Colorado could soon excise its 18-year-old municipal broadband ban. With a 48-14 House vote Tuesday, SB-183 passed the legislature and will go to Gov. Jared Polis (D). State officials and Colorado’s U.S. senators rallied around an effort to connect 100% of the state’s population by 2027 at a partially virtual NTIA internet-for-all event Wednesday.

House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Doris Matsui of California and other Democrats opposed many of the 32 bills and legislative drafts aimed at revamping connectivity permitting processes that the subpanel examined during a Wednesday hearing, arguing the current proposals are too broad and suggesting lawmakers gather more input before moving forward. Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta of Ohio and other Republicans framed the measures as a necessary component of the federal government’s push to improve broadband connectivity that Congress failed to include in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Top Republicans on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees told us their recent broadband oversight moves weren't unfairly partisan and they seek a more critical assessment of the Biden administration’s implementation of connectivity programs from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and COVID-19 aid measures to prevent appropriations misuse. The subpanels' top Democrats and other stakeholders told us they’re not particularly concerned so far about the tone of GOP queries but are continuing to monitor how they compare with Congress’ past oversight of the controversial Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and other initiatives.

Federal officials highlighted the need for continued stakeholder engagement and strategic investments to ensure broadband deployment efforts funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are implemented efficiently, during an NTCA event Monday. USDA Rural Development Deputy Undersecretary Farah Ahmad also announced the launch of a $20 million broadband technical assistance program to assist rural development projects.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) signed an anti-robocalls bill Wednesday aimed at fighting automated calls and texts. HB-2498 received nearly universal support in the legislature. Also that day, the Montana House concurred with the Senate on a local internet bill (SB-174) that would allow state agencies and political subdivisions to provide funding to private broadband service providers. The bill next needs a signature from Gov. Greg Gianforte (R). The Tennessee Senate voted 33-0 Wednesday to pass a bill that would make changes to broadband laws including raising the state's minimum broadband speed standard to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, from 10/1 Mbps. The House previously passed HB-1211. Meanwhile in Texas, the Senate voted 31-0 Wednesday to pass a bill (SB-1425) that would extend a Sept. 1 sunset on USF support for small telcos until Sept. 1, 2033. On Thursday, the Senate added a bill (SB-1893) that would ban TikTok on state government devices to the local and uncontested calendar, which is reserved for noncontroversial bills. Virginia's TikTok ban bill passed the legislature a second time Wednesday after lawmakers agreed to a slight wording change recommended by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin (see 2303280042). The Missouri House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee voted 13-1 Wednesday to clear HB-492, which would require a pilot program for schools to teach media literacy including for social media content.

Alaska USF’s last distribution would come in January under a tentative schedule presented Wednesday by the Alaska Universal Service Administrative Co. (AUSAC). The company could dissolve soon after, AUSAC Agent Keegan Bernier told commissioners at a livestreamed Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) meeting. AUSAC is preparing for sunset of Alaska USF regulations June 30. The final AUSF remittance would happen in July. AUSAC would distribute $1 million that month and then $77,000 in January before the company wound down. Some are looking for options to renew AUSF before it ends (see 2304110015), but at Wednesday's meeting Commissioner Robert Pickett sounded pessimistic about saving the fund: "We've been told this program essentially is going to be terminated and there are no ... realistic options." Later in the meeting, Pickett predicted "a series of events in which rural LECs are going to have a difficult time and then it will become a political emergency" that could lead to a legislative response. The problem of keeping rural phone rates low "needs a different mechanism that makes sense," he added. Multiple commissioners said they struggled to see how they could classify the looming AUSF sunset as an emergency, a procedural move that would let them expedite making new rules. Chair Keith Kurber and Commissioner Bob Doyle said they first want to see comments due May 5 on repealing AUSF regulations.

Alaska USF’s possible June 30 termination is raising concerns and producing much discussion among industry and consumer advocates in the state. A spokesperson for Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) told us the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) may decide the fate of AUSF, which was established to keep phone rates low in high-cost rural areas. If those dollars go away, “somebody has to pay those costs, and the somebody is most likely going to be those rural ratepayers,” said Alaska Chief Assistant Attorney General Jeff Waller in an interview Friday.

Alaska officials are making arrangements for the state USF’s expected demise June 30. “There is still a lot of preparation and research to be completed,” said Alaska Universal Service Administrative Co. (AUSAC) Agent Keegan Bernier at a Regulatory Commission of Alaska meeting livestreamed Wednesday. The RCA seeks written comments by May 5 on proposed regulatory revisions related to AUSF, said Chair Keith Kurber.

T-Mobile appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a district court refused to stop California from switching to a connections-based method for state USF contribution. The carrier notified the U.S. District Court for Northern California about the appeal Monday.

The Universal Service Administrative Co. told the FCC Wireline Bureau the estimated demand for E-rate support during FY 2023 will be $2.94 billion. About $1.66 billion is for category one services and $1.28 billion for category two services, USAC said in a letter posted Thursday in docket 02-6. The estimate is based on the total amount of funding requests received by March 28, USAC said.