The Oregon Public Utility Commission should extend a price plan for Lumen’s CenturyLink through Sept. 28 to give parties more time to negotiate an agreement for a successor plan, said the carrier, PUC staff and other parties in docket UM 1908. The PUC last week rejected Lumen’s challenge to an October decision in the same proceeding (see 2303220050). The parties held settlement talks Friday and “agreed that CenturyLink had made a meaningful settlement proposal that merits further investigation and discussion,” Lumen said in a joint motion Monday. Chief Administrative Law Judge Nolan Moser agreed to the three-month extension in an order Tuesday.
A Florida Senate panel supported applying pole-attachment rules to electric cooperatives. The Commerce Committee voted 9-0 Monday for SB-626, which received Charter Communications support at a hearing earlier this month (see 2206070071). The House Communications Committee advanced the similar HB-1221 last week (see 2303220031).
Indiana public safety agencies may not set residency requirements for 911 call takers, said a state bill passed by the legislature. The House voted 96-0 Monday for SB-43 and returned it to the Senate without amendments Tuesday. The Senate passed the bill in January in a 47-1 vote. SB-43 still needs a signature from Gov. Eric Holcomb (R).
A Georgia bill to ban TikTok on state devices passed the legislature Monday. The Senate agreed to the House’s amended SB-93 (see 2303210047). The bill next needs approval from Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who last year banned the Chinese-owned social media app by executive order. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed a TikTok ban (HB-274) Friday. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed one Wednesday (see 2303230027). Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) Monday recommended a slight wording change to a Virginia bill (SB-1459) passed by the legislature.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed legislation aimed at protecting railroads from broadband construction interference (HB-1752 and SB-1029). The law will take effect July 1.
The West Virginia Public Service Commission should approve a settlement between Frontier Communications and the state’s Morgan County to resolve the county’s complaint about 911 service, PSC staff said Thursday. Frontier made commitments on 911 circuit redundancy and diversity (see 2303160076).
The Utah Public Service Commission should think twice about repealing its extended area service (EAS) rules, commenters said last week. The PSC sought comment last month on scrapping its rule 347 (see 2302220040). The Utah Rural Telecom Association isn’t sure what the PSC “is attempting to achieve” with the possible repeal, the industry group said in docket 23-R347-01. "The EAS Rule was established over 20 years ago as a means for companies to establish unlimited local calling for an extended area (between exchanges in communities of interest) for a flat fee,” and “continues to be relevant today.” Eliminating EAS could affect providers' revenue and state USF, the association said. Customer EAS revenue offset some rural telcos' costs, "likely reducing the ILECs' draws from” Utah USF (UUSF). "Requiring a provider to provide unlimited local calling between all of its exchanges without any EAS rate element would decrease toll revenues which could ... increase a provider’s reliance on the UUSF." The group added, “While some aspects of the EAS rule may be outdated when viewed from the lens of modern digital switches, URTA believes that the EAS Rule is workable as it is enacted and should not be eliminated so long as there remain tariffed EAS services.” The Utah Commerce Department’s Division of Public Utilities said it doesn’t “feel that Rule 347 should be repealed but does feel that the rule needs to be updated to match changes that have occurred in the telecom industry over the last 20 years.” The Utah Office of Consumer Services (OCS) doesn’t have enough information to know the impact of repealing the EAS rule, it said. "However, given the substantial uncertainties … coupled with the fact that the rule as written does not currently create difficulties in Utah telecom regulation, the OCS notes that the best approach may be to leave the rule intact.” If the PSC wants to move forward, OCS suggested holding a technical conference or allowing discovery to get more information.
"We have not ruled out any options” to respond to two Utah social media bills signed Thursday by Gov. Spencer Cox (R), said Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) State Director Khara Boender Friday. Cox signed SB-152 which starting March 1 will require a social media company to verify age and require parental consent for any Utah resident under 18 seeking to open an account. He also signed HB-311, which will require parental consent for users under 18 and prohibit social media platforms “from using a design or feature that the company knows causes a minor to have an addiction to a social media platform.” Starting March 1, the state could penalize social platforms $250,000 for “for each practice, design, or feature shown to have caused addiction,” and up to $2,500 per minor exposed to the addictive feature. Parents could sue companies directly for financial, physical or emotional harms in certain circumstances. Utah created a website on the social media rules and Cox tweeted, “We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth.” Tech groups CCIA and NetChoice sued other states for social media laws. "CCIA is concerned whenever lawmakers enact measures that would result in additional privacy issues or a loss of beneficial information and services,” Boender said. “It is unfortunate that bills intended to restrict access for younger users may impact those who rely on creative outlets and support communities online, but not available in their physical location.” NetChoice said the bills are unconstitutional and will require businesses to collect more sensitive personal data to verify age. Also Thursday, Cox signed a public safety bill (SB-212), including a provision allowing agencies to create a public safety answering point to provide 911 service to noncontiguous areas (see 2302160026).
A Connecticut House panel advanced a bill to make oversight, accountability and labor standards for state broadband spending of federal funds. The Labor and Public Employees voted 9-3 for HB-6862 Thursday.
A Washington state broadband mapping bill cleared the Senate Technology Committee Friday. The panel voted unanimously by voice to send HB-1746 to the Ways and Means Committee. The House passed the bill previously. The bill would require a state map by July 1, 2024 (see 2303170026).