California should allow low-income consumers to apply for the state's LifeLine program without providing the last four digits of their social security numbers, consumer advocates told the California Public Utilities Commission Friday. The CPUC last month sought comments about expanding the program for those without SSNs (see 2312200019). Lifeline providers said they would consider it if the state makes up for a possible gap in federal funding and waives liability for incorrect enrollments.
A Washington state House panel voted 4-3 to clear a bill that seeks to share county 911 fee revenue with municipalities (see 2401160042). The Local Government Committee approved an amendment to HB-2258 that would effectively limit the bill’s scope to Spokane, the city where sponsor Rep. Timm Ormsby (D) last week said the bill was particularly needed. The panel’s three Republicans voted no. Ranking member Keith Goehner (R) said he worries the bill would set a precedent even with a limited scope.
State agencies and rural carriers urged the Utah Public Service Commission to give heightened scrutiny to a Lumen petition seeking statewide exemption from carrier of last resort (COLR) requirements for new customers. In prehearing briefs and written testimony filed last week in docket 23-049-01, they disputed how Lumen’s CenturyLink framed its arguments that relief won’t harm landline customers and that effective competition exists across the state. The PSC plans hearings Wednesday on the petition and has a March 17 deadline to reach a decision (see 2311290043).
Wireless carriers in comments this week condemned a “dynamic approach” to data and other proposals for California’s low-income program. The California Public Utilities Commission received feedback Wednesday on an Oct. 30 staff proposal for setting California LifeLine specific support amounts (SSA) and minimum service standards (MSS). Some urged the CPUC to tap the brakes, especially with uncertainty about continued funding for the federal affordable connectivity program (ACP).
The Florida House supported removing kids younger than 16 from social media platforms in a 106-13 bipartisan vote Wednesday. Lawmakers approved HB-1 one day after rejecting an amendment that would have allowed parents to choose whether their children may use social media (see 2401230078). The bill now goes to the Senate. If the upper chamber approves it and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signs it, social media companies would need to terminate kids’ accounts July 1. "These companies know what they are doing is wrong,” said sponsor Rep. Tyler Sirois (R). “They have not acted … In Florida, we will.” The state government must step in to protect children from online threats, bullying and crime, agreed co-sponsor Rep. Fiona McFarland (R): Companies won’t self-police and the federal government isn’t acting. Most of the House’s 36 Democrats voted for HB-1, though several raised concerns in floor debate. Judiciary Committee ranking member Michael Gottlieb (D) doesn't oppose regulating social media but dislikes HB-1’s “very broad brush,” he said. "What we're saying is essentially that kids don't have the right to assemble," which the First Amendment protects. "When we take that from somebody" it must be through the "least restrictive means,” said Gottlieb. Rep. Daryl Campbell (D) said the bill’s intent “sounds good,” but it’s “complete governmental overreach” to tell parents they’re not fit to make the best decision for their children. Saying the bill is unconstitutional, Rep. Ashley Gantt (D) asked when Florida will stop telling parents that lawmakers know better. But Democrat Rep. Michele Rayner asked how lawmakers can tell parents that the First Amendment is more important than their child’s life. Rep. Kevin Chambless (D) said that "for every success story" on social media, there is "a negative story of exploitation." Rep. Katherine Waldron (D) said that while HB-1 “may not be popular among those 16 or under -- or perhaps among some parents -- the positives will far outweigh the negatives.”
Nebraska will expand a Windstream 911 probe to include a January outage and outages occurring while docket 911-076 is open, the Nebraska Public Service Commission decided 5-0 Tuesday. “The Commission is concerned with what appears to be a growing pattern of repeated 911 outages on Windstream’s network affecting southeast Nebraska” public safety answering points, said the PSC order, which noted that three outages occurred during a five-month period. Also, commissioners unanimously supported a precision agriculture order setting a process for states grants (docket C-5529). The PSC will make more than $906,000 available for the 2023-2024 fiscal year starting July 1, with half the money for connectivity and the rest for devices and technology, it said. The PSC will run annual grant cycles with awards on or before June 30 each year, the order said. For the 2024 cycle, applications are due Feb. 23 and awards will be released by April 30, it said. "The grant program is another opportunity to advance precision agriculture in our state with much-needed connectivity and supporting technology,” said Nebraska PSC Chair Dan Watermeier. “We look forward to seeing the innovative projects submitted through the application process.” Also, the commission voted 5-0 for a TRS order to open docket C-5555 and hold a hearing March 19 at 1:30 p.m. CDT to determine the surcharge for the fiscal year starting July 1. Windstream experienced a 52-minute evening outage Jan. 13 in southeast Nebraska due to "two unrelated but overlapping network events," a spokesperson wrote in an email. "First, there was a fiber cut between Lincoln and Denver that took down one of our two network paths into and out of Nebraska." That damage didn't cause an outage, but before the telco could repair it, an unrelated event between Lincoln and Chicago "took down our second network path into and out of the state," the spokesperson said. "Service [was] restored when the fiber cut on the Lincoln-Denver path was repaired."
Under a House bill advanced Tuesday, Florida would not allow parents to permit their children to use certain social media platforms. HB-1, which advanced to a final third-reading, would remove minors younger than 16 from the platforms July 1. "Studies have shown that social media is having a devastating impact on our kids,” and the platforms know it, said sponsor Rep. Tyler Sirois (R) at a livestreamed floor session. Likening social media to “a digital fentanyl,” he said “our children are challenged to break this habit.”
Nebraska must close the “spigot” and stop using state USF to support old telecom networks that provide internet speeds slower than 100 Mbps symmetrical, said Sen. Bruce Bostelman (R) at the legislature’s Telecommunications Committee hearing Monday. Bostelman’s LB-1031 would end Nebraska USF support for maintaining slower networks starting July 1, 2025. In 2021, Nebraska made 100 Mbps symmetrical the standard for new projects but continued allowing funding for operating existing networks with at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds, said Bostelman: Three years later, there’s no reason to give telcos more time to replace copper networks with fiber. LB-1031 would slow Consolidated Communications' broadband deployment by funding only areas with 100% fiber, said Brian Thompson, vice president-external relations. The panel continued to hear testimony on LB-1031 after our deadline. Earlier in the hearing, Nebraska Broadband Director Patrick Haggerty told state lawmakers that his office hopes to hear “at least a verbal approval” from NTIA this week on volume one of its initial proposal for the broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. The state broadband office resubmitted volume 1 Friday with changes recommended by NTIA, said Haggerty: Nebraska can begin its challenge process once NTIA clears that volume.
It’s time that Maine rate centers combine, Consolidated Communications said in comments Friday at the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The PUC received comments in docket 2023-00009 about next steps on a proposal that would save the state’s 207 area code from number exhaustion by combining Consolidated's multiple rate centers into one (see 2309220060). Stop treating Consolidated like "a petitioner trying to seek relief,” the company said as other parties requested additional information about the plan. Consolidated said it "has been treated as though it bears the burden of proving that the proposal to help preserve the area code is in the public good, while the truth is the Commission has already made that determination." Other parties seek more detail despite offering no "concrete reason why it is problematic," said the telco: Consolidated lacks additional information and “cannot continue to spend time and resources on a project that was initiated to assist the Commission and the state and that is not a corporate priority.” Comcast sought an updated timeline with more detail on "required steps during the final implementation stage.” The PUC should seek input from the North American numbering plan administrator, it added. The Telecommunications Association of Maine requested direct talks between its members and Consolidated "to discuss the implementation, changes and concerns associated with the contemplated rate center consolidation.” Maine’s Office of the Public Advocate asked the PUC to make Consolidated file “a quantitative description of costs including possible operational efficiencies and long-term operational cost savings, and how Consolidated would plan to recover the costs for the work."
Consumer and industry advocates sounded alarms late last week over a proposed California ballot initiative that would make social media companies liable for up to $1 million in damages for each child their platform injures. Courts would likely find that Common Sense CEO James Steyer’s December proposal violates the First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, said comments California DOJ forwarded to us Friday. For example, “Initiative 23-0035 is a misguided and unconstitutional proposal that will restrict all Californians’ access to online information,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said.