Arkansas House has approved $14.3 million in tax breaks over the next two years to companies that provide broadband service — high-speed Internet — to underserved areas of the state. The bill was approved 69-20 and goes to the Senate, reports says. As part of the bill, HB 2953, broadband providers offering high speed connections in under-served (rather unserved) areas of the state will get a state income-tax credit of 15 percent of the cost of work. “This will improve the economic and educational opportunities, as well as provide all Arkansans with the ability to connect to the World Wide Web via broadband,” Dewayne Dobbins, D-North Little Rock remarked before the vote. He believes that the tax breaks will generate about 2800 new jobs and result in $430 million in economic activity. Nearly 30% of Arkansas communities are without broadband.