The California Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday handed down a $200,000 fine against T-Mobile’s MetroPCS for universal service violations. Administrative Law Judge Robert Mason in June recommended the amount, which translates to $100,000 per violation (see 2406250054). The CPUC’s enforcement division had sought a $10 million fine, finding that the carrier insufficiently responded to a Sept. 27, 2021, data request (see 2209230032). The proceeding is now closed, the order said.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.

Texas received $1.4 billion from Meta Tuesday, settling claims the Facebook parent captured biometric information in violation of state law. The same day, tech industry groups sued Texas over a kids’ online safety law. NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said the 2023 law (HB-18), which requires that social media companies verify users’ ages and get parental consent for children younger than 18, violates the First Amendment in a way similar to a 2021 Texas social media law that went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Consumers' Research, et al. v. Consumer Product Safety Commission, potentially has major implications for the FCC and FTC, and could permit a president to fire a commissioner at will, industry lawyers said. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other conservative groups are asking SCOTUS in amicus filings to grant the writ of certiorari from Consumers' Research.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.

California commissioners next month could finalize a process that lets people without social security numbers apply for state low-income phone subsidies. The California Public Utilities Commission on Monday released a proposed decision (docket R.20-02-008) that could get a vote as soon as commissioners’ Aug. 22 meeting and tee up a three-month implementation. Accepting applications from those without SSNs wouldn't be optional under the draft.

The California Public Utilities Commission recommended $144.3 million in federal grant funding for last-mile projects in Sacramento, Riverside and five other counties. Commissioners plan to vote on the draft resolution at their Aug. 22 meeting, the CPUC said Monday. The CPUC recommended grants to seven entities, including AT&T ($18.2 million), Frontier Communications ($22.9 million), the Golden State Connect Authority, ($10.2 million), Colorado River Indian Tribes ($14.8 million) and the city of Sacramento ($38.7 million). It’s the fourth in a series of resolutions approving CPUC federal funding account grants. Commissioners approved $88.5 million in awards from the same program at their July 11 meeting (see 2407110057).

Multiple states are examining ways of directing their public schools to limit students' mobile phone use. Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, executive director-National School Boards Association (NSBA), told us the growing momentum behind cellphone limits means more and more states will be called upon to address it.

FCC commissioners adopted a series of items implementing the Martha Wright-Reed Act of 2022 during their open meeting Thursday (see 2407140001). A report and order reduces the permanent per minute rate caps for audio calls and for the first time establishes interim rate caps for video calls for incarcerated people. The law also clarified the FCC’s authority to also set rate caps for intrastate and international calls.