Oregon’s comprehensive privacy bill passed the legislature Thursday. The House voted 54-0, with six members excused, on SB-619. The Senate passed it Tuesday (see 2306210039). The bill initially included a private right of action, but a Senate panel removed it in April, leaving the attorney general as the proposed law’s sole enforcer. The bill still needs approval from Gov. Tina Kotek (D). Oregon could be the first blue state to enact a privacy law in 2023. Republican governors signed comprehensive bills this year in Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Montana, Florida and Texas. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Virginia passed privacy bills in previous years. “Consumers should have a say over how their personal data is used and companies shouldn’t be able to use that data to target and exploit them," said SB-619 sponsor Rep. Paul Holvey (D) in a statement. He said the state bill "will make sure Oregonians are protected and in control of their personal data.”

New York state updated broadband coverage data for a second map and report on broadband coverage, the New York Public Service Commission said Thursday. The PSC found 97.5% of the state is served with high-speed internet. Last year's report said 97.4% was served (see 2206160059). The commission worked with 73 ISPs, surveyed consumers, collected feedback through the online map and conducted field inspections of more than 50,000 addresses. “The map and accompanying report are crucial in identifying areas that lack broadband access,” said Chair Rory Christian. “This data will continue to be a central resource for the efficient deployment of State and federal funding.”

Lumen wants to shed carrier of last resort (COLR) duties in Utah, in whole or at least in part, it said in a Wednesday petition at the Utah Public Service Commission (docket 23-049-01). Lumen isn't seeking relief from discontinuance rules to end services for existing customers, it said. "Rather, on a forward-looking basis, this petition seeks relief from the obligation to provide voice service to every new customer location regardless of the cost of service." Utah doesn't provide high-cost support to Lumen and the federal government stopped giving it federal USF support last year, the carrier noted. "With no supportive funding for the COLR obligations in CenturyLink’s service territory, either from the federal government or the State of Utah, the company should not be obligated to be a COLR.” If the PSC wants to keep COLR obligations in certain locations, it should let Lumen collect state USF support for those places, it said. Effective competition exists throughout the company's territory, claimed Lumen: Competitors can “provide functionally equivalent or suitable services.”

Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed an Arizona social media bill that would prohibit websites from deplatforming candidates and require them to publish and follow standards for censoring users. “This bill does not attempt to solve any of the real problems social media platforms create,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter Tuesday. The legislature passed SB-1106 last week (see 2306150064).

Approving an AT&T application to relinquish its eligible telecom carrier designation won’t affect the carrier’s California LifeLine customers if the FCC ends federal Lifeline support for voice-only service, AT&T said Wednesday. The carrier responded to a concern raised by The Utility Reform Network at the California Public Utilities Commission in docket A.23-03-002.

The Oregon Senate passed a comprehensive privacy bill Tuesday. Senators voted 23-2 to send SB-619 to the House, which then referred the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. The bill initially included a private right of action, but a Senate panel removed it in April, leaving the attorney general as the proposed law’s sole enforcer (see 2306010025). In New Jersey, the legislature passed a bill (SB-715) to study social media’s effects on adolescents (see 2303310029). The Senate voted 36-0 Tuesday to concur with Assembly amendments.

The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) is taking applications for $162 million in broadband infrastructure grants, using money from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF). Advance Colorado Broadband applications are due by Aug. 21. The COVID-19 “pandemic highlighted a significant gap in internet access in Colorado,” CBO Executive Director Brandy Reitter said Tuesday. “CPF money will help ensure Coloradans are never again left behind.”

The California Public Utilities Commission is seeking comments on a staff proposal to establish a broadband loan loss reserve fund, said a Wednesday order by Commissioner Darcie Houck. The fund is required by state law to support broadband deployment costs by local governments and nonprofits. “Eligible broadband projects … should be designed to reliably offer, upon completion, symmetrical speeds at or above 100 Mbps download and upload,” said proposed eligibility criteria in the staff plan. If there are engineering limitations, 100/20 Mbps may be considered, it said. Also, staff recommends providers have open-access middle-mile infrastructure requirements and offer a low-income broadband plan through the affordable connectivity program or a successor program identified by the CPUC, it said. Comments are due July 10, replies July 20 (docket R.20-08-021).

Texas will be the 11th state with a consumer privacy law. Over the weekend, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed HB-4, which largely follows in the mold of Virginia and Connecticut laws (see 2305300057). Also, Abbott signed a data broker registration bill (SB-2105), a broadband mapping bill (SB-2119) and a USF bill (SB-1710) to establish a competition test allowing the Texas Public Utility Commission to decide whether previously rural areas should continue receiving support. Abbott vetoed SB-2399, which would have clarified that the PUC should continue to grant operating authority certificates to VoIP providers. “Texans are faced with perpetually increasing threats to their family's privacy with unscrupulous actors collecting their personal data and activities," the privacy bill’s sponsor, Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R), said Monday: "Texans deserve to know what information is being collected and how to delete that information if they so choose.” Florida was the 10th state with a privacy law (see 2306060030).

Michigan’s broadband office recommended $238 million in broadband infrastructure grants using money from the U.S. Treasury Capital Projects Fund (CPF). The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office said it selected 24 projects from 11 applicants; it received 154 applications from 40 applicants. The broadband office said the awarded projects aim to connect about 106,000 homes, businesses and institutions. Applicants committed more than $311 million in matching funds, it said. Whether the projects get any or some of the recommended funding depends on a 45-day comment and objection window that closes July 31, the office noted. Iowa is readying nearly $149 million in broadband grants through CPF, said Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) Monday. Applications will be accepted July 14 through Aug. 25, with decisions to be announced Sept. 22. It’s the eighth funding availability for Iowa, which awarded about $353 million in grants over the previous seven rounds.