Improving broadband internet access is one of the best ways to encourage economic growth in rural areas, and the Massachusetts legislature is working hard to make broadband part of the state’s solution to the economic crisis.

Hot on the heals of a $40 million rural broadband initiative passed in last year’s legislative session, lawmakers on Tuesday passed new legislation to unlock Massachusetts’ share of federal stimulus money targeted at broadband expansion -- totaling $7.2 billion nationwide. Democratic legislators quickly praised the measure:

The funding is particularly important to efforts to expand broadband in the many underserved areas in Western Mass., according to information provided by Rep. Denis E. Guyer, D-Dalton, and Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield.

(…)Downing, a major proponent of 2008 legislation that established the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, helped to shepherd this stimulus-related proposal through the Senate on Tuesday. The federal funding could double the amount the institute has to work with.

"Passage of this legislation puts Massachusetts in a solid position to gain access to federal funds that will assist MBI with its mission," he said. "Today, reliable broadband service is not considered a luxury — it is a necessity for continued economic development, engaging educational opportunities, higher property values and advanced public safety initiatives.

"Pairing available federal funds with state bond monies will further our efforts to ensure all currently unserved and underserved communities will soon be plugged-in to a reliable high speed Internet connection."

The bill itself contains mostly technical and logistical changes (e.g. allowing communications cables to be placed underneath Interstate 91 in Western Massachusetts), many of which were necessary to fully access the stimulus money.