the director position at the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and move the agency from the governor’s office to the Office of Technology. He argued that KCNA currently functions as an “independent, largely unchecked body.”
The bill is scheduled to be considered for amendment on the House floor on Monday and could advance out of the House the same day.
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