A New Hampshire privacy bill “ought to pass,” a Senate panel said Wednesday. The Judiciary Committee voted 5-0 for SB-255 with amendments. CTIA praised the bill’s similarity to Connecticut’s privacy law in Feb. 14 written testimony. Iowa, Maryland and Oregon legislators also weighed privacy bills this week (see 2303080052). The Illinois House Cybersecurity Committee didn’t take up privacy and social media bills that were scheduled for hearing Thursday. The Kentucky House State Government Committee skipped a scheduled Thursday hearing SB-20 to ban TikTok on state devices, which the Senate earlier passed (see 2302130045).

The Arkansas House voted 95-1 Monday for a bill to clarify that streaming and satellite video services don't have to pay franchise fees. HB-1338 passed in a committee last week (see 2303020012). In other state legislature votes Monday, the Oregon House voted 95-0 for HB-1134 to implement the 988 mental health hotline. The New Mexico House Commerce Committee voted 11-0 to clear SB-83 to clarify the definition of cramming. Under the bill, the term would include “the charging of customers for goods or services that are not telecommunications services only if those services were not authorized by a customer,” said a Feb. 6 summary.

Wavelength Internet sought rehearing Friday of a California Public Utilities Commission decision to deny eligible telecom carrier status for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support (docket A.2101009). The CPUC granted a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) in the same order denying ETC designation. The denial, which prevents the ISP from receiving $29 million in RDOF support for California, “is based upon multiple material legal and factual errors,” Wavelength said. “It is an arbitrary and capricious determination.” The CPUC disregarded “crucial evidence in the record, relies heavily on evidence not in the record, and reaches a conclusion contrary to the record,” it added.

Texas seeks applications for $120 million in broadband infrastructure grants through the state’s Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas (BOOT) program, Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) said Monday. The comptroller’s office posted a notice of funding availability with a May 5 application deadline. Applicants may submit questions by March 17 and start submitting proposals April 3, the office said. Projects must be at least 100 Mbps symmetrical to be eligible for funding, it said. “Nearly 7 million Texans don’t have access to broadband services,” said Hegar.

Washington state lawmakers passed bills on broadband mapping, digital media literacy and digital right to repair. Colorado, Montana and Hawaii lawmakers supported bills on telecom support. The House voted 95-1 Saturday to send to the Senate HB-1746, which would require the state broadband office to develop a map by July 1, 2024 (see 2302150030). Also, the House voted 58-38 for the repair bill (HB-1392), which was opposed Jan. 30 by a trade group coalition including CTA, CTIA, TechNet and NetChoice. It goes to the other chamber. The Washington Senate voted 44-4 Friday to send to the House SB-5626 to require school curriculum on media literacy and digital citizenship. Voting on unanimous consent Friday in Colorado, the Senate passed a bill (HB-1051) to continue subsidies from Colorado's high-cost support mechanism (HCSM) to a dozen rural telecom providers until Sept. 1, 2024 (see 2302270072). The House passed the bill last month, so it can now go to the governor. The Montana House sent the Senate HB-804, which would require state, local or tribal oversight of private ISP broadband development. The Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Committee voted 12-0 Friday for SB-1317 to appropriate state funding for matching requirements in federal broadband programs (see 2302160070). SB-1317 may get a Senate vote as soon as Tuesday.

The California Public Utilities Commission is seeking comments on provider-imposed charges on customer bills. It’s phase two in a rulemaking to update telecom surcharge mechanisms, the CPUC said. The commission switched to a connections-based state USF contribution method in phase one of docket R.21-03-002 (see 2210200073). T-Mobile asked a court to stop that October decision from taking effect April 1 (see 2302280037). Provider-imposed charges are “separate and in addition to the various [public purpose program] surcharges on customer bills, the CPUC said. “These charges are not always clearly identified, nor is the purpose of these charges clear. These charges have increased substantially in recent years.” The CPUC asked providers to list their charges, how much revenue they generate and how that money is spent. The agency asked companies how they disclose the fees and if any violate state cramming restrictions. “Explain whether the Commission should prohibit provider fees for purposes of protecting consumers against unjust, unreasonable, or illegal charges and fees that appear on communications customers’ bills.” Comments are due April 5, with replies due April 20.

A Pennsylvania bill to ban TikTok on government devices and state networks advanced Monday. The Senate Communications Committee voted unanimously by voice to clear SB-379. The bill will “help protect our state’s infrastructure and eliminate the potential access point for bad actors,” Chair Tracy Pennycuick (R) said at the livestreamed hearing. Minority Chair Jimmy Dillon (D) said he will vote for the bill to keep the conversation going. But he noted the Pennsylvania Office of Administration is opposed because it doesn’t think a statutory change is necessary and it's “concerned about a piecemeal approach for banning applications one by one.” Dillon hopes for more conversations with Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) about potential executive action, he said. Sponsor Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R) said 27 states already ban TikTok and it’s “imperative that Pennsylvania takes bold and decisive action.”

Dallas police, fire rescue and Information and Technology Services departments said Thursday the city’s 911 communications centers are now using AT&T’s next-generation 911 with emergency services IP network service. “We know in emergency response, every second counts, to get our officers where they are needed most,” said Police Chief Eddie Garcia.

The National Association of Counties and members from across the U.S. met with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about “the current role of local governments in the Broadband Data Collection process” and related issues, said a filing posted Friday in docket 11-10. The counties also discussed “the need for financial resources to support consumer and local government data collection processes, and how counties are contributing to improvements with respect to the location fabric and broadband availability data collection process,” the filing said.

The Montana Senate voted 50-0 for a privacy bill Thursday. Senators passed SB-384 one week after a committee heard testimony on the comprehensive measure (see 2302240031). SB-384 is based on Connecticut’s privacy law. The bill goes next to the House.