LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Aric Nesbitt on Thursday expressed his disappointment that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer again chose to veto legislation that would have helped connect more communities to reliable internet service.
“Twice now the governor has actively chosen to let hundreds of thousands of families needing broadband remain behind,” said Nesbitt, R-Lawton. “She vetoed a related bill and highlighted concerns with speed requirements, so we presented her with a new bill that addressed her concerns. It’s clear the governor was not sincere in her previous veto message and just isn’t interested in helping more people get access to broadband unless she can personally take credit for the government spending that does it.”
Nesbitt’s bill would have helped close the digital gap across the state and improve technological advancement and broadband investments by promoting broadband investments in underserved communities.
The senator said with today’s action, the governor has completely turned her back on many Michigan families.
“The governor claims her office is doing enough to solve the lack of reliable internet that plagues so many communities across the state and that this legislation isn’t needed,” Nesbitt said. “If that were the case, I wouldn’t consistently be hearing from constituents about the need for more action on increasing access to broadband. The governor is simply out of touch with the reality facing many Michiganders.”
###