Telecom, Internet Bills on the Move in States
State legislators advanced bills on social media, privacy, broadband and 988 in votes Wednesday. A Utah bill to regulate social media cleared a Senate committee Wednesday after passing the House Feb. 9. The Senate Business and Labor Committee voted 3-2…
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for HB-311, which would require parental consent and prohibit social platforms “from using a design or feature that the company knows causes a minor to have an addiction to a social media platform.” The bill would be enforced by the Utah Department of Commerce Division of Consumer Protection and through a private right of action that would allow consumers to get attorney fees and damages “for harm incurred by a minor's use of the company's social media platform.” The Hawaii Senate Commerce Committee voted 4-1 to advance a comprehensive privacy bill. SB-974 remains pending before the Ways and Means Committee. The latter committee voted 11-0 to adopt SB-1317 to appropriate state funding for matching requirements in federal broadband programs. It would appropriate $33 million “or so much thereof as may be necessary” for fiscal year 2023-24 for required matching funds for NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Also, the bill would use at least $95,000 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the same fiscal year for BEAD. The New Mexico Senate voted 33-1 Wednesday to pass a bill to require incumbent local exchange carriers with at least 50,000 customers to be regulated the same as rural ILECs under New Mexico’s Rural Telecommunications Act. Also, SB-41 would say effective competition exists in a wire center when two or more alternative providers sell voice, regardless of technology. It goes next to the House. In Wyoming, the state Senate voted 19-12 for a bill to fund and set state rules for the 988 mental health hotline. The House now must concur with the Senate after passing HB-65 last month 38-23.