Va. Broadband, Privacy Amendment Bills Signed

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed broadband legislation (HB-1265/SB-716) Monday to craft an affordability plan (see 2203020053). Also, Youngkin signed two changes to the 2021 Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA). One (HB-714/SB-534) repeals VCDPA’s consumer privacy fund and expands a nonprofits exemption. The other (HB-381) allows companies to honor consumers’ delete requests by opting them out of future targeted advertising, data sales or profiling, even if the companies retain older data (see 2202280040). Youngkin vetoed the similar SB-393, which he said was because he signed the House companion. In other states, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) mostly approved HB-315 to set up a state broadband office with $300 million from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (see 2203310010). Beshear vetoed part of the bill declaring lack of internet access an emergency because he said it could put at risk current broadband deployment applications pending at the Kentucky Public Service Commission. “Vetoing the emergency clause allows sufficient time for the [PSC] to rule, and the law to still go into effect at the start of the next fiscal year.” The Maine Senate concurred with the House to pass LD-1107 to set up a satellite broadband grant program (see 2203030012). In Maryland, the House voted 97-34 Monday for the Senate-passed SB-643 to update the state’s data breach law (see 2204070035).