Several states advanced multiple broadband infrastructure bills Tuesday. The Indiana legislature passed HB-1277 to create an Indiana Code chapter governing administration of NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program (see 2403010047). The Indiana House voted 90-0 to concur with Senate amendments to the bill, which would require the state broadband office to be inclusive when awarding BEAD grants. It needs a signature from Gov. Eric Holcomb (R). The Virginia legislature approved HB-800 regulating how public utilities handle attachment requests (see 2402210043). Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) will consider it next. The Hawaii House passed a bill (HB-2710) requiring wireless carrier facilities to have eight hours of emergency backup power (see 2402280047). It will go to the Senate. Only Rep. Sam Kong (D) voted no. The Colorado House voted 55-10 Tuesday to pass a bill (HB-1234) that would indefinitely continue the state’s high-cost support mechanism for rural telecom providers. It will go to the Senate.
Massachusetts launched a $22 million residential internet retrofit program to connect public and affordable housing units, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute said Wednesday. MBI said that 22,000 units in 500 affordable housing developments will be eligible for the funding that comes from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. Property owners and ISPs will upgrade in-building telecom wiring and other facilities in older developments, it said. Massachusetts Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao said, “Our economic future depends on high-quality internet access for all, especially for low-income populations who have been historically overlooked and disproportionately impacted by the digital divide.” Many public housing buildings are more than 50 years old, said MBI Director Michael Baldino. “Low-income families in these buildings face barriers to accessing the speeds offered by broadband service if the wiring in their apartments pre-dates the internet age.”
Comprehensive privacy legislation in Minnesota advanced in House and Senate committees Tuesday. In the morning, the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously by voice to approve HF-2309 and send it to the State and Local Government Committee. In the afternoon, also on a voice vote, the Senate Commerce Committee approved SF-2915 after agreeing to harmonize its language with HF-2309. State Rep. Steve Elkins (D) said he based the House bill on a Washington state template that never became law there but that a dozen other states have since adopted. States should try to write similar laws in the absence of a federal law, which is unlikely soon, he said. One difference with other state laws is that Minnesota would include a section on automated decision-making, extending rights from the Fair Credit Reporting Act to other areas like employment and auto insurance, Elkins said. Minnesota’s bill lacks a private right of action and Elkins predicted a hefty fiscal note related to enforcement by the state attorney general. However, Elkins said the state AG office told him it can enforce the measure, if enacted. Elkins doesn’t expect any further substantive changes to the bill this session, he said.
The California Public Utilities Commission delayed a vote on making permanent a state LifeLine foster youth pilot that was planned for Thursday. CPUC staff delayed the item in docket R.20-02-008 to the March 21 meeting, said a Monday hold list. The delay isn’t surprising since the commission last week sought comments by this Friday on a revised proposed decision (see 2402290056). The commission still plans on considering an order Thursday modifying California Advanced Services Fund broadband public housing account and tribal technical assistance program rules (see 2401290059).
Florida could soon join other states that designate mobile phone providers as eligible telecom carriers (ETCs) for the federal Lifeline program. Florida's House voted 113-0 for SB-478, which previously received unanimous Senate support (see 2402210055). If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), the bill would immediately transfer wireless ETC designation powers from the FCC to the Florida Public Service Commission.
Minnesota will grant $53 million to expand broadband to about 8,900 homes and businesses, Gov. Tim Walz (D) said Tuesday. The state broadband office awarded 24 projects to provide at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds in 25 counties, Walz's office said. Minnesota awarded $33.3 million from the state’s border-to-border broadband program and $19.7 million from the low population density program. The state said it will open another $50 million grant round later this month.
The New York Public Service Commission seeks to refresh the record on residential and commercial broadband availability, affordability and adoption. The PSC said Tuesday it scheduled virtual hearings for March 27 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. EDT. Written comments are due April 10 in case 22-M-0313, it said. The PSC specifically seeks comments on locations lacking services with 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds and what limits its availability there. Also, the commission wants to know about locations with download speeds greater than 25 Mbps but less than 100 Mbps, locations with only one ISP, and locations where broadband costs too much for some consumers or businesses "and the size of the cost barriers." The commission sought similar feedback last year (see 2302270027).
The Hawaii House voted almost unanimously to approve a bill (HB-2359) establishing a digital equity grant program (see 2402050024). Only Rep. Elijah Pierick (R) voted no on Friday. The House sent the bill to the Senate.
The Utah Public Service Commission set an April 5 technical conference on possibly tightening requirements for seeking state USF support. The Utah PSC said it opened docket 24-999-10 in response to Commissioner John Harvey’s request that the commission get more evidence showing that costs claimed by a telecom company to receive support are reasonable. Harvey suggested that this includes a showing that the utility has applied for federal funds that could offset broadband costs and that any broadband speed the company provides above the federal minimum “has been done without incurring additional costs … or that such extra costs are either insignificant (compared to the total costs of the project), or that the extra costs can be justified by other public policy considerations," the PSC said. Also, Harvey wants to see utilities show their network design “is the least cost design” and that they chose the lesser cost "option of self-construction versus contracted construction,” it said.
Bipartisan support seems possible for a Minnesota bill that includes limits on social media, the House Commerce Committee’s lead Republican Rep. Tim O’Driscoll said during a livestreamed hearing Monday. The committee voted unanimously by voice to move the bill (HF-4400) to the Judiciary Committee. The measure, from Chair Zack Stephenson (D), would require more private settings by default on social media networks and for platforms to prioritize content that users prefer and perceive as high quality over posts that gain high engagement from other users. Also, the bill would set limits on how much users, especially new users, can engage with others on social media. Rep. Harry Niska (R) said he would support the measure, though he worries about the "constitutional thicket that we're stepping into." Minnesota should avoid regulating speech, said Niska, adding it might be good to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve NetChoice lawsuits against Texas and Florida social media laws. Also, Niska disagreed with the bill's inclusion of a private right of action; he favors leaving enforcement solely to the state attorney general. Stephenson aims to keep HF-4400 away from regulating content to avoid constitutional problems, he replied. Also, Stephenson conceded to having “mixed feelings” about the bill allowing private lawsuits and is open to talking more about that. The Chamber of Progress opposes the bill, which "would produce a worse online experience for residents of Minnesota and almost certainly fail in court,” said Robert Singleton, the tech industry group’s director-policy and public affairs for the western U.S. Among other concerns, imposing daily limits on user activity would restrict speech in violation of the First Amendment, the lobbyist said. The Computer & Communications Industry Association raised First Amendment and other concerns with HF-4400 in written testimony.