Oklahoma will open electrical utility easements to broadband networks by ISPs and electric companies. Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed HB-1965 Thursday, two days after it passed the legislature (see 2305110016). The same day in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed SB-1418, which aims to support the state’s transition to next-generation 911 (see 2305030064). In Illinois, the Senate voted 56-0 Thursday to pass SB-851, which would require the state’s broadband advisory council to study expanding the Illinois Century Network to public schools, libraries and prisons.

CTIA explained its stance on an FCC proposal that carriers more precisely route wireless 911 calls and texts to public safety answering points through location-based routing (LBR), during a call with FCC Public Safety Bureau staff. Commissioners approved an NPRM in December (see 2212210047) and CTIA raised concerns in comments (see 2302170044). The "record confirms" that “the focus should be on promoting location-based capabilities for next generation text services, with wireless providers having the flexibility to implement LBR for text-to-911 in ways that are consistent with their unique network and handset configurations” and smaller carriers “should have more time to deploy LBR within their networks than proposed in the NPRM,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-64.

A District of Columbia Council committee supported confirming Heather McGaffin to direct the Office of Unified Communications. The Judiciary and Public Safety Committee voted 3-0, with Councilmember Christina Henderson (I) voting present, at a livestreamed meeting Tuesday. Committee members said the current OUC deputy director is well-qualified, but they want improvements at the 911 center, where recent audits found problems with incorrect addresses, miscommunication and dispatching delays (see 2303230070 and 2303150071). "OUC has struggled to provide reliable and quality service to residents for over a decade,” said Chairperson Brooke Pinto (D). “Reports of agency mismanagement and struggling performance have raised concerns with the public and create a somewhat strained relationship with” fire and police departments. The committee received more reports about overly long wait times calling 911 in the past few weeks, she added. OUC workers are "counting on the next director to act with urgency to provide staff with the training, support and structure that they need to be successful.” Councilmember Charles Allen (D) wants OUC to release “an actual action plan” with specific and “measurable steps” for implementing audit recommendations, he said. Also, Allen wants “a stronger and more proactive relationship with Council,” including monthly reports to the committee on call-taking and dispatching metrics, he said. Allen noted he remains concerned about problems including unanswered calls, blown addresses and lengthy hold and dispatch times. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D) joined Pinto and Allen in voting yes. A comprehensive plan is “sorely needed,” said Bonds, noting frequent concerns from constituents about dispatches to incorrect addresses. McGaffin has a “bold vision,” but Henderson said she voted present because she’s still waiting for sooner after-action reports and more comprehensive updates about investigations and specific incidents. Henderson said she wants that addressed before the full D.C. Council votes on confirmation. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) nominated McGaffin in February.

CTIA urged the FCC to put the onus on covered service providers (CSPs) rather than originating service providers (OSPs) if the agency imposes 988 outage reporting obligations, the subject of a January NPRM (see 2301040056). “As 988 communications are routed centrally to a single, nationwide response point, unlike 911 communications, which are routed to local Public Safety Answering Points, it is unclear how OSPs could provide actionable information about local outages to the nationwide 988 Lifeline or other stakeholders,” CTIA said, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 23-5. AT&T agreed rules “must reflect the fundamental differences in service architecture between 911 and 988.” Competitive Carriers Association members don’t “oppose some level of 988 outage reporting and notification,” but also don’t “support duplicative or potentially confusing efforts,” CCA said: If the FCC imposes a 988 outage notification requirement on OSPs, “in many cases, a 30-minute timeframe would be unreasonable and unrealistic, particularly for OSPs utilizing vendors for 988 solutions. Any 988 outage reporting requirement should enable realistic compliance.” The National Emergency Number Association said the FCC rightly proposes rules based on 911 outage reporting requirements approved last year (see 2211170051). The FCC should also require that PSAPs be alerted of 988 outages, NENA said: “If 988 service is not available to a person having a mental health crisis, and they do not have knowledge of an alternative means such as dedicated online chat services, then they may decide to dial 9-1-1 instead.” The group said the 988 system should plan to eventually migrate to next-generation 911 technologies “as a matter of building a more reliable, equitable life-saving service for people with mental health crises.”

Viiz Communications’ CEO Norman Phipps and others from the company met with FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr, Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington about the company’s “efforts to develop and make available customized technology solutions and support services for use in connection with emergency communications,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 15-80. “Viiz has compiled the most comprehensive database of U.S.-based primary and secondary [public safety answering points] -- verifying information on more than 97 percent of all such” public safety answering points nationwide, Viiz said: The database can be used by originating service providers “and covered 911 service providers to efficiently and affordably comply with the Commission’s 911 outage notification requirements.”

The Florida legislature passed changes to the state telemarketing law that attorneys say would undercut class-action complaints under the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act. Senators voted 29-10 Tuesday for HB-761, which would narrow the FTSA’s definition of autodialer (see 2304260035). On Wednesday, the state House voted 115-0 for the Senate-passed SB-1418, which aims to support the state’s transition to next-generation 911. The bills need approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). The House also passed a comprehensive privacy bill with amendments Wednesday (see 2305030040).

Texas House members showed wide support for creating a state fund for broadband infrastructure this week, voting 137-7 for a proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday on its second reading. On Thursday, the Senate received HJR-125 and the House voted 140-8 for companion bill HB-9 on third and final reading. Rural carriers applauded the House for passing the measures, which they said would help fill gaps from the state not fully funding Texas USF. “We will now shift our focus to the Senate where we hope to find similar support,” said Texas Telephone Association (TTA) President Mark Seale.

An update to Florida’s telemarketing law passed the state House in a 99-14 vote Wednesday. HB-761 goes next to the Senate. It would narrow the definition of autodialer to an automated system used for selection “and” dialing of phone numbers; existing law says “or.” It would also add that an “act demonstrating consent,” which might include a simple yes, counts as a signature for giving express written consent. The Senate version (SB-1308) cleared the Rules Committee in a 17-2 vote Monday. The full Senate is scheduled to vote Friday on a comprehensive privacy bill (SB-262) that also passed Rules Monday (see 2304240045). The Senate also plans to vote Friday on SB-1418, which aims to support the state’s transition to next-generation 911. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee voted 19-0 for the 911 bill Tuesday. The telemarketing bill “would drastically alter the [Florida Telephone Solicitation Act] and undercut current FTSA cases,” attorney Eric Troutman blogged Wednesday. If it passes the Senate and gets a signature from Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), “the FTSA is essentially dead moving forward and defendants facing current FTSA claims have a very good argument that the class portions of the case must be stricken.”

The California Public Utilities Commission may vote June 8 on a Wednesday proposed decision to approve two pilot programs to stack California LifeLine and federal affordable connectivity program (ACP) benefits. Under the draft in docket R.20-02-008, the CPUC would approve a wireline broadband pilot that would use ACP dollars to test if letting California LifeLine provider affiliates offer broadband to participants will increase program participation by ISPs while maintaining program rule compliance. It would also check if LifeLine can ensure participants with stand-alone broadband service can make 911 calls through a separate service plan and if allowing LifeLine subsidies for stand-alone wireline broadband will increase participation, the draft said. Also, the CPUC would approve a wireless broadband pilot that would use ACP funding “to test how much mobile and hotspot data California LifeLine participants would use if they had unlimited data, including a high allotment of high-speed mobile data, a substantial allotment of high-speed hotspot data” and a capable mobile device, said the proposal. Participants in each pilot would get access to up to $57.15 -- or up to $102.15 on tribal lands -- of combined state and federal support for plans. The CPUC proposed testing LifeLine and ACP subsidy stacking after scrapping an earlier proposal (see 2210140068). Meanwhile, state legislators are considering a bill to allow such combinations (see 2304200044).

Noting the FCC fine stemming from its VoIP-related 911 outage (see 304240063), Shentel emailed us Tuesday it "takes our 911 obligations very seriously, and we have already implemented new processes and procedures to prevent similar events from happening in the future." It said callers in the outage experienced one-way audio, but their numbers and locations "were successfully delivered to the 911 call center, and 911 operators were able to place return calls to communicate with the 911 callers."