b'To Rural Minnesota and Beyond: Expanding Internet Access With Federal Aid "To Disclose or Not to Disclose"Continued from Page 2 Conclusion Katherine J. Marshall612-877-5375|Katie.Marshall@lawmoss.com Consider company policies that require strong encryption,Laws involving data breach notification are complicated. LawMoss.com/people-katherine-j-marshall passwords, and remote erase technologies on all employeeObtaining legal advice early on is key to implement prevention Katie is a member of Moss & Barnetts Energy and Public Utilitiesdevices, including employee-owned devices that have access topolicies and navigate a data breach. This article is not intended to group. She focuses her practice on representing utility servicecompany data. If lost devices are secured and can be remotelyprovide a comprehensive survey of data breach notification rules, providers in regulatory proceedings. Rural Development Opportunity Fund erased, then there is no reasonable likelihood that personalwhich vary across states and industries. If your employees iPhone information on that device will have been acquired and datagoes missing or you want to review your companys data privacy The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for access toIn 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) createdbreach notification rules are likely not triggered.policies, please contact your Moss & Barnett attorney. reliable, high-speed internet in major areas of daily life, includingthe Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) to deploy broadband employment, education, health care, and certain essential services.networks to unserved areas. In December 2020, initial awards Yet, many places in the U.S. still lack access to high-speed, reliablewere made on the basis of a reverse auction, in which the lowest internet. In response, the federal government created severalbidders win. The initial winning bidders submitted long-form programs to support the deployment of broadband networks inapplications to the FCC in 2021 for comprehensive review."The Dangers of DIY Divorce"Continued from Page 3 Conclusion unserved and underserved areas. Locally, these programs are likely toSupreme Court was particularly concerned that enforcingThe Pooley case underscores the importance of having a lead to marked improvements in internet access across Minnesota.As of October 2022, the FCC authorized 19 applicants in Minnesota to receive RDOF funding. Applicants will receiveunwritten side agreements may allow for abusive spouses tofamily law attorney review the terms of a divorce decree. The ReConnect Program $51 million in RDOF support over the next ten years to deployforce their victims to agree to extremely inequitable divisions ofEven court-provided template forms cannot prevent parties from broadband networks to approximatively 23,000 unservedproperty without legal recourse or judicial review. omitting relevant information and undermining the enforceability The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 established the Ruralof their agreements.Connectivity Program (the ReConnect Program). The ReConnectlocations across the state. Construction on some of the projectsThe Pooley case has now been remanded to the district Program provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations tobegan this summer, and other RDOF recipients are expected tocourt for further proceedings on the division of the omittedAt Moss & Barnett, our family law attorneys work diligently to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas and, in doing so,begin construction early next year. retirement accounts. resolve issues that arise during the divorce proceeding, but also aims to support rural economic development and opportunities. The BEAD Program anticipate and address issues that may arise once the divorce has been finalized. If you need assistance with your divorce or other To date, Minnesota companies have received over $56 million fromThe Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Programfamily law matter, please contact your attorney at Moss & Barnett.the ReConnect Program to deploy fiber-to-the-premises networksis the most recent, and by far the largest ($41.6 billion), federal to unserved and underserved areas. Recently announced awardsprogram created to expand access to reliable, affordable, will be used for broadband deployment in Aitkin, Crow Wing,high speed internet. Authorized by the Infrastructure Investment Douglas, Freeborn, Houston, Morrison, Otter Tail, St. Louis, Stearns,and Jobs Act of 2021, and administered by the National and Todd counties.Telecommunications and Information Administration, the BEAD"To Rural Minnesota and Beyond"Continued from Page 6Conclusion Program will expand access to high-speed internet by distributing In August 2022, the United States Department of Agriculturefederal funding to states and U.S. territories for redistribution toreceive approximately $650 million in total fundingProviding high-speed internet access in hard-to-serve areas remains announced another round of funding for the ReConnect Program.service providers.through the BEAD Program. It is expected that fundinga national priority. Moss & Barnetts Communications group is This round will provide up to $700 million in grants, $150 millionlevels will be finalized within the next year, and thereafteravailable to help clients address regulatory and commercial issues in loans, and $300 million in loan/grant combinations to supportThe amount of federal funding distributed to each state andwill be distributed to service providers by the Minnesotain their efforts to bring this vital resource to customers. broadband deployment projects across the country. A number ofterritory will be primarily based on the relative number ofDepartment of Employment and Economic Development. Minnesota companies are submitting funding applications. unserved locations. Initial estimates indicate Minnesota may likely6 "To Rural Minnesota and Beyond:" Continued on Page 7 7'