Utah Broadband Center -- Creation -- Director -- Duties.

(1) There is created within the department the Utah Broadband Center. (2) The executive director shall appoint a director of the broadband center to oversee the operations of the broadband center. (3) The broadband center shall: (a) ensure that publicly funded broadband projects continue to be publicly accessible and provide a public benefit; (b) develop the statewide digital connectivity plan described in Section 72-19-203; (c) carry out the duties described in Section 72-19-202; (d) administer the Broadband Access Grant Program created in Section 72-19-301; and (e) administer the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Grant Program created in Section 72-19-401. (4) The broadband center shall ensure efficiency with respect to: (a) expenditure of funds; and (b) avoiding duplication of efforts. (5) The broadband center shall consider administering broadband infrastructure funds in a manner that: (a) efficiently maximizes the leverage of federal funding; (b) avoids the use of public funds for broadband facilities that duplicate existing broadband facilities that already meet or exceed federal standards; and (c) accounts for the benefits and costs to the state of existing facilities, equipment, and services of public and private broadband providers.