Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed a bill Thursday repealing the sunset of the state's Lifeline plan. The bill, HB-3148, makes the program permanent and repeals the surcharge requirement (see 2503210068). Eligible low-income residents may also receive a one-time personal device "plus any ancillary devices" worth up to $100. The state Public Utilities Commission must adopt rules necessary to administer the program by Dec. 31, 2026.

The New York Department of Education received plans from 150 school districts across the state on smartphone restrictions for students during school hours, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Friday, ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline. Districts had to submit their plans under a new device ban that was part of an FY 2026 state budget agreement in May (see 2505060053). Hochul encouraged other school districts “to learn from these additional examples and resources on our website to develop a plan suited for their students, teachers and families by the deadline.” The early policy submissions came one week after the department sent surveys reminding school district leaders of the deadline. "This wave of early submissions shows just how eager our school districts are to get phones out of the classrooms and back to the basics of a focused, in-person learning environment," said state Sen. John Liu (D).

The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) on Thursday launched a new online tool to help individuals find nearby places with free Wi-Fi and other digital resources. Tech Help for ME was designed "specifically for people who face added hurdles in getting online," MCA said in a news release. The agency partnered with nearly 200 public libraries, nonprofits, advocacy organizations and other resources to help people gain access to and use the internet, it said.

Kentucky's Office of Broadband Development misinterpreted several parts of NTIA's revised guidelines for the BEAD program, the Wireless ISP Association told the agency in a letter Thursday. The group asked the agency to reject Kentucky's revised plan. WISPA said the state is asking unlicensed fixed wireless (ULFW) providers for information to "help determine whether they are providing coverage sufficient to remove locations from BEAD eligibility." The group noted that the state is requiring ULFW providers to demonstrate they have a reserve capacity of 5 Mbps at the backhaul level rather than internally to a broadband serviceable location. "Applying the reserve capacity guidance to backhaul would effectively triple or quadruple the amount of backhaul capacity required; such a standard has not been applied to fiber networks," WISPA said. The group also raised concerns about measures being used to "disqualify ULFW locations based on significantly flawed and highly restrictive misinterpretations of appropriate and industry-standard interference mitigation techniques used by WISPA members." WISPA also cited Connected Nation's involvement in developing Kentucky's plan. It's "possible, if not likely, that it is actively applying its misguided Appendix A interpretations beyond Kentucky," the group said, urging NTIA to "step in to examine and clarify these matters and correct any disconnect."

Iowa began accepting applications on Wednesday for its $400,000 Empower Rural Iowa broadband grant program funded by the BEAD program (see 2507140059). Applications are due by July 30 at 5 p.m. CDT. The Iowa Department of Management released its notice of funding availability last week, highlighting several notable changes. The previous "fiber-first" preference was eliminated and replaced with a technology-neutral approach. The funding notice requires broadband speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps for noncommunity anchor institutions and at least 1 Gbps symmetrical for community anchor institutions. Scoring for subgrantees was also revised to "focus exclusively on the qualifying broadband offering at each eligible location that can be provided with the smallest outlay of federal funds." Unlicensed fixed wireless providers will be given an opportunity to prove that locations within their networks are currently served to be removed from BEAD eligibility. The state anticipates grant agreements being executed in early December.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) joined Visionary Broadband for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday for a rural fiber broadband expansion project. The ISP was among a group awarded funding in December 2022 through the state's $119.9 million ConnectMT grant program. “By working with partners like Visionary Broadband and supporting projects like this, we’re ensuring reliable connections for our rural communities and creating greater access to good-paying jobs, high-quality education, and affordable health care," Gianforte said. The new funding will "enhance service in Whitehall and extends coverage to Cardwell, Piedmont, Pipestone, Twin Bridges, and Waterloo," said a news release.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed a bill Monday modifying the state's laws on underground facilities. S-133 updates Missouri's 811 system, which serves as the state's single point of contact for public underground facilities. The updates include requiring underground facilities to be installed with "detectable underground tracking systems" and reducing liability for excavators if they followed proper standards but were given incorrect information. The measure also now includes the 811 board's representation for contractors and underground facility owners. The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) applauded updates, noting the bill adopted the group's best practices for marking buried utilities before digging. "Preventing damage to buried utilities takes everyone doing their part, including utility facility owners, locators and excavators, and it relies upon the accurate mapping, locating and marking of these utilities," said CGA CEO Sarah Magruder Lyle.

Michigan has become the latest state to start a new round of BEAD application submissions under NTIA's revised rules, known as the "Benefit of the Bargain" round (see 2507030010). The Office of Labor and Economic Opportunity said Friday that it's accepting new and modified registrations from interested ISPs until July 24 at 4 p.m. ET. Previously submitted applications must be updated to meet NTIA's new guidance. "Specific opening and closing dates and times for the project application window will be announced as soon as possible," the office said.

A Washington, D.C., bill banning wireless devices for students during school hours was sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) on Friday. The mayor has until July 24 to act on the bill before it's sent to Congress for final review. Councilmember Brooke Pinto led a group of Democratic lawmakers in introducing the measure (B26-73) in January (see 2501270058). A financial impact statement from the Office of the CFO noted that while there isn't enough funding through FY 2028 to develop policies and implement the legislation, local education agencies won't need additional resources to do so on their own.

Pennsylvania's Emergency Management Agency sent an alert Friday afternoon warning of a statewide intermittent 911 outage. The alert, which included "extreme" in the headline, asked individuals to contact their local 911 centers' non-emergency lines if they experience any issues. Individuals were also told to check their counties' social media and website for more information. "We are on top of the issue and working to restore full service as quickly as possible," wrote Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) on X.