Kentucky Governor Creates Board To Govern Broadband Network Construction

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) created the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA) and its governing board to manage the KentuckyWired open-access broadband network, said a news release from his office. Over the next two to three years, more than 3,000 miles of fiber infrastructure will be built for the project, which aims to bring high-speed Internet to every corner of the state, it said Tuesday. The project will cost about $324 million. The members of the authority will manage the Next Generation Kentucky Information Highway line-item capital project and the Next Generation Kentucky Information Highway Fund, both authorized by House Bill 235 in the 2014 General Assembly, said Beshear's office. KCNA's governing board will be made up of the secretary of the governor’s executive cabinet, the state budget director, the executive director of the public service commission, the chief information officer and the CEO of the Center for Rural Development, it said.