An administrative law judge extended by one week the reply comments deadline in the California Public Utilities Commission’s proceeding to make rules for how the state will distribute broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) funding. Replies will now be due May 8 in docket R.23-02-016, ALJ Thomas Glegola said in a ruling emailed to stakeholders Tuesday. The California Broadband and Video Association asked for a three-week extension so parties could digest the many comments submitted to the CPUC earlier this month (see 2304180075). Glegola said that would be too long since the agency must submit its initial BEAD proposal 180 days after NTIA announces funding allocations, expected June 30.
Communications services would be free in Colorado state prisons and juvenile detention facilities under a bill passed Friday by the state House. Members voted 41-19 for HB-1133, which would prohibit the state corrections and human services departments from receiving any revenue, including commissions or fees, from voice, video and electronic messaging. The bill will go to the Senate.
The Washington state legislature passed a bill to provide a sales and use tax exemption for internet and telecom infrastructure projects involving a federally recognized tribe. The House voted 96-0 Thursday to concur with Senate amendments to HB-1711. The bill will go next to Gov. Jay Inslee (D).
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) ordered the state chief privacy officer to write a plan to keep private personal information held by state agencies, his office said Friday. Under the executive order, the officer must assess all state agency practices and submit a plan to the governor by Aug. 1.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed two 911 bills Thursday. The governor signed SB-316 to ask the statewide 911 board to study interoperability of computer-aided dispatch systems used by public safety answering points. Also, Holcomb signed SB-43 to stop state public safety agencies from setting residency requirements for 911 call takers.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission awarded about $494,000 in nonprofit access grants to 12 projects, the PSC said Thursday. The winning nonprofits will use the money from Wisconsin USF for projects to make telecom service affordable for low-income households, people with disabilities and residents in high-cost areas, the agency said.
Telecom companies defended line-item fees on bills against consumer group criticism in reply comments last week at the California Public Utilities Commission (docket R.21-03-002). The Utility Reform Network in opening comments earlier this month questioned various provider fees, claiming they were discretionary (see 2304060038). AT&T replied Thursday that its charges are cost-based and clearly disclosed. There is no evidence that consumers mistake “provider charges and fees labeled as ‘regulatory’ or ‘administrative’ … as government fees or government impositions,” said Charter Communications. Comcast said “the fees and surcharges TURN identifies are appropriate and transparent to customers.” The California Broadband & Video Association urged the CPUC not to consider “TURN’s inaccurate statements describing providers’ non-telephone service charges and fees as deceptive or misleading.” Frontier Communications said consumer groups’ recommendations to “broadly prohibit provider-imposed charges other than those required by governmental entities … rely significantly on anecdotal evidence and hearsay from complaint allegations.” However, the CPUC’s independent Public Advocates Office urged the agency to reject companies’ arguments that they present consumers with enough information to understand bills. “Communications-related fees should be clearly disclosed to the customer with specific fee amounts, the purpose of the fee, and whether the fee is government mandated or provider-imposed disclosed to the customer in advertisements and bills at all stages of the initial purchase and over the life of the service contract,” PAO said: Other fees “should have clear disclosure and opt in/out procedures."
Montana and Tennessee passed comprehensive privacy bills Friday, becoming the third and fourth states this year to do so. The Montana Senate voted 50-0 to pass the House-amended SB-384 at a livestreamed floor session. The House passed the bill unanimously earlier this week (see 2304180031). SB-384 next needs a signature from Gov. Greg Gianforte (R). Montana’s bill is based on Connecticut’s law. Tennessee's privacy bill also passed the legislature Friday. The Senate voted 29-0 for the House version (HB-1181), which passed the other chamber unanimously earlier this month (see 2304110031). "Without this legislation, your data is an unregulated space," said Senate sponsor Bo Watson (R). The bill needs approval from Gov. Bill Lee (R). Iowa earlier signed a bill into law. An Indiana measure awaits gubernatorial approval (see 2304140050).
Kansas launched an awareness campaign for the affordable connectivity program, the state broadband office said Friday. The state is working with EducationSuperHighway on the effort, which seeks to address that only 21% of eligible Kansas households have enrolled in ACP, it said. The program makes it easier for families to access essential tools, said Gov. Laura Kelly (D). “More Kansans need to know about it.”
The California Assembly Communications Committee cleared amended bills including on video franchising, local broadband permits and low-income benefits at a webcast hearing Wednesday. Also, the committee unanimously passed a consent agenda including bills on 911 public education (AB-296) and grants for emergency communications on fairgrounds (AB-415). The committee voted 10-2 to send to the Appropriations Committee a bill (AB-41) aimed at tightening digital equity requirements in the state’s video franchise law. Sponsor Chris Holden (D), who chairs the Appropriations panel, said the 2006 Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act approach of self-regulation through competition failed to spread services to everyone within franchise areas. The California Broadband & Video Association thinks the proposed replacement, the Digital Equity in Video Franchising Act, would be “generally unfeasible,” said Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy Director Amanda Gualderama. The state cable association was joined by USTelecom in opposition. The Communications Committee voted 13-0 for AB-965, which would set a 60-day shot clock for local governments to decide broadband permit applications or have them deemed granted. It will go to the Local Government Committee next. Supporters included Crown Castle, CTIA, USTelecom and the Wireless Infrastructure Association. But the California Municipal Utilities Association raised concerns it duplicates previous rules including the FCC’s small-cells order. The Assembly panel voted 13-0 for AB-1231 to allow low-income consumers to stack benefits from California LifeLine, federal Lifeline and the affordable connectivity program. It goes next to Appropriations. "The bill is needed because the CPUC has prohibited Californian consumers from combining their California LifeLine and ACP benefits to maximize the amount of data they receive,” said TruConnect Chief Compliance Officer Danielle Perry, who is also a National Lifeline Association board member. The Utility Reform Network worries the bill doesn’t provide enough accountability on providers, said TURN lobbyist Ignacio Hernandez: Lawmakers should strengthen it or allow the CPUC to make rules. The commission already has an open proceeding on the issue, he noted. Supporting AB-1231, Communications Committee Chair Tasha Boerner Horvath (D) said she thinks the CPUC has overly restricted access for low-income people.