The idea behind the bill is extend broadband services into rural parts of Oregon, so that rural Oregon families can have access to the internet and other services supplied electronically. This has universal support. The problem is that the first version of the bill would have allowed the rural electric co-ops to use their existing powerline easements for new broadband hardware without any regard to the impact of that new hardware on the rural Oregon property owners whose property was being burdened, essentially rewriting thousands of rural easements that had been negotiated between utilities and Oregon property owners over the last decade. OPOA, along with the Oregon Farm Bureau and representatives for Weyerhaeuser, argued that the proponents of the bill could achieve their objectives in a manner that didn’t override existing easements, protected rural property owners, and created a fair system of resolving disputes if they were to occur. Fortunately, after extensive negotiations, the utilities agreed, and the bill was modified to create a win-win for rural Oregonians.