New Law Provides $15 Monthly Internet To Low-Income Families

NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Friday that will open the door to affordable, high-speed internet for low-income families across New York State.

Cuomo, in his State of the State address, said the coronavirus has exposed social inequities statewide, with many families in need struggling to provide internet so that children can learn at the same pace as other students.

The new program will require internet service providers to offer a $15 monthly high-speed internet plan to low-income households.

New Yorkers qualifying for the program include those who are eligible or receiving free or reduced-price lunch, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, Medicaid benefits, the senior citizen or disability rent increase exemptions, or an affordability benefit from a utility, he said.

"High-speed internet is essential to our everyday lives, and as we continue to reopen our state and adjust to new norms that have been shaped by the pandemic, we need to make sure every household has access to affordable internet," Cuomo said. "Remote learning, remote working, and telemedicine are not going away. This program will ensure that no New Yorker will have to forego having reliable home internet service and no child's education will have to suffer due to their economic situation."

Access for all is critical in social equity, Cuomo said. Many families cannot afford to pay for broadband service, he said: A basic high-speed internet plan, on average, costs more than $50 per month; nationwide, 43 percent of those earning less than $30,000 are not connected to the internet at home, and 26 percent of those making $30,000 to $50,000 remain unconnected at home, Cuomo said. That number decreases to 8 percent of those who are unconnected for those making $75,000 or more, he said.

Nationwide only 66 percent of Black households, 61 percent of Hispanic households, and 53 percent of Native Americans living on tribal lands are connected to the internet at home, compared to 79 percent of white households, Cuomo said.

New York has teamed up with Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation to launch ConnectEDNY, an emergency fund that will provide 50,000 students in economically disadvantaged school districts with free internet access through June, Cuomo said.

Cuomo also launched a portal to help New Yorkers find affordable broadband programs; the site also includes information about the Federal Communication Commission's emergency broadband benefit program, which offers a $50 per month subsidy for broadband service, plus a one-time discount of up to $100 on computers and tablets, he said.

The state will also kick off a mapping study of broadband to identify the availability, reliability and cost of high-speed broadband services, Cuomo said.