Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) made technical changes to the state Telecommunications Relay Service Council through an executive order Friday. The EO updates terminology and membership size and requirements, said the governor’s office.

The California Public Utilities Commission opened a rulemaking on possible changes to CPUC video franchise licensing and oversight under the 2006 Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act. The CPUC voted unanimously for the proposed decision as part of the consent agenda at a Thursday meeting. The proceeding responds to a bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in 2021 (see 2110120022). It increased CPUC authority to check if state video franchisees are deploying enough broadband. “The Commission may also consider potential ways to modernize and make the implementation of DIVCA more efficient and effective,” the draft said.

Public advocates objected to AT&T seeking relief of carrier of last resort (COLR) and other obligations last week. Rural counties objected to the carrier’s application earlier that week (see 2304040030). “AT&T seeks wholesale permission to abandon the guarantee of communications services for an unspecified number of its customers in unknowable areas simultaneously, and in bulk,” said the CPUC’s independent Public Advocates Office. AT&T incorrectly argues that COLR obligations require it to maintain copper, diverting resources from fiber, said PAO: But COLR is technology-neutral. And AT&T’s application breaks with California USF rules, it said. “The Application is so unclear, vague, and factually insufficient that the Commission cannot even begin to determine whether AT&T’s request is in the public interest.” The Utility Reform Network (TURN) and Center for Accessible Technology (CforAT) jointly agreed with PAO that the CPUC should reject the AT&T application. “AT&T has failed to clearly identify which customers, and which areas of its service territory would lose COLR protections,” TURN and CforAT said. “The Commission should not make a determination based on a minimal showing of customer impact for such an important fundamental obligation.” AT&T "submitted applications with the CPUC to start the process for an orderly transition from outdated, copper-based telephone services and network to broadband communications networks," an AT&T spokesperson said. "The proceeding should not be delayed because Californians will be disadvantaged if the network modernization is hampered by outdated regulations of legacy telephone service." AT&T is "firmly committed to ensuring all its customers will continue to have access to reliable voice service," the spokesperson added.

The Arkansas legislature passed a bill to require age verification and parental consent for social media. State senators voted 21-3 Thursday to concur with the House-amended SB-396, which was opposed by NetChoice in a committee hearing (see 2303280036). The House voted 82-10 for the bill Wednesday. Utah enacted a similar law last month (see 2303240035). Maryland lawmakers passed anti-robocall and broadband bills last week. The Maryland House voted 135-0 Thursday for the Stop the Spam Calls Act (SB-90) with amendments. The Senate previously passed the bill but will have to vote again to concur. The Senate unanimously supported the cross-filed HB-37 with amendments March 31 (see 2304030060). The bills are modeled on Florida and Oklahoma telemarketing laws that go beyond the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Also Thursday, the Senate voted 45-0 for HB-551, a broadband tax incentives bill. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D) signed HB-170 Wednesday to clarify that illegal cramming includes only unauthorized charges for non-telecom services.

The Vermont House won’t try to pass a privacy bill this year, Commerce Committee members agreed at a meeting livestreamed Thursday. With multiple members raising concerns with the current state of H-121, Chair Michael Marcotte (R) suggested working on the bill over the summer with a goal of having a bill ready for the House to pass in January. He said he planned to talk to House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D) about the best way procedurally to continue work. The bill wouldn’t have to be reintroduced in 2024 since Vermont has a two-year session. Conflicts and lack of clarity within H-121 bother Marcotte, he said. The chair would prefer a more comprehensive bill that closely matches Connecticut’s law since that state is in the same region, he said. Rep. Jarrod Sammis (R) noted compatibility with other states in the region could make it easier to join multi-state lawsuits, which Vermont may have to do given its limited resources. The current draft is trying to be everything but not doing anything well, he said. Two committee Democrats said they wanted to move forward with the bill. "We can't let perfect stop us from making good progress here,” said Rep. Edye Graning (D). However, Rep. Monique Priestley (D) said she wasn’t comfortable voting now. H-121 currently “is such a copy-and-paste of pieces of [other state[ bills, and not even whole sections of bills,” which leaves "a whole bunch of gaps,” she said.

Texas senators advanced state USF and video bills. The Commerce Committee on Thursday recommended SB-1710 and SB-2399 for the uncontested calendar, which is a list of noncontroversial bills up for floor vote. SB-1710 would define “’high cost rural area’ to ensure that clearly rural areas of the state continue to receive the USF support they need,” and allow the Texas Public Utility Commission to review whether previously rural areas should continue receiving support, said a bill analysis. It would also clarify that VoIP services must contribute to state USF. SB-2399 would clarify that the PUC should continue to grant operating authority certificates to VoIP providers. The committee reported SB-1425 to the uncontested calendar Wednesday. It would extend a Sept. 1 sunset on USF support for small telcos until Sept. 1, 2033. Also that day, the committee favorably reported SB-1117, but not to the uncontested calendar. Local governments opposed the bill to ensure video franchise fees don’t apply to satellite and streaming TV services (see 2303210043).

State legislatures passed several telecom bills in votes Wednesday. A Maryland bill to fund the 988 mental health hotline passed the legislature. The Senate voted 46-0 for HB-271 after the House passed it unanimously last month. The legislature earlier passed SB-3, which also requires Maryland’s governor to include $12 million for 988 in the FY 2025 budget (see 2303290064). Arizona and Washington state legislatures passed anti-robocalls bills. The Arizona Senate voted 25-5 for HB-2498, which the House passed unanimously in February (see 2303090030). The Washington Senate voted 48-0 for HB-1051, which the House passed unanimously in February (see 2302280047). If signed by Gov. Jay Inslee (D), the Washington bill will give the attorney general's office "additional tools to hold illegal robocallers accountable," said AG Bob Ferguson (D) Thursday. The Texas Senate voted 31-0 to pass SB-1238, which would update Texas laws to prepare for incoming federal dollars from NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. The House will next consider the bill, which contains a fiber preference that split AT&T and Verizon at a hearing last month (see 2303210043). New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D) signed HB-160 to allow the state transportation commission to waive right-of-way fees for installing infrastructure in unserved or underserved areas (see 2303170038).

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) unveiled about $92 million in broadband awards through the state’s Connect Maryland program Wednesday. The state estimated the 35 grants to ISPs and localities will connect about 14,500 households and businesses. Winners included Choptank Electric Cooperative ($16 million), Quantum Telecommunications ($15.3 million), Comcast ($14.5 million), Harford County/ThinkBig Networks ($12.3 million), Verizon ($11.1 million) and Shentel Cable ($9.4 million).

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D) authorized the state to lease or sell broadband infrastructure, signing SB-452 Tuesday. She also signed SB-41 to require ILECs with at least 50,000 customers to be regulated the same as rural ILECs under New Mexico’s Rural Telecommunications Act.

The Hawaii Senate passed a broadband bill in a nearly unanimous vote Tuesday. SB-1317 would appropriate an unspecified amount of state funding for matching requirements in federal broadband programs. It will go to the House. Also that day, the Senate Ways and Means Committee voted 13-0 for HB-963 to appropriate at least $33 million in state matching funds for the federal broadband, equity, access and deployment program in FY 2023-24. The same committee voted 13-0 to clear HB-1408 to establish a digital equity program. It voted 10-0 for HB-933 to appropriate an unspecified amount of funding for a program to provide free telecom access “to certain information for persons with a print disability.”