On June 1, 2018, Governor Kay Ivey sent a letter to FCC Chairman Pai outlining concerns that the state has not been able to receive E-rate support since 2016. The State of Alabama submits a consortium application for Internet access to schools and libraries throughout the state. According to the letter, USAC is currently holding $32.4 million in E-rate funds. Governor Ivey stated that the SLD has not provided “any rationale or justification” for the delays and would like Chairman Pai’s assistance on moving the funds forward.
Other Governors have recently asked the FCC to step in and direct the SLD to provide approval of their E-rate applications. Governor Bullock from Montana wrote a letter expressing his frustration with delays in getting E-rate applications approved and on March 15, 2018, Greg Abbot, the Governor of Texas, sent a letter to the FCC requesting quick approval of all E-rate requests tied to Category One Special Construction projects.
Governor Kay Ivey’s FCC E-rate letter can be found here.
