Spools of fiber optic cable seen at the NEK Broadband offices and warehouse in Danville on Sept. 3, 2025. Sarah Davis, of Fidium Fiber, told the committee that such a bill was not only unnecessary but also improper under federal law. “This is an area where the FCC … has chosen to regulate, and so it is not appropriate for the states to create their own legislation,” Davis said. The committee bill specifically seeks to ease customers’ transitions from older copper wire technology to the state’s fiber optic network, which has expanded in recent years with hundreds of millions in federal investment. The average net cash income per farm is about $47,000 annually, according to Graham Unangst-Rufenacht, policy director at Rural Vermont.