A Pennsylvania privacy bill passed the House in a 139-62 vote Monday. Microsoft supports the comprehensive measure (HB-1201), which would be enforced solely by the state attorney general and includes a 60-day right to cure (see 2309060060). The bill will go to the Senate.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) approved a bill aimed at removing restrictions on leasing dark fiber. Pillen signed LB-61 Monday. The new law allows public power utilities to lease dark fiber and work with ISPs providing high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas.

The Maryland House approved a comprehensive privacy bill in a 105-32 vote Saturday. A House committee last month heard testimony on the bill (HB-567), including generally positive reviews from consumer privacy groups (see 2402140053). The Senate passed the similar SB-541 by a 46-0 vote on Thursday.

Connecticut expects awarding roughly $41 million for broadband through the Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said Monday. Applications for the grant program are due April 30 at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Lamont’s office said.

A Minnesota Senate panel will pause 48 hours to resolve concerns about a broadband safety bill. At a livestreamed hearing Monday, the Energy Committee laid over SF-4742 by Sen. Jennifer McEwan (D) after multiple members expressed misgivings. The committee will resume considering the bill during its next meeting on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. CDT, said Chair Nick Frentz (D). "I hope this is a hint from the committee that these members here are expecting to see some progress, or it's probably not going to make it out of this committee." McEwan committed to working hard on the bill before the next meeting. SF-4742 would set aside a portion of federal broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program funding for companies that agree to workforce “best practices” including payment of prevailing wages and annual skills training. It wouldn’t prevent anyone from seeking BEAD funding, stressed McEwan. Pointing to safety problems they’ve seen with broadband construction, the Laborers’ International Union of North America and Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council supported the bill. But internet providers and telecom construction companies stressed their safety commitment and said the bill could hold back high-speed internet expansion. SF-4742 would put at risk Minnesota’s nearly $652 million BEAD allocation because it doesn’t comply with NTIA’s notice of funding availability or the Minnesota broadband office’s initial plan, said Minnesota Telecom Alliance CEO Brent Christensen.

The Wisconsin Senate voted 29-3 on Tuesday for a bill that would require wireless carriers to provide law enforcement with device location information without a warrant if the subscriber consents and the company believes disclosure could prevent death or injury. Carriers would also provide that information under AB-960 if they receive a written request from law enforcement stating that disclosure is needed to respond to an emergency call or situation involving possible death or serious physical injury. Also, the bill would give wireless providers immunity from criminal liability for such disclosures. The Assembly previously approved the bill. It will need a signature from Gov. Tony Evers (D) to become law.

The Colorado House supported expanding the state’s right-to-repair law that covers digital electronic equipment like cellphones. The House voted 39-18 Tuesday for HB-1121. The FTC supported the bill at a hearing earlier this month (see 2403010046). CTIA, the Consumer Technology Association and other industry groups opposed the bill. “Without any vetting process for qualified repair facilities, the potential for consumer harm is significant and undermines the innovations manufacturers have developed to protect customers,” the associations wrote in a Feb. 27 letter: And it would add to a state patchwork. The bill will go to the Colorado Senate.

Montana telecom rules are outdated and anti-competitive, Lumen said Wednesday after the Montana Public Service Commission denied the carrier a six-year waiver of an out-of-service rule. Commissioners voted 5-0 at their Tuesday meeting following a two-year service quality probe into Lumen’s CenturyLink, the PSC said. The out-of-service rule requires regulated telephone service providers to clear 90% of out-of-service trouble reports within 24 hours, with some exceptions. CenturyLink argued compliance was difficult because unregulated wireless and broadband competition reduced its market share, the PSC said. The company proposed that, in exchange for the statewide waiver, it would pay $1,500 to about 500 customers on its Anaconda or GoDigital systems to disconnect from CenturyLink. “Regulated telecommunications providers must provide reasonably adequate services at just and reasonable rates,” said Montana PSC President James Brown (R). “While I understand CenturyLink’s position as to the growth of unregulated communications service providers, CenturyLink has not convinced me that there are other options for many of the folks who rely on CenturyLink’s service. CenturyLink’s proposed one-time payment would not help much if you can’t get other service at your home.” Many rural Montanans can’t get reliable cell service, noted Commissioner Randy Pinocci (R). The out-of-service rule “helps protect folks who count on CenturyLink service,” he said. A Lumen spokesperson responded, “CenturyLink is one of only a few companies still subject to monopoly-era landline service regulations,” yet “more than 95% of voice connections in Montana are now provided by our competitors. These outdated regulations are anti-competitive and don’t reflect advancements in technology that impact how we connect today.” Lumen welcomes “a constructive dialogue with the commission,” the spokesperson added.

GCI might get a decision by May 31 on whether an Alaska backup power requirement applies to customer-owned analog telephone adapters required after the carrier reconfigures its network, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska said in a Tuesday order (docket U-24-007). GCI seeks a declaratory ruling that an eight-hour backup power requirement doesn’t apply to the adapters or, alternatively, a waiver of that rule. The carrier sought expedited consideration, so it can complete its network reconfiguration by June 22. The petition “warrants a public comment period” and the commission “has questions” for GCI, the RCA said. It added it can’t “rule on the request for expedited consideration before these are completed” but “will attempt to complete a final review and decision by May 31,” noting Alaska rules require that the commission act by Aug. 31.

NTIA said four more states can open challenge processes for the broadband equity, access and deployment program. The federal agency said it approved volume 1 of initial BEAD proposals by Alaska, Missouri, New Hampshire and Vermont since last week’s update to a progress dashboard (see 2403060046). That makes 29 states and territories total. Only Louisiana has NTIA approval for volume 2.