South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed 911 legislation, HB-1092, which would increase South Dakota’s 911 fee on monthly phone bills to $2, from $1.25, the governor’s office said Tuesday. The legislature passed the bill earlier this month (see 2403060026).
A Pennsylvania privacy bill passed the House in a 139-62 vote Monday. Microsoft supports the comprehensive measure (HB-1201), which would be enforced solely by the state attorney general and includes a 60-day right to cure (see 2309060060). The bill will go to the Senate.
The Wyoming Public Service Commission granted applications for eligible telecom carrier (ETC) designation to Terracom, TruConnect, Infiniti Mobile and T-Mobile’s Assurance Wireless. All four companies sought ETC designation for the limited purpose of offering Lifeline services in Wyoming, according to last week's orders, which were released Monday.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) approved a bill aimed at removing restrictions on leasing dark fiber. Pillen signed LB-61 Monday. The new law allows public power utilities to lease dark fiber and work with ISPs providing high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas.
A Minnesota Senate panel will pause 48 hours to resolve concerns about a broadband safety bill. At a livestreamed hearing Monday, the Energy Committee laid over SF-4742 by Sen. Jennifer McEwan (D) after multiple members expressed misgivings. The committee will resume considering the bill during its next meeting on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. CDT, said Chair Nick Frentz (D). "I hope this is a hint from the committee that these members here are expecting to see some progress, or it's probably not going to make it out of this committee." McEwan committed to working hard on the bill before the next meeting. SF-4742 would set aside a portion of federal broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program funding for companies that agree to workforce “best practices” including payment of prevailing wages and annual skills training. It wouldn’t prevent anyone from seeking BEAD funding, stressed McEwan. Pointing to safety problems they’ve seen with broadband construction, the Laborers’ International Union of North America and Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council supported the bill. But internet providers and telecom construction companies stressed their safety commitment and said the bill could hold back high-speed internet expansion. SF-4742 would put at risk Minnesota’s nearly $652 million BEAD allocation because it doesn’t comply with NTIA’s notice of funding availability or the Minnesota broadband office’s initial plan, said Minnesota Telecom Alliance CEO Brent Christensen.
Connecticut expects awarding roughly $41 million for broadband through the Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said Monday. Applications for the grant program are due April 30 at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Lamont’s office said.
The Maryland House approved a comprehensive privacy bill in a 105-32 vote Saturday. A House committee last month heard testimony on the bill (HB-567), including generally positive reviews from consumer privacy groups (see 2402140053). The Senate passed the similar SB-541 by a 46-0 vote on Thursday.
GCI might get a decision by May 31 on whether an Alaska backup power requirement applies to customer-owned analog telephone adapters required after the carrier reconfigures its network, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska said in a Tuesday order (docket U-24-007). GCI seeks a declaratory ruling that an eight-hour backup power requirement doesn’t apply to the adapters or, alternatively, a waiver of that rule. The carrier sought expedited consideration, so it can complete its network reconfiguration by June 22. The petition “warrants a public comment period” and the commission “has questions” for GCI, the RCA said. It added it can’t “rule on the request for expedited consideration before these are completed” but “will attempt to complete a final review and decision by May 31,” noting Alaska rules require that the commission act by Aug. 31.
The Colorado House supported expanding the state’s right-to-repair law that covers digital electronic equipment like cellphones. The House voted 39-18 Tuesday for HB-1121. The FTC supported the bill at a hearing earlier this month (see 2403010046). CTIA, the Consumer Technology Association and other industry groups opposed the bill. “Without any vetting process for qualified repair facilities, the potential for consumer harm is significant and undermines the innovations manufacturers have developed to protect customers,” the associations wrote in a Feb. 27 letter: And it would add to a state patchwork. The bill will go to the Colorado Senate.
NTIA said four more states can open challenge processes for the broadband equity, access and deployment program. The federal agency said it approved volume 1 of initial BEAD proposals by Alaska, Missouri, New Hampshire and Vermont since last week’s update to a progress dashboard (see 2403060046). That makes 29 states and territories total. Only Louisiana has NTIA approval for volume 2.