1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Broadband Incentives for Communities Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Congress has provided $12,000,000,000 since 2010 in competitive grants and financial assistance to expand broadband connections to unserved rural and underserved low-income communities. (2) Local governments play a significant role in the deployment of broadband infrastructure through their zoning and permitting processes. (3) Local governments will need additional assistance to manage the expected accelerated pace of zoning and permitting applications that facilitate the deployment of broadband infrastructure in their communities. (4) The Federal Government has a critical role to play in encouraging the deployment of broadband infrastructure by local governments. (5) The establishment of a competitive grant program to provide resources to, and incentives for, local governments to fulfill their role in expanding broadband access for all is a vital component of a successful broadband deployment policy. 3. Broadband Incentives for Communities Grant Program (a) Establishment The Assistant Secretary shall establish a program to make grants on a competitive basis to covered entities to assist such entities in providing efficient review and approval of covered applications. (b) Eligibility The Assistant Secretary may only make a grant under this section to a covered entity that does the following: (1) The covered entity submits to the Assistant Secretary an application at such time, in such form, and accompanied by such information and assurances as the Assistant Secretary may require. (2) The covered entity demonstrates readiness for the deployment of broadband infrastructure (including fifth-generation wireless communications infrastructure) in the jurisdiction of the covered entity, including through the following: (A) Adoption and implementation of efficient processes, which comply with applicable Federal standards and regulations, for reviewing covered applications that facilitate