A Louisiana bill would allow the state's broadband office to use some appropriated funds to administer the state's Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities program. State Rep. Daryl Deshotel (R) introduced the measure, HB-689, on Wednesday. The bill would give the state broadband office flexibility in determining thresholds for grant recipients to receive additional disbursements. In addition, it would provide guidance on oversight and enforcement authority of broadband development.
The Connecticut General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve a bill requiring all school districts to adopt a smartphone policy for students during school hours. The bill, HB-7009, would require districts to have a policy by the 2026-27 school year. It still must be approved by the state Senate before it ends its current legislative session June 4. "I urge the Senate to pass it in concurrence with the House so that I can sign it into law," Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said Wednesday.
The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board on Tuesday awarded $53.4 million in federal funding to five ISPs to deploy 19 middle-mile infrastructure projects. The ISPs will also contribute a collective $36.2 million in matching funds. The state's Broadband Office received 72 proposals. Awarded ISPs have until October 2026 to complete their projects.
Much of the U.S.' digital divide problem is concentrated in affordable housing, as residents there struggle with the cost of internet connectivity, as well as inadequate residential wiring and broadband infrastructure, EducationSuperHighway blogged this week. It said the return on investment for ISPs is much lower for multi-dwelling units (MDU) in public and affordable housing, meaning less incentive for ISPs to retrofit such housing or offer incentives. A number of states are trying to tackle MDU issues through BEAD nondeployment funds, the Capital Projects Fund or American Rescue Plan Act funds, it said. The group called on all states to ensure that their BEAD nondeployment funds include plans for MDU connectivity programs.
A proposed final decision issued Monday would approve Verizon and Frontier's $20 billion all-cash deal in Connecticut (see 2503260070). The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's proposed decision would also approve a settlement agreement between the companies and the Office of Consumer Counsel. The PURA said it found that Verizon "possessed the requisite financial, technological, and managerial suitability and responsibility and the ability to provide safe, adequate, and reliable service to the public."
The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority will soon issue a proposed final decision on Verizon and Frontier's $20 billion all-cash deal (see 2503260070). The PURA is tentatively scheduled to release it by Monday, a spokesperson told us.
New York schools will implement a "bell-to-bell" device-free policy for students during the 2025-26 school year, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Tuesday. The policy was part of an agreement Hochul and legislative leaders reached last week on the FY26 state budget. The budget includes $13.5 million for schools that need help buying storage solutions for devices. “New York was the first state to target addictive social media feeds, and now we’re the largest state to restrict smartphones in schools throughout the entire school day,” Hochul said.
The Oklahoma Broadband Office wants proposals by May 26 for BEAD projects using end-to-end fiber technology. The office said Monday that all applicants must prequalify for funding by May 19.
The California Assembly Committee on Communications moved forward a bill that would require ISPs operating in the state to offer affordable broadband to consumers. The committee voted 7-2 on Wednesday in favor of the bill, AB-353, with state Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D) not voting. Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D) introduced the bill in January (see 2502040033). If passed, ISPs would be required to cap such plans at $15 per month, with taxes and fees included.
The Kansas Corporation Commission fined AT&T $60,000 Wednesday for failing to identify locations of its underground facilities. Kansas law requires excavators to give at least two days' notice before digging, and then utilities have two days to mark underground lines. The fine noted 60 separate occasions between April and May 2024 in which AT&T failed to provide excavators with locations of buried facilities.