A state broadband bill passed the Wisconsin legislature, disappointing the wireless industry. The Senate and Assembly each passed SB-325 Tuesday, despite wireless industry concerns about the bill limiting future funding to fiber-only projects (see 2309290046). It will go to Gov. Tony Evers (D) for approval. “Fixed wireless is the fastest growing form of broadband in the [U.S.] so allowing wireless broadband solutions to compete for state broadband funds will only benefit consumers and accelerate the expansion of connectivity,” a Wireless Infrastructure Association spokesperson said Wednesday. The bill is a departure from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission's historically tech-neutral approach to broadband grants, said Wireless ISP Association State Advocacy Manager Steve Schwerbel. "The Wisconsin Legislature has taken an unfortunate and disappointing step away from this success, passing legislation designed to put its thumb on the scale in favor of certain technologies over others. This will push the PSC to ignore quicker-to-deploy, more cost-effective projects that offer the same speed and reliability to customers who need broadband access today." Also, Wisconsin senators voted 30-2 Tuesday for SB-371, which would create a grant program at the Department of Military Affairs for ILECs to reimburse next-generation 911 costs. It will go to the Assembly.
State legislators floated more than 200 content moderation bills this year, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said Wednesday. Many of the proposals are “unconstitutional, conflict with federal law including Section 230, and would place major barriers on digital services’ abilities to restrict dangerous content on their platforms,” said the CCIA report. “Many legislators made the measured decision to pause the advancement of this type of legislation until the Supreme Court makes its decision” on Texas and Florida social media laws, it said. “We anticipate this will likely continue to be a main focus for legislators in 2024.”
New Jersey sees permitting, workforce and supply chain as possible barriers to high-speed internet deployment, said the state’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) in an amended five-year action plan posted this week. The board voted 4-0 last week to release the amended plan for the broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. The BPU initially filed the draft Aug. 28, but NTIA returned it with feedback Sept. 15. The BPU submitted the amended draft to the federal agency Sept. 29. The New Jersey Department of Transportation is rolling out an electronic permitting review system, the state noted in the latest draft. “While this will create significant efficiencies once enabled … statewide adoption is occurring incrementally, and some localities and providers may experience financial or other challenges in implementation. Additionally, broadband providers have expressed concerns about the investment in time and number of required permits, which can cause unanticipated delays in projects.” New Jersey expects a telecom worker shortage of up to 55,000 jobs by 2026, and “inflation and supply chain issues amplified by the pandemic have continued to create delays in equipment delivery and material availability for broadband infrastructure and deployment,” it said.
The Wisconsin Assembly will weigh broadband law changes (AB-303) Tuesday, the Rules Committee decided Thursday. Earlier that day, the Energy Committee voted 16-0 to amend and advance AB-303. The bill would refocus the state’s broadband expansion grant program on unserved rather than underserved areas. It would update the definition of unserved to include areas with less than 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds, allowing the PSC to consider updating that definition every two years. Current state law considers areas with less than 5 Mbps down and 600 Kbps up unserved. Among other new rules, AB-303 would require applicants to participate in the FCC’s affordable connectivity program or a successor program.
The Nebraska Public Service Commission gave more time to comment on some long-term Nebraska USF items. The PSC opened the rulemaking in docket NUSF-139 Aug. 29 (see 2308290044) and received comments on short-term issues Sept. 29 (see 2310020062). Comments on broader NUSF changes were due Nov. 17. That deadline will still apply to comments on NUSF goals and updating the strategic plan, and on investment incentives for carriers, a transitional mechanism to support deployed broadband networks and oversight to prevent duplicative or excessive support, Commissioner Tim Schram ordered Thursday. But now due Dec. 22 are comments on revising the portable support mechanism for competitive providers, enhancing consumer protections for accessing providers of last resort and quality services, ensuring affordable rates in rural areas that reasonably compare to urban places, and simplifying regulatory accounting and eligible telecom carrier recertification, the order said. In a separate order Friday (docket NUSF-117), the Nebraska PSC indefinitely extended the state E-rate special construction matching program and increased the state match for projects in the FCC’s corresponding program. The order removes a 10% match cap from the state allocation. Instead, Nebraska will match any remaining eligible new fiber construction costs not already funded through the FCC program, not to exceed 100% of eligible costs, the PSC said. The order gives schools and libraries in the federal program the chance “to install new fiber to their facilities at no cost,” said Chair Dan Watermeier (R).
An Oklahoma “overbuild prevention” challenge process for American Rescue Plan Act grants took effect after Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) approved the emergency rules Thursday, the state’s broadband office said Friday.
The District of Columbia enacted a 911 transparency bill Wednesday without the signature of Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). The D.C. Council voted 13-0 Sept. 19 to pass B25-0375 to temporarily amend the law establishing the Office of Unified Communications. Bowser had until Wednesday to respond. The unsigned act requires the office “to collect and post publicly on the Office's website the number of calls eligible to be diverted to alternative responses, the number of those calls diverted, and data on daily call-taking and dispatching operations.” The D.C. Council Judiciary and Public Safety Committee mulled a permanent OUC transparency bill last week (see 2310050062). Some at the hearing claimed Bowser isn't taking seriously District 911 problems identified in an audit. The mayor didn’t comment by our deadline.
New York state legislation to limit “addictive” social media features for children and teens is unconstitutional, NetChoice said Wednesday. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Attorney General Letitia James (D) and state legislators announced the bills earlier that day (see 2310110048). “It’s unfortunate for New Yorkers that the state is denying parents their right to raise their children as they deem appropriate, all while ignoring the simple steps of working with schools and community leaders to educate students and adults how to use social media in a safe and responsible manner,” said NetChoice General Counsel Carl Szabo. “Instead of adopting the successful approach of Virginia and Florida to educate students, New York is following the same unconstitutional approach as California and Arkansas.”
Kansas will consider non-fiber broadband networks “where economically and technically required,” the state said in a draft of volume two of its initial proposal for the NTIA broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Comments are due Nov. 12 on the draft, which includes information on objectives, subgrantee selection, eligibility, workforce and strategies for overcoming cost-related barriers to deployment, said Gov. Laura Kelly (D) Thursday. Kansas must prioritize fiber to meet its goal “to be among the top 10 states by 2030 in terms of the percentage of households able to access 100/20 Mbps service,” the draft said. To reduce deployment costs and barriers, Kansas “must incorporate, map, and leverage all existing infrastructure, including the reuse of middle mile facilities, where available,” it said. A review of permitting processes found “local and state [right of way] access permits are simple and fees are reasonable,” but time to secure state permits “can be excessive and efforts must be made to reduce permit approvals,” the draft said. The FCC regulates telecom pole attachment rates in Kansas, but most of the state’s pole owners are electric companies, “thereby leaving pole attachment rates unregulated for broadband use,” it said. “This lack of regulation can lead to excessive costs for broadband providers and cause delays in project deployment,” so the state broadband office “will work with electric distribution companies and electric co-ops to encourage reasonable rates for broadband provider use.” The office will also work with electric entities to smooth out make-ready processes, the draft said. Mississippi's broadband office released a draft volume one of its initial proposal Thursday. It includes details on the state's challenge process that starts Nov. 20. Comments are due Nov. 13.
Defining project areas “is not for the faint of heart,” Washington State Broadband Office Director Mark Vasconi said. The office met virtually Thursday to start considering various ways to define them for NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. “We have not made any decisions around what the form of project areas are going to look like,” said Vasconi. The state faces a “compressed time frame,” he noted. BEAD “has been characterized as a marathon, but I will tell you it’s a marathon with … timed sprints in the process.” The office probably will release a draft of volume two of Washington’s initial proposal in early November and seek comments for 30 days, he said. NTIA Federal Program Officer Tracey Blackburn said project areas are one aspect of BEAD planning that’s critical to get right. “This is a really hard one,” she said. “There are many different ways to think about doing this and there's no one right answer.”