Rep. Dave Ober, R-Albion, has received the Legislator of the Year award for his work to expand broadband service.

It comes from the Indiana Broadband and Technology Association.

“Working on this legislation has been a rewarding experience,” said Ober who serves as the chair of the House Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee. “This is an area that I am very passionate about and I am grateful to be recognized and to serve in a leadership position where I get to work on issues in a quickly evolving field.”

Ober co-authored a new law helping to expand broadband service to rural areas of Indiana. Currently, local governments seeking certification as a broadband-ready community must comply with specific requirements through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The bill adds a guideline requiring broadband-ready communities to establish a plan to increase the number of broadband service subscribers in their area.

And there will be a legislative summer study committee to search for more ways to reach out to the rural areas of the state with more broadband coverage."

Ober was honored alongside Sen. Mark Messmer.

"They have worked hard this year to build a knowledge base on broadband in the House and Senate that will serve Hoosiers well as our economy becomes more diverse and more dependent on broadband and technology jobs," said John E. Koppin, president of the IBTA "We are excited to work with such qualified legislators heading important committees on the Indiana General Assembly.”