In this subtitle, “Board” means the Maryland Rural Broadband Coordination Board.

There is a Maryland Rural Broadband Coordination Board.

The Board consists of the following members: the Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee; the Secretary of Transportation, or the designee of the Secretary of Transportation; the Secretary of Information Technology or the Director of Network Maryland as the designee of the Secretary of Information Technology; the chair of the Rural Maryland Council, or the chair’s designee; the chair of the Tri–County Council for Southern Maryland, or the chair’s designee; the chair of the Tri–County Council for Western Maryland, or the chair’s designee; the chair of the Mid–Shore Regional Council, or the chair’s designee; the chair of the Tri–County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, or the chair’s designee; and the chair of the Upper Shore Regional Council, or the chair’s designee. The Board shall elect a chair from among its members. The Board shall adopt bylaws to carry out this subtitle.

The Board shall: assist in the deployment of broadband communication infrastructure in rural and underserved areas of the State; cooperate with public, private, and nonprofit entities to obtain, coordinate, and disseminate resources for the establishment of broadband communication services in rural and underserved areas of the State; review and approve the disbursement of funds under the Rural Broadband Assistance Fund under § 6.5–107 of the Housing and Community Development Article and any other federal, State, and private financial resources that may be provided to assist the establishment of broadband communication services in rural and underserved areas of the State; and perform other functions that are consistent with the intent of this subtitle.

The Board and affected units of State government shall cooperate fully in carrying out the intent of this subtitle.

The Rural Maryland Council shall: provide staff support to the Board; and report on the activities of the Board in the preceding fiscal year in the Council’s annual report under § 13–416 of this title.