State and local governments want to reset relationships with the FCC under President-elect Joe Biden in 2021, said officials from NARUC, NATOA and the National Association of State Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) in interviews this week. A new FCC means “new beginnings” and a chance to build bridges, said NARUC President Paul Kjellander, elected association head Tuesday (see 2011100060).
The Senate Appropriations Committee proposed increases in the FY 2021 budgets for the FCC, NTIA, Patent and Trademark Office and National Institute of Standards and Technology but would leave funding for the FTC and CPB level with FY 2020. The committee’s proposed funding for the FCC to implement the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act, a broadband mapping law (S-1822), fell short of what the commission and others sought. Senate Appropriations released draft versions of its 12 appropriations bills Tuesday, before conference negotiations with House leaders on compromise FY 21 funding measures. Congress must either pass appropriations measures or another continuing resolution to extend government funding before the existing CR expires Dec. 11 (see 2010010041).
USF contribution reform could still be a long way off, said FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and former Chair Mignon Clyburn at NARUC’s virtual annual conference Tuesday. O’Rielly, co-chair of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, slammed that body as dysfunctional. Earlier in the day, state officials cited the COVID-19 pandemic as they urged national broadband action.
Both political parties increasingly see more broadband as critical as the presidency changes hands, said panelists at the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) conference Monday. Although President Donald Trump hasn't conceded, officials highlighted some ways Democratic President-elect Joe Biden could take advantage of political consensus to push the issue forward.
Joe Biden's presidential transition team for the FCC is starting to take shape, but it's early on given most national news organizations declared his win Saturday. President Donald Trump hasn’t conceded. A few names are emerging for the landing team, and a final list isn't likely until after Thanksgiving, stakeholders said in interviews. Team leaders from former President Barack Obama's interregnum 12 years ago said cooperation from the outgoing administration is critical.
The New York Public Service Commission should renew state USF for two years under a settlement that the New York Department of Public Service reached with Verizon, small ILECs, the Public Utility Law Project (PULP) and others, PULP said Friday in docket 15-M-0742. After “protracted negotiations,” the “normally adversarial” parties reached agreement on the joint proposal, which “represents a measured response to the problems identified in the record, and advances the public interest,” the consumer advocate said. State USF will expire Dec. 31, so the proposal would renew it for two more years from Jan. 1. Contributors would pay $6.25 million in 2021 and $6 million in 2022, with any unused funds from the previous term to be carried over, the proposal said. Parties agreed not to seek to expand the contribution base until after Dec. 31, 2022, and the contribution method will be the same revenue-based method from 2019, it said. PULP Executive Director Richard Berkley expects the New York PSC to take up the item at its December meeting, he said.
State commissioners can influence broadband policy even with limited telecom authority, said NARUC broadband task force members at the association’s virtual annual meeting Thursday. Utility regulators’ telecom role “has diminished significantly” in most states, but they can still “play the role of honest broker,” said Idaho Public Utilities Commissioner Paul Kjellander, who next week becomes NARUC president. Collaboration with federal government is a must, said other commissioners.
New Mexicans voted to switch from an elected Public Regulation Commission to one that's governor-appointed, with 55% voting yes Tuesday. It's the 40th state with appointed commissioners. A key state telecom commissioner will continue in her job, and many other elected incumbents also appeared to hold seats, showed state results Wednesday (see 2011040019). Denver is the latest and largest city to opt out of Colorado’s ban on municipal broadband.
The FCC proposed a $75,000 fine for U.S. South Communications for allegedly failing repeatedly to respond to Universal Service Administrative Co. demands for records used in USF verification, the Enforcement Bureau said Monday. It said U.S. South hadn't turned over records justifying what was reported in its 2018 and 2019 telecom reporting worksheets. The company didn't comment.
FCC nominee Nathan Simington’s Senate confirmation hinges on Tuesday's elections, lawmakers and other officials told us. Many of the hurdles for his confirmation would likely clear if President Donald Trump is reelected, but his prospects will likely be greatly diminished if Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins, lobbyists said.