A possible path to averting Alaska USF’s June 30 termination emerged in comments last week at the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The Department of Law (DOL) told the RCA it would consider approving an extension on an emergency basis if the commission fixes legal defects with an earlier proposal to extend the AUSF sunset by three years. Meanwhile, telecom companies and public advocates warned of rate increases and degraded service if commissioners allow the fund to die.
The Florida House set up a potential fight with the opposite chamber after passing the Senate’s comprehensive privacy bill Wednesday, with amendments. Meanwhile, a New Hampshire House committee kicked the can for six months on its own privacy bill. Earlier this week, Indiana’s Eric Holcomb (R) became the seventh governor to sign a privacy bill into law.
A New York Senate panel quickly cleared a social media bill and three others by voice vote at a livestreamed meeting Tuesday. The Internet and Technology Committee sent to the Finance Committee a bill (S-895) that would require social platforms to clearly post terms of service for users, including a description on how to flag content, in English and in New York state’s 12 most common non-English languages. Also, it would require companies to report to the attorney general on service terms, including how they define “hate speech or racism, extremism or radicalization, disinformation or misinformation, harassment, and foreign political interference,” how companies enforce policies and what steps they have taken. “Social media platforms have not taken appropriate steps to manage the spread of hate speech, racism and misinformation,” says the bill by Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D). “Most do not even [provide] clear policies around enforcement, let alone clear reports on their enforcement process.” The committee sent to the floor S-6323 by Chair Kristen Gonzalez (D), which would allow identity theft victims to provide photo ID at retail stores in-person to recover their online accounts. Also, the panel sent to the floor S-2659 by Sen. Leroy Comrie (D), which would amend the state data breach law to require credit reporting agencies to disclose a breach within 15 days. And the committee cleared for floor vote S-5410 by Sen. Nathalia Fernandez (D) to require state agencies to maintain mobile friendly websites. Also Tuesday, the Senate Transportation Committee cleared a broadband bill (S-3133) by Sen. John Mannion (D). It would stop the New York transportation department from requiring surveys for proposed fiber deployments that use the state’s right of way.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Quickly restoring FCC spectrum auction authority is critical with the World Radiocommunication Conference approaching in late fall, said government officials at the FCBA annual seminar Friday and Saturday. FCBA members heard from FCC commissioners and NTIA officials on a variety of other issues, including possible "Buy America" waivers for the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program.
The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously supported $9.3 million in California Advanced Services Fund broadband adoption grants (resolution T-17773) at a livestreamed meeting Thursday. Commissioners also voted 5-0 for a $1 million local agency technical assistance grant (resolution T-17785). The CPUC made adoption grants to 11 projects including by California State University, Los Angeles County and Thai Community Development Center. Santa Barbara County won the local assistance grant. "It's not enough to just build broadband infrastructure,” said Commissioner Darcie Houck. “We also have to ensure that community members have the digital literacy to utilize what broadband can provide for them." Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma praised the “wide-ranging” nature of the adoption grant awardees. Commissioner Karen Douglas also applauded the grants. "We all share the sense of urgency about the importance of removing socioeconomic barriers to broadband adoption, and this resolution takes some really important steps that help move that goal forward.” Also at the meeting, the CPUC unanimously approved a consent agenda that included an item revoking operating authority of seven telephone companies for failing to comply with annual reporting or performance bond requirements (Resolution T-17784).
Texas House members showed wide support for creating a state fund for broadband infrastructure this week, voting 137-7 for a proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday on its second reading. On Thursday, the Senate received HJR-125 and the House voted 140-8 for companion bill HB-9 on third and final reading. Rural carriers applauded the House for passing the measures, which they said would help fill gaps from the state not fully funding Texas USF. “We will now shift our focus to the Senate where we hope to find similar support,” said Texas Telephone Association (TTA) President Mark Seale.
California’s state broadband map remains a “work in progress,” said California Public Utilities Commissioner Darcie Houck at a California Broadband Council virtual meeting Wednesday. The CPUC Communications Division told stakeholders in a Tuesday email that it updated the state broadband map’s CASF infrastructure account eligibility layer “to display locations that were inadvertently excluded” in the map released earlier this month. “We received significant feedback on the initial map that was released and have been working diligently to update the map with a new version,” Houck told the council. In response to feedback, the CPUC “removed predefined priority funding areas” and “the underlying data now better reflects the number of unserved locations that have been identified,” the commissioner said.
A bipartisan California bill that would effectively ban TikTok on state government devices cleared the Senate Governmental Organization Committee Tuesday. SB-74 by Sens. Bill Dodd (D) and Brian Jones (R) would prohibit high-risk social media apps at least partly owned by an entity or "country of concern." The proposal is similar to actions taken in most states and at the federal level, Dodd said at the livestreamed hearing. Consumer Federation of California Executive Director Robert Herrell praised the bill for not naming specific apps. California’s approach is more reasonable than what some other states have done, he added. Eleven of 15 committee members voted yes in the committee’s initial vote, enough to approve the measure. The other four members weren’t present.
A New York Senate panel approved a sweeping privacy bill Tuesday with a private right of action. After the hearing, Consumer Reports praised the bill, but tech industry groups raised concerns. Parts of the proposed New York Privacy Act are stricter than other state laws, said Fox Rothschild attorney Odia Kagan.
Businesses lined up against tech regulation bills at hearings Monday in Florida and Minnesota. Opposition failed to deter the Florida Senate Rules Committee from advancing comprehensive privacy bill to the Senate floor. But at a Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier that day, multiple members suggested taking more time to study a kids’ privacy bill rather than pass it this year.