California local governments removed opposition to a bill meant to streamline broadband infrastructure deployment, they said at a California Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee meeting livestreamed Tuesday. The panel cleared AB-965 and three other broadband bills passed last month by the Assembly. One senator pushed back on AB-1065, which would explicitly authorize wireless broadband providers to get support from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) broadband infrastructure grant and federal funding accounts.
Ohio senators passed a state budget bill 24-7 Thursday despite industry opposition to provisions requiring age verification for social media and limiting wireless eligibility for broadband grants. A New Jersey Assembly panel later that day approved a bill to set children’s privacy rules. Earlier this week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed a kids’ social media measure, plus bills to ban TikTok and require a council to study artificial intelligence. The Arizona legislature passed a broader bill to regulate social media.
Some state broadband offices see room to improve the FCC’s national broadband map, even with NTIA set to announce allocations by June 30 for the $42.5 billion broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Other states told us they’re still reviewing the FCC's latest map, released May 30.
Wireless and internet industry groups sounded alarms in Ohio as senators weigh what to include in the state budget. One HB-33 amendment under consideration (Page 143) by the Senate would remove wireless broadband from definitions of tier one and tier two broadband services for the purposes of getting grants. The Wireless ISP Association “is disappointed to see the Senate considering taking a step backward on its broadband expansion grant program by removing wireless broadband providers from grant eligibility,” WISPA State Advocacy Manager Steven Schwerbel told us Friday. “This amendment would mean that the state will not be able to fully consider all factors that influence broadband needs in Ohio. Federal programs like [NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment program] are already putting their thumbs on the scale when it comes to funding broadband expansion. Cutting wireless out of the state grant program means that BroadbandOhio will lose the flexibility to fill in the gaps where those federal dollars can’t or won’t flow, and make sure that every Ohioan has access to reliable, high-speed broadband.” Meanwhile, the Computer and Communications Industry Association sent a letter to senators protesting a section in HB-33 that would require social websites to verify users’ ages and require parental approval. “While we share the concerns of the Ohio State Senate regarding the safety of young people online, we encourage Senators to resist advancing Sec. 1349.09 of HB 33 which is not adequately tailored to this objective,” wrote CCIA State Policy Manager Jordan Rodell.
The New York Privacy Act passed the state Senate without the private right of action from the original S-365 (see 2304250063). The Senate voted 46-15 Thursday to send the measure to the Assembly. Also, the Senate voted 62-0 to send the Assembly S-6318, which would require the New York Public Service Commission to map mobile coverage and reliability across the state and then make a plan to ensure reliable coverage statewide (see 2305160033). The latest version of S-365 sets parameters for state attorney general action, which is how most other state privacy laws are enforced. Consumer Reports withdrew its support and is now officially “neutral” on the bill, policy analyst Matthew Schwartz emailed Friday. “Among numerous other changes, the amendments removed automated decisionmaking rights, weakened the definition of biometric information, carved out nonprofits, weakened risk assessments, and inserted a loyalty program carveout.” Microsoft supports the New York Privacy Act, a spokesperson said. "We will continue working with sponsors in both houses and stakeholders to pass comprehensive privacy legislation." CTIA opposed the mobile mapping bill in a letter Wednesday. SB-6318 “would unnecessarily duplicate efforts by the [FCC] to comprehensively map and regularly update mobile wireless coverage throughout the country,” said the wireless industry association: New York should instead seek to reduce local government barriers to wireless deployment. “If the bill contemplates directing the PSC to mandate wireless deployment in specific areas or regulate wireless rates, such measures would be preempted by federal law,” CTIA warned.
The California Public Utilities Commission authorized pilot programs to allow low-income consumers to stack state and federal benefits to pay for wireline and wireless broadband services. At a virtual meeting Thursday, commissioners voted 5-0 for a revised draft (see 2306060048) in docket R.20-02-008. Meanwhile, a consumer group is raising concerns about Verizon’s Friday letter to the commission on its struggles to migrate TracFone California customers to its network. Ensuring those customers weren’t abandoned was a “central issue” in the state commission’s merger review two years ago, Center for Accessible Technology (CforAT) legal counsel Paul Goodman said in an interview.
A New Hampshire legislative subcommittee will work on privacy this summer, the House Judiciary Committee decided at a meeting livestreamed Tuesday. Chair Bob Lynn (R) said he wants to work on combining this year’s HB-314 and SB-255, which the committee retained this year (see 2305030040). One big difference is that SB-255 doesn’t include a private right of action, said Lynn, saying he doesn’t think the state should give individuals the ability to sue.
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) adopted emergency regulations to extend the Alaska USF (AUSF) until Oct. 29. At a partially virtual meeting Wednesday, commissioners voted 4-0 for draft rules that largely track with a Department of Law (DOL) proposal last month, but with two changes that respond to industry concerns. Also, commissioners unanimously agreed to extend the statutory deadline for docket R-21-001 by 90 days until Sept. 27. This will give the RCA time to adopt a three-year extension through regular procedure. AUSF stakeholders applauded the commission's actions.
The telecom industry warned California regulators not to overstep, in Friday comments on three rulemakings at the California Public Utilities Commission. Litigation is likely if the CPUC ramps up VoIP regulation, said internet-based phone providers in docket R.22-08-008. Meanwhile, in docket R.23-04-006, video franchise holders said there’s no need to revamp how they’re treated under the state’s Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA). Consumer groups fail to support their calls for stricter and more widely applied service-quality metrics for voice, said telecom groups in reply comments in R.22-03-016.
An Oregon privacy bill cleared the Ways and Means joint committee and may go to the Senate floor. The panel unanimously supported SB-619 with a short amendment. "There are a couple things in the bill I'm not happy about, but ... it is a great step forward,” said co-sponsor Rep. Paul Holvey (D) at a webcast meeting Wednesday. Holvey said he has concerns about how individual consumers will be able to recover remedies for harm caused by violations. The bill initially included a private right of action, but a Senate panel removed it last month, leaving the attorney general as the proposed law’s sole enforcer (see 2304040042).