The New Jersey Senate passed an Assembly bill Thursday requiring broadband and cable providers to let consumers pause or cancel service contracts if they are admitted to a long-term care facility (see 2410240024). The bill becomes law after 45 days or when Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signs it.
New York awarded about $13.1 million in the state's affordable housing connectivity program funding Thursday. Backed by the U.S. Treasury Department's Capital Projects Fund, the new funding will connect 780 buildings to gigabit-speed service at $30 per month and broadband service at $10 per month. About $4.5 million will help connect properties in portions of New York City. Roughly $3.9 million will be used to connect the Rochester metro area. An estimated $4.7 million will connect the Buffalo metro area.
NTIA awarded more than $60 million in additional state digital equity capacity grant program funding to five states and two territories Thursday. The agency sent $16.1 million to Arizona, $10.1 million to Arkansas, $12.3 million to Colorado, $13.4 million to Maryland, $4.5 million to North Dakota, $2.1 million to American Samoa and $2.1 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Hilliary launched broadband expansion projects totaling $65.9 million in southern Oklahoma, the company announced at an event Tuesday. "This investment ensures even our most rural areas have the tools to fully compete in our economy," Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said at the event. Funded by federal grants and matching funds, the projects will connect more than 2,000 homes and businesses with fiber.
North Carolina residents can now access an online tool to locate technical resources and better use the internet, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said Tuesday. The North Carolina Department of Information Technology's Division of Broadband and Digital Equity launched Tech Resource Finder, a website with more than 1,100 resources that help residents "use the internet, find public computers and Wi-Fi and access technical support and digital skills across the state." The new website will "help ensure that more people can be part of the growing digital economy to work, learn, access telehealth and connect with others online," Cooper said. Users can search for local resources and ISP offerings by county, ZIP code or type of resource. The department is working with the North Carolina State University's William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation to keep the website current.
NTIA awarded Washington more than $15.9 million in digital equity capacity grant program funding Monday. "We’re one of the best-connected states as far as broadband goes but still have more than 200,000 households without broadband access," said Gov. Jay Inslee (D): "We’ll continue to scale up our efforts until that need is met along with all the opportunities it brings." The state's plans call for it to use funding for train-the-trainer and other digital inclusion programs, outreach efforts and partnering with ISPs to promote cybersecurity education.
The Michigan Court of Appeals upheld criminal charges against defendants Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman for their roles in a voter intimidation robocall scheme during the 2020 election, Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) said Monday (see 2406140027). “Voter intimidation infringes upon the fundamental right to vote,” Nessel said: “We look forward to continuing with the criminal case and bringing this matter to trial.”
Many states will miss the 365-day deadline from when their BEAD initial proposal is approved to submitting their BEAD final proposal, according to Jade Piros de Carvalho, Bonfire Infrastructure Group vice president-broadband advocacy and partnerships. States were set up for an "impossible task," with NTIA's guidance on alternative technologies still not finalized, de Carvalho wrote Friday. States facing late rural development opportunity fund defaults will likely request an extension of their final proposal deadline. NTIA’s process for approving states’ challenges and BEAD eligible locations "was slow to come together," she said. The 365-day window "was always a stretch," and only "well-staffed and consultant-heavy states will meet the deadline easily."
NTIA awarded New Jersey more than $18 million in digital equity capacity grant program funding Friday. The state will use the money to implement its digital equity plan, which includes a competitive subgrant program to increase digital literacy skills. NTIA also awarded Kentucky more than $12 million to implement that state's plan, which includes investing in digital navigator programs and an affordable device effort.
New York made $644 million in BEAD funding available under its ConnectAll municipal infrastructure grant program, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Friday. Proposals are due by Feb. 7. Hochul said the funding is the largest portion of the state's BEAD allocation. "High-speed internet is as essential as electricity in today's world," Hochul said: "This funding is another crucial step in connecting every community across our state." New York anticipates making awards available for public comment in the spring before submitting them to NTIA for final approval.