A draft order from the California Public Utilities Commission would extend the agency's statutory deadline to amend certain California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) programs. The proposed decision, overseen by Commissioner Darcie Houck, would extend the deadline by one year, until March 5, 2026. "The commission requires time beyond the current statutory deadline to consider party comments and appropriate implementation of any changes," the item said.
The Washington State Public Works Board launched a rulemaking process last week to explore possible changes to the state's broadband emergency funding program. The agency is considering amending certain terms and clarifying eligibility requirements for prospective applicants to "fully operationalize this funding program," per a filing. The board is planning two virtual workshops, Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m. PT and Feb. 26 at 9 a.m. PT, with a public comment period expected in the spring.
The Maine Connectivity Authority extended the deadline for subgrant applications for its BEAD program until March 7 at 5 p.m. ET, the agency announced in an email Friday. It said it pushed back the original Feb. 28 deadline after receiving "feedback from current applicants." The agency also noted that applicants are requesting BEAD funding to serve about 26,000 locations and 3,000 community anchor institutions across the state.
Mississippi approved $32.5 million in broadband infrastructure projects, Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced Thursday. The 12 projects, funded by the Capital Projects Fund, will expand broadband access to 9,000 additional households, Reeves said. The Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi also recently awarded $878,000 in funding for public Wi-Fi projects.
The Utility Reform Network and Center for Accessible Technology asked the California Public Utilities Commission to amend the scope of its proceeding concerning Verizon's purchase of Frontier. The groups said in a joint motion Tuesday that the commission should consider whether Frontier violated a condition granting a right of first offer to "purchase Frontier property to tribes and local governments by entering into negotiations with Verizon before notifying rightsholders of its decision to sell its utility property." The groups also asked that the scoping memo reflect the interests of Verizon ratepayers.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) urged lawmakers to ban students from using cellphones at school. During a state Senate Education Committee hearing Tuesday, Pillen told legislators he supports the measure that Sen. Rita Sanders (R) introduced. The bill, (S-140), requires school boards in public school districts to adopt the ban. “Our teachers need to be focused on helping their students learn, not policing cellphone use. [The bill] provides a commonsense approach to this issue, so that all our schools are on a level playing field,” Pillen said.
The California Public Utilities Commission adopted a scoping memo and ruling on changes to its carrier of last resort (COLR) rules (see 2410310044). The ruling Tuesday clarified that broadband was subject to the scope of the proceeding. "It seems appropriate, given the current state of the market, to consider broadband availability when evaluating COLR withdrawal," wrote Commissioner John Reynolds. The memo required parties to "schedule monthly meet-and-confer sessions" until June. "The purpose of these monthly meetings is to develop parties’ joint stipulations on policy proposals that all parties believe the commission should adopt as part of this proceeding."
A proposed California bill would require all ISPs operating in the state to offer residents "affordable home internet." State Assembly Member Tasha Boerner (D) introduced A-353 last week. "Finding the right solution for California will require thoughtful engagement and collaboration from all sides of this issue," she said in a statement Friday. “It will be one of my priorities to work collaboratively with my colleagues, consumer advocates, industry stakeholders, and the Governor’s office to ensure we get this solution to the finish line.”
A Minnesota measure would let authorities use broadband grants for fixed wireless broadband deployment. State Sen. Nathan Wesenberg (R) introduced the bill, S-868, on Friday. If adopted, it would also clarify certain broadband mapping requirements for ISPs.
A bill introduced Thursday would establish a "comprehensive framework to restore net neutrality," according to a summary of the New York legislation. A dozen Democratic state senators, led by Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D), introduced S-3860, which would also amend some rules governing placement of equipment on utility poles.