A Texas children’s privacy bill might shutter some services for everyone under 18, if enacted, said the Computer & Communications Industry Association. In a Thursday letter, CCIA urged Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to veto HB-18, which the legislature passed over the weekend (see 2305300057). When the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) took effect, covering users under 13, “some businesses chose to shut down various services ... due to regulatory complexity -- it became easier to simply not serve this population,” wrote CCIA State Policy Director Khara Boender: If the Texas bill becomes law, users “between 14 and 17 could face a similar fate as HB 18 would implement more complex vetting requirements tied to parental consent for users under 18.” Also, age verification requirements in HB-18 would require companies to collect more data about all users, said Boender: No “commercially reasonable” mechanism exists to check ages. Mandating content filters on devices “could invite significant consumer confusion for adults unaware that such filters aimed for children are set by default,” said the tech industry official, noting filters create "significant liability concerns due to the subjective nature of what may be considered" harmful or obscene. Businesses will have difficulty complying with the bill’s overly broad requirements, Boender added.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) supported exempting streaming and satellite TV from the state video franchise law. Lombardo signed AB-146 Tuesday. A growing number of states are enacting such laws in response to some cities’ litigation against streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu (see 2305190048).
The California Assembly widely supported explicitly authorizing wireless broadband providers to get support from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) broadband infrastructure grant and federal funding accounts. Members voted 79-0 Tuesday to send AB-1065 to the Senate. The Assembly also voted 79-0 for AB-1061, which would require the California Public Utilities Commission to report to the legislature on telcos' performance meeting customer service requirements. The Senate voted 40-0 that day for SB-74 to prohibit high-risk social media apps that are at least partly owned by an entity or “country of concern.”
State telecom and internet bills passed origin chambers in California and New Jersey last week. The California Assembly voted 63-0 to pass AB-414 to establish a digital equity bill of rights for Californians. The Assembly voted 77-0 for AB-1282, which would require a study on mental health risks of social media for children. The Senate voted 40-0 for SB-318 to require the California Department of Social Services to develop and run a grant program for support services for 211. In New Jersey, the Assembly voted 72-2 to pass A-3769 to require music and video websites to disclose their correct contact information. All the bills will go to their opposite chambers.
Florida awarded another $60 million through its Broadband Opportunity Program, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Friday. The funding will go to 22 fiber and fixed wireless projects in 19 counties. It brings Florida’s total broadband spending this year to about $226 million, said DeSantis.
Vermont will extend a state telecom siting process by three years. Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed H-110 Thursday. It delays the sunset on the 2007-established Section 248(a) procedure until July 1, 2026, while making no changes to the process (see 2305010067).
State legislative chambers passed telecom and internet bills Wednesday. The New York Senate voted 46-15 for a bill that would allow phone and cable companies to notify third parties about bills at a customer’s request. AB-1368 earlier passed the Assembly but will need the governor’s approval. The California Senate voted 39-0 to pass SB-60, which would require social media platforms to remove posts on illegal drug sales. It will go to the Assembly. The Louisiana House voted 93-0 for HB-653 to update Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities grant rules. It next needs Senate approval.
Massachusetts legislators “need to hear from more parties” on a bill that would require one-touch, make ready (OTMR) in the state, said Senate Chair Michael Barrett (D) at a Joint Telecommunications Committee hearing livestreamed Thursday. GoNetSpeed, a competitive telecom provider, urged the committee to support S-2133. But no other groups testified for or against the bill. The bill would speed network deployment, said GoNetSpeed Manager-Government Affairs Heidi Mahoney: State and federal laws give access to poles, but their owners "often caused unwarranted delays and obstacles.” More than 30 other states follow OTMR, including all other New England states, said GoNetSpeed Chief Legal Officer Jamie Hoare. Having multiple trucks come separately to make poles ready unnecessarily adds weeks and months into the process, he said. Noting the lack of opponents at the hearing, Barrett asked GoNetSpeed what concerns are commonly raised with OTMR. Owners often raise safety concerns, but the process is safe and owners get input in the process, said Hoare: Another common concern is that costs will be shifted to ratepayers, but there has not been evidence of that. Also, the chair asked if GoNetSpeed had asked the Department of Telecommunications and Cable to require OTMR. Hoare said the DTC has an active proceeding, but it’s unclear when it will conclude.
Minnesota will enact a right-to-repair bill covering smartphones and other digital devices. Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed a budget bill (SF-2744) containing the measure Wednesday. Consumer Reports applauded the new bill, which it said covers more kinds of electronics than New York state’s 2022 law. “It creates momentum to extend these rights to people across the country,” said CR policy analyst Laurel Lehman. “It’s the strongest, broadest right-to-repair law in the nation.” Meanwhile, Florida decided to keep state-level FirstNet information confidential. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed SB-7006 Wednesday, saving from repeal a public records exemption for FirstNet that would have expired Oct. 2 (see 2303090025).
The Montana Public Service Commission has new district boundaries based on a new state House district map rather than county lines, the commission said Wednesday. A state bill signed last month by Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) required changing the Montana PSC's five districts, which are each represented by one elected commissioner.