Lumen’s CenturyLink takes 911 responsibilities seriously, a spokesperson said Monday in response to a Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission order last week. The commission denied the carrier’s reconsideration petition to reverse about $1.32 million in fines and a conclusion that CenturyLink was liable for a Dec. 2018 outage that resulted in at least 13,000 dropped or incomplete 911 calls (see 2308150061). The Washington UTC also denied a separate reconsideration petition by the state attorney general’s public counsel seeking a much larger fine of about $13 million. “Neither petition for reconsideration convinces us that any of the findings and conclusions in [the commission’s order] were erroneous,” the UTC said in docket UT-181051. “Lives literally depend on the ubiquitous ability of callers to access first responders, police, and medical personnel in the event of an emergency,” so “we are particularly demanding when reviewing the reasonableness of the actions CenturyLink took or did not take to comply with the statutes and rules that govern the provision of that service.” And the commission said it properly calculated the penalty. Lumen fully cooperated with the state probe, the company’s spokesperson said. "These issues are always concerning and are our immediate priority.” The spokesperson wouldn't say if the carrier would appeal further.

NTCA representatives met with aides to Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington to explain its stance on an FCC proposal on rules to speed the move to next-generation 911 (see 2309110042). NTCA supports “a surgical amendment to the overall approach as found in the NPRM in specifying that the party that is paid by and contractually responsible to state and local governmental entities to implement NG911 should be responsible for the costs of doing so,” it said in filings posted separately Wednesday in docket 21-479.

LA QUINTA, Calif. -- The FCC seemed more open to collaboration with states in its final NPRM for its rulemaking to possibly reclassify broadband as a Title II service, a California Public Utilities Commission staffer said during a panel Tuesday at NARUC’s meeting here. NARUC Telecom Committee Chairman Tim Schram told us Monday that the state regulator association would probably have a resolution about the FCC net neutrality rulemaking at its February meeting in Washington (see 2311130063).

The telecom industry applauded Texas voters Thursday for supporting a constitutional amendment to create a $1.5 billion broadband infrastructure fund. More than 69% of voters supported Proposition No. 8 (HJR-125) in Tuesday’s election. The state will distribute the money over two years under measures the legislature approved earlier this year (see 2306120035 and 2305300057). AT&T is happy to see Texas voters “prioritize broadband expansion and closing the digital divide by passing Prop 8,” said AT&T Texas President Leslie Ward. Passage means there will be “a constitutionally dedicated funding source for broadband expansion, emergency services and next-generation 911,” Texas Telephone Association Executive Director Mark Seale wrote in an email. Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative, Inc., supported the measure during the legislative session and is "glad to see these funds being made available to enhance broadband, infrastructure and availability in Texas," said TSTCI Board President Allen Hyer. Meanwhile, Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brent Bailey (R) told us Thursday there was no change in his uncalled race against De’Keither Stamps (D), a state rep (see 2311080040). With more than 95% of the vote in, Stamps leads 50.5% to 49.5%. Stamps didn’t comment.

The Michigan Public Service Commission approved $1.42 million for wireless call routing for next-generation 911 across the state Thursday. The commission approved five invoices for reimbursement from Peninsula Fiber Network Next Generation Services (case U-14000). The PSC paid the invoices with revenue collected by a monthly 911 fee on telephone bills.

The FCC amended its rules to retain radiotelephone requirements for vessels subject to the recently expired Great Lakes Agreement (GLA) with Canada, effective immediately, per a notice for Thursday’s Federal Register. The GLA established requirements on the usage and maintenance of VHF communications equipment for safety purposes aboard all vessels 65 feet or over in length, most towing vessels and vessels carrying more than six passengers for hire on the Great Lakes. The FCC incorporated the requirements into its rules. Following consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard, the FCC also modified the rules to require inspections every 48 months, rather than the 13 months previously required. “Ensuring the availability of critical maritime communications has been one of the Commission’s fundamental obligations since the earliest days of the Communications Act,” the notice said: “Similar to the terrestrial emergency 911 system, the maritime services provide for the unique distress, as well as the operational and personal communications, needs of vessels at sea and on inland waterways.”

Reps. Norma Torres, D-Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., refiled Wednesday their 911 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act, which would reclassify public safety call-takers and dispatchers as protective service. Torres has successfully added the measure to the House’s versions of several previous National Defense Authorization Act iterations but wasn't able to get it into the annual package this year (see 2307100063). The measure “provides a simple fix to reclassify 9-1-1 professionals as first responders and honor these brave men and women for their work,” Torres said. “As a former 9-1-1 dispatcher for over 17 years, I know this small change would mean a great deal to dispatchers.” NENA CEO Brian Fontes hailed Torres and Fitzpatrick for refiling the bill, saying in a statement that job reclassification is “of great importance to 9-1-1 professionals nationwide.” Torres’ office cited support from FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, APCO and nine other groups.

Several telecom-focused congressional leaders told us they’re more seriously considering directly appropriating $3.08 billion to fully close the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program funding shortfall amid the ongoing stall in talks on a spectrum legislative package that top lawmakers long hoped could pay for the additional funding (see 2311010001). The outlook for a spectrum legislative deal is very dim while lawmakers continue to wait for DOD to release a much-anticipated report on repurposing the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for commercial 5G use (see 2310180062). Communications policy-focused lobbyists and officials are closely following how work on FY 2024 appropriations legislation progresses in the weeks ahead for signs to indicate whether a change in tack on rip and replace takes place.

House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, are pressing Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser and the city’s Office of Unified Communications for a briefing by Nov. 17 on recent 911 system problems, including long hold times and insufficient staffing (see 2310050062). The District of Columbia enacted additional 911 transparency legislation last week despite resistance from Bowser (see 2310270054). “Slow responses, missed calls, and staffing shortages have had tragic consequences and will continue to endanger lives unless remedied,” Latta and Rodgers said in a letter to Bowser released Tuesday. OUC “has a record of grave mistakes that have contributed to the deaths of adults, children, and animals. The OUC sent firefighters to the wrong address for a report of a newborn in cardiac arrest, canceled a call for service about a child unconscious in a hot car, and mischaracterized a handful of emergency calls.” D.C. “recently reached a staggering 200 homicides for this year, further emphasizing the importance of accurate and rapid emergency medical services (EMS) response,” the GOP lawmakers said. Bowser and OUC didn’t comment.

The District of Columbia enacted another 911 transparency bill last week, once more without the signature of Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). The D.C. Council voted 12-0 Oct. 3 to pass an emergency bill (B25-0509) to amend the law establishing the Office of Unified Communications. Bowser similarly declined to sign a temporary 911 transparency bill earlier this month (see 2310120062). The D.C. Council Judiciary and Public Safety Committee mulled a permanent OUC transparency bill at an Oct. 5 hearing (see 2310050062). Some at the hearing claimed Bowser isn't taking seriously District 911 problems identified in an audit. Bowser didn't comment Friday.