California next month could approve challenge process rules for NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. The California Public Utilities Commission said it may vote at its May 9 meeting on a proposed decision, released Friday in docket R.23-02-016, to revise and adopt volume one of the state’s initial proposal for BEAD. The CPUC proposed opening its challenge process “no later than 60 calendar days” after issuing a final decision and “no sooner” than seven days after publishing eligible locations, the draft said. A 30-day challenge process would be followed by a 14-day evidentiary review period. After that, the CPUC would notify ISPs about challenges and give them 30 days to rebut. Then CPUC staff would get 30 days to make a final determination to the commission. Staff would publish final eligible locations not later than 60 days after the NTIA approves those final determinations. The agency attached a cured version of volume one. Comments on the proposed decision are due April 25. Meanwhile, Washington state's BEAD challenge process is delayed due to a glitch with the challenge portal, the state's Commerce Department said Monday. It was scheduled to open Monday. "Part of the registration process requires the challenge portal to send a confirmation email to someone registering to participate," the department said. "Due to a technical problem with the system, some individuals had trouble receiving these messages." The department said it will announce a new opening date when it resolves the problem.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission seeks applications for $33 million in digital connectivity and navigators grants, the PSC said Friday. The state program is funded by the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. Nonprofits, libraries, higher education institutions, ISPs and local and tribal governments are eligible to apply by June 19.
The Minnesota Senate’s comprehensive privacy bill will return to the Commerce Committee, the State and Local Government Committee decided on a voice vote Friday. It will be considered as part of a Commerce omnibus bill, SF-2915 sponsor Sen. Bonnie Westlin (D) told the committee at a livestreamed hearing. The committee amended the bill to keep it in harmony with the House version (HF-2309). Sen. Mark Koran (R) struggles with knowing how businesses can implement the Minnesota measure, he said. Westlin responded that a federal law would be best, but in the meantime, Minnesota aims to take the best parts of bills from Connecticut, Oregon, Colorado and Texas.
Gov. Andy Beshear (D) directed the Kentucky Public Service Commission to make emergency rules within 45 days that streamline pole attachments for broadband providers. Beshear signed a resolution Thursday that the legislature had passed last month (see 2403250037). Also, Beshear signed a consumer privacy bill (HB-15) that Consumer Reports called weak (see 2403280057). It makes Kentucky the 16th state with a comprehensive privacy law. And Beshear signed a bill (HB-528) on how 911 revenue should be spent through July 1, 2025.
Bills on privacy, kids’ online safety and an AI-based 311 phone service neared the Maryland governor’s desk last week. On Thursday, the House voted 103-33 for a comprehensive privacy bill (SB-541). Meanwhile, the Senate is nearing a vote on the cross-filed House version (HB-567). Maryland’s privacy proposal earlier received generally positive reviews from consumer privacy groups (see 2402140053). Also Thursday, the House voted 136-0 for SB-571, a kids’ safety bill modeled after the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act. The Senate passed the similar House version (HB-603) Wednesday (see 2404040030). In addition, the House supported similar bills to direct the Department of Information Technology to evaluate the feasibility of an AI-based, statewide 311 system and possibly launch a pilot. The House voted 126-9 to approve the Senate-passed SB-1068. And it voted 132-5 for HB-1141 after amending it to match the Senate bill. A House committee heard testimony on SB-1068 last week (see 2403270041). Gov. Wes Moore (D) would need to sign the bills if they pass the Maryland General Assembly.
A Maryland kids’ safety bill modeled after the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act passed the state Senate. It voted 46-0 in favor of HB-603 with an amendment delaying the effective date to Oct. 1, 2025. The House passed the bill last month with a 2024 effective date, so it must vote again to concur with the Senate change. Education advocates supported and tech groups opposed the bill at a February hearing (see 2402140053). Also Wednesday, the Senate voted 44-3 to support a 25 cent surcharge to fund the 988 mental health hotline. The bill (HB-933) earlier passed the House, which Tuesday also approved the identical Senate version (see 2404030049). The 988 bills will go to Gov. Wes Moore (D).
A possible shakeup to Vermont universal service passed the state House on Tuesday. The House approved HB-657, which included a minor amendment by sponsor Rep. Katherine Sims (D) replacing the words "digital subscriber line" with "twisted-pair cable." Rather than the current 2% revenue-based state USF mechanism, the House-passed bill would assess 72 cents monthly per retail access line, including VoIP and postpaid wireless. That’s up 2 cents from a previous proposal heard by the Ways and Means Committee (see 2402070057). Carriers would pay 2.4% of monthly prepaid wireless retail sales and federal and Vermont Lifeline subscribers wouldn’t have to pay the fee. Also, the bill would add the 988 mental health hotline to a list of what state USF may support. Meanwhile, H-657 would repeal Vermont taxes on telephone personal property and alternative telephone gross revenue. The current bill doesn’t include a previously proposed $15 annual pole attachment tax to support community media, which received much opposition from the telecom industry. Instead, it would require “reasonable” annual charges for communications providers accessing state right of way. For small cells, that would be $270 per facility; for twisted-pair, coaxial or fiber cables, it would be 2 cents per linear foot in small counties and 7 cents in mid-sized counties and 13 cents in large counties. It wouldn’t apply to facilities owned by communications union districts, small carriers, state grant recipients, cable franchises and electric utilities. The bill next goes to the Senate.
The Utah Public Service Commission granted SpaceX’s request to relinquish its eligible telecom carrier (ETC) designation, the PSC ordered Tuesday. The PSC made the company an ETC in 2021 so that it could participate in the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. But the FCC last year upheld the Wireless Bureau’s 2022 rejection of Starlink’s application for RDOF support (see 2312130027).
The Nebraska Public Service Commission will consider changes to telecom service outage reporting requirements, the PSC decided at its Wednesday meeting. Commissioners voted 4-0 for the order in docket C-5564. Commissioner Eric Kamler (R) wasn't at the meeting. Outage reporting is “essential,” but the PSC “has recently observed an increase in the number of significant and concerning outages, and in reports of cable cuts,” the agency said. In addition, the PSC said it has heard that “requirements in its outage reporting policy are unclear and could be subject to multiple interpretations.” One proposed change would require that a carrier’s initial outage report include a “listing of any public safety answering points, government officials, other agencies, or news media notified of the outage.” Also, the PSC would require daily updates for outages lasting longer than three days. The current requirement is an update every five days for outages longer than five days. A final report would be due five business days after service is restored, down from 14 days. It would have to address how the outage affected 911 services, in addition to previous requirements. Also, the PSC proposal would redefine what counts as a service interruption. It would exempt planned or scheduled outages when customers receive notice at least 24 hours in advance. The PSC set a workshop for May 29 at 1:30 p.m. CST and asked for written comments on proposed changes by June 14.
The Maryland General Assembly supported a 25 cent fee that will help fund the 988 mental health hotline. It would apply monthly to landline and postpaid mobile services, while prepaid wireless would pay a quarter per retail transaction under SB-974. The bill passed the Senate last month 42-3. The Maryland House voted 110-26 Tuesday for the Senate bill after last month voting 121-17 for a House version (HB-933). The bill will go to Gov. Wes Moore (D).