An Alaska effort to implement phone deregulation is back on. The Regulatory Commission of Alaska will soon seek comments on draft rules to implement SB-83, the state’s 2019 telecom deregulation law, commissioners decided 4-0 at their Wednesday meeting. The Alaska Department of Law in September disapproved rules that the RCA previously OK'd and suggested draft regulations that might cure the defects. In October, Alaska commissioners agreed to reboot the proceeding, directing staff to work with the law department to revise the draft (see 2310110046). On March 28 this year, the RCA received approval from the department to issue revised proposed rules for a 45-day comment period, said a Monday staff memo including the draft regulations. RCA staff said it's "prepared to make final arrangements” by the end of this week to close previous docket R-19-002 and start fresh in docket R-24-001. Prior to voting, Commissioner Bob Pickett said, "Let's get this thing moving."
A Tennessee bill restricting children on social media passed the Senate in a 30-0 vote Monday. HB-1891, which Gov. Bill Lee (R) supports, would require parental consent for kids younger than 18 on social networks (see 2403120065). The bill would take effect Jan. 1. Meanwhile, a Tennessee panel will study a broadband reporting bill during the summer, the state legislature’s House Commerce Committee decided by voice vote Tuesday. HB-2910 would have required state and federal broadband grant recipients to list unserved areas where they plan to deploy high-speed internet using government cash, and to say when they aim to have service in those places. The Senate unanimously passed the cross-filed SB-2907 last week (see 2404020060). But at the House Commerce Committee’s final meeting of this session, Chair Kevin Vaughan (R) said more time is needed to develop how the reporting will work. “We all need to know more about broadband throughout the state,” so legislators will work “diligently” on the bill over the summer, he said. Lawmakers should move quickly because of "disparities and inequities that exist among the haves and have-nots,” said Rep. Goffrey Hardaway (D). The legislator said he distrusts summer studies, which sometimes are used to “dismiss a bill altogether.” The chair assured Hardaway that won’t be the case here. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) supports continued work on the bill, Vaughan said. "We're off to do a real summer study."
Some Minnesota lawmakers want to craft a net neutrality law even as the FCC prepares to vote on restoring federal open-internet rules. At a Tuesday meeting, the legislature’s Senate Commerce Committee laid over a bill (SF-3711) banning state contracts with companies that violate open-internet rules. While the action indefinitely postponed further Senate action on the measure, the proposal remains part of a pending House Commerce Committee omnibus (HF-4077). Also at the Senate Commerce hearing, members postponed action on a social media bill and advanced legislation meant to stop copper theft.
The FCC’s net neutrality draft order got state support from California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA). Bonta's office said in a statement Friday that it supports “strong federal net neutrality rules that establish a floor of protection across the country.” The AG “especially applauds the draft order for acknowledging the important role states like California play in protecting net neutrality, and for declining to block enforcement of California’s own net neutrality law,” his office said. NASUCA praised the FCC draft for treating broadband as an essential service and leaving room for states. “The FCC correctly recognizes that there is a dual role for the federal government and states in addressing broadband and other essential services," and that classifying broadband internet access service "as Title II will enhance its ability to address public safety,” said Regina Costa, the group's telecom chair, in a Monday statement. NASUCA is glad the FCC declined to preempt California’s law or “all state authority over broadband,” she said. NARUC praised the draft last week (see 2404050068).
Maryland legislators received strong responses after sending privacy and online safety bills to Gov. Wes Moore (D) for final approval. Consumer Reports (CR) applauded the General Assembly for the comprehensive privacy bill (SB-541/HB-567) that it said exceeded other states’ laws in certain ways. On the other hand, tech industry group NetChoice bemoaned a growing patchwork of state laws, 16 and counting.
The Minnesota Senate’s comprehensive privacy bill will return to the Commerce Committee, the State and Local Government Committee decided on a voice vote Friday. It will be considered as part of a Commerce omnibus bill, SF-2915 sponsor Sen. Bonnie Westlin (D) told the committee at a livestreamed hearing. The committee amended the bill to keep it in harmony with the House version (HF-2309). Sen. Mark Koran (R) struggles with knowing how businesses can implement the Minnesota measure, he said. Westlin responded that a federal law would be best, but in the meantime, Minnesota aims to take the best parts of bills from Connecticut, Oregon, Colorado and Texas.
Minnesota could expand a no-cost prison calls law enacted last year that would make free all forms of communication, including email and video calls, and add coverage for confined patients in direct care facilities. The state’s Senate Judiciary Committee voted by voice Wednesday to advance the bill (SF-4387), despite a Minnesota Department of Corrections official saying that he’s uncertain about costs.
Lumen’s CenturyLink pushed back sharply this week on an administrative law judge’s recommendation that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission force the carrier to rehab its copper network to address reportedly widespread service quality problems. The recommendation “fails to accurately reflect either the record or applicable Minnesota law,” the carrier said in an exception received Tuesday by the PUC in docket C-20-432. However, Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Erin Conti urged commissioners to adopt the “thorough, well-reasoned” ALJ report.
State senators in California advanced a bill that could mean ISPs no longer must provide free internet to receive public housing broadband grants. The California Senate Communications Committee voted 15-0 to clear SB-1383 at a livestreamed hearing Tuesday. Backed by the cable industry, the bill would remove restrictions included in the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) public housing account. If the bill is enacted, the grants could support projects with plans that charge as much as $30 monthly. Also, the bill would let more types of organizations apply for and expressly authorize the California Public Utilities Commission to award funds for range extenders and other network enhancers. The fund is currently underutilized, said bill sponsor and committee Chair Steven Bradford (D). “Multiple low-income housing providers” say that the account’s free internet condition “is a major deterrent” to applying for grants, he said. Requiring free broadband “is a major deterrent,” echoed Amanda Gualderama, California Broadband and Video Association director-legislative and regulatory advocacy. The CPUC last year denied the cable industry group’s petition to reconsider what counts as free broadband service as it doles out public housing grants (see 2309010006). Last month, the commission approved changes to the public housing account with a clarification that grant recipients should provide free service without government subsidies (see 2403080010).
Maryland could lighten the load for 911 call centers by letting AI handle nonemergency 311 calls, state Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D) said at a House Health and Government Operations Committee hearing Wednesday. Kagan urged the committee to approve her SB-1068, which would direct the Department of Information Technology to evaluate the feasibility of an AI-based, statewide 311 system and possibly launch a pilot. She estimated that about 80% of the calls received by Baltimore’s call center are nonemergency. AI could help answer 311 callers’ questions while controlling costs, she said. Some committee members asked about adding more guardrails to the bill to avoid possible AI problems like implicit bias. Kagan said she is open to amendments, though she said the department would consider those issues, and she doesn’t want to be too prescriptive with the bill. Committee Chair Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D) said the bill will go to a subcommittee for further discussion. Also at the hearing, the committee considered SB-974, which would establish a 25 cent monthly 988 fee on landline and mobile services. There would also be a 25 cent fee on each retail transaction for prepaid wireless. The bill mirrors HB-933, which previously passed the committee. The House voted 121-17 to pass HB-933 March 18.