On November 7, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC) released a list of recommendations and best practices that local governments can follow to prevent digital discrimination and promote digital equity. This report is designed to assist local governments and other entities in helping remove barriers to equal opportunity and deliver broadband services equitably to all Americans, allowing them to access and use digital communications and technologies. The task force report is a result of a mandate passed under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58). 

The first set of recommendations, from the Digital Empowerment and Inclusion Working Group, includes policies and best practices that can be adopted by states and localities to prevent digital discrimination by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). These include:  

1. The development and dissemination of periodic equity assessments in partnership with the ISPs, the community, and other local stakeholders.  
2. Convening regular meetings of broadband providers and stakeholders including community anchor institutions, public interest groups, community advocates, labor organizations, and faith-based institutions to evaluate areas and households unserved or underserved with competitive and quality broadband options.  
3. The engagement, where permissible under state and federal law, in the management of public property such as public rights-of-way, to avert discriminatory behaviors that result in or sustain digital discrimination and redlining. 

The second set of recommendations is designed to support digital equity, including increasing affordability and digital navigation services for historically disadvantaged and other vulnerable populations. It encourages the FCC to work with states and localities to make low-cost broadband available to low-income households through government benefit programs in combination with ISPs low-income programs. It also includes raising awareness about these connectivity programs for eligible households, streamlining the application process for the programs, and the creation of a digital public service engagement program to conduct training and outreach in non-adopting communities.  

The recommendations within this report provide a helpful starting point for future deliberations and actions to address the problem of discriminatory behavior and actions. They will also promote increased deployment, adoption, and use of high-speed broadband across the country. NACo will continue to monitor updates from the CEDC on additional guidance and best practices for local governments to follow.