We agree with the warning state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township and state Sen. Tina Pickett, R-Towanda, shared in an op-ed column this past weekend about the effect Pennsylvania’s bureaucratic barriers have on expanding broadband in rural Lycoming County and we urge their fellow lawmakers to consider a bill they are sponsoring to address one such barrier.

“If Pennsylvania fails to act swiftly, we risk falling even further behind in our mission to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to every rural household,” Yaw and Pickett noted. “States like Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia have already modernized their labor policies to support broadband expansion. They’ve implemented clear, job-specific classifications and wage structures.”

Rural broadband, as public officials have told the Sun-Gazette many times over years, has become a critical part of the infrastructure needs for employers. The ability for our communities to attract new jobs and offer Lycoming County’s workforce greater options to build lives in our neighborhoods, in part, hinges on meeting that need.

A bill Yaw and Pickett are proposing helps apply a more nuanced approach that could spur action on these vital projects.

“Let us be clear: This legislation does not remove prevailing wage protections,” Yaw and Pickett wrote. “It simply requires Pennsylvania to create job classifications and wage rates that reflect the actual work being done on broadband projects. This will help us make the most of the federal funding we’ve received.”

We hope lawmakers give their proposal — and other proposals to reduce excessive regulatory burdens that hinder growth in our region — the debate necessary for sustained progress on making Pennsylvania better-positioned for job growth.