Missouri awarded $261 million to 60 broadband expansion projects using American Rescue Plan Act funding, said Gov. Mike Parson (R) Monday. The state expects the funded projects to expand 100 Mbps symmetrical internet to 55,000 locations, the governor’s office said. The largest awards went to White River Valley Electric Cooperative ($47.4 million), Chariton Valley Communications ($43.4 million) and Gateway Infrastructure ($25.4 million).

The California Privacy Protection Agency may act next week on proposed rules to implement the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), the agency said Monday. The agenda for the Feb. 3 virtual meeting also includes preliminary rulemaking activities for new rules on risk assessments, cybersecurity audits and automated decision-making. CPRA rules could take effect in April or later, even though the law took effect Jan. 1 (see 2212160040). The meeting begins at 10 a.m. PST.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signed an internet equity bill Tuesday. Bill 24-0200 would expand the Office of Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) purpose statement to include ensuring residents and businesses can access affordable broadband. It also would require reports. Congress gets 30 session days to disapprove D.C. bills before they take effect.

An administrative law judge shelved an LTD Broadband review by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission until the FCC rules on the company’s appeal of a denied long-form application for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) support. LTD should file a status report every 120 days starting Feb. 1, ALJ James LaFave ordered Wednesday in docket 22-221. LTD had urged the PUC to delay considering whether to revoke LTD Broadband’s eligible telecom carrier status (see 2209200073). “Here, we are faced with the prospect of a time-consuming, expensive contested case hearing in a matter that may well be moot,” LaFave wrote. “Unless and until the FCC reverses its position on LTD’s long-form application, there is no issue to decide. Staying this proceeding makes sense.” Also, the PUC hasn't had a chance "to formally consider the effects and ramifications of the FCC decision,” and the FCC's determination will be relevant to the Minnesota proceeding since the independent federal agency "has a fiduciary interest in seeing the RDOF funds are properly dispersed,” said the ALJ.

Ohio tagged $12 million in grants for the state’s broadband and 5G sector partnership, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) said Friday. The state is working with the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), other industry groups and Ohio State University (OSU) to design training programs (see 2205180059). Husted said $3 million in grants will support the partnership’s operations in 2024, including $300,000 for equipment. The state will use $9 million from the Labor Department quality jobs, equity, strategy and training (QWEST) program to create regional hubs to implement Ohio’s strategy and give resources to local communities, Husted’s office said. “Having a skilled telecommunications workforce is essential to our administration’s support of broadband expansion and deploying 5G,” said Husted. WIA Chief Technology Officer Rikin Thakker said, “This additional funding will be crucial for advancing regional training programs that will strengthen Ohio’s broadband workforce and make it a national leader in broadband and 5G deployment.” OSU Computer Science and Engineering Chair Anish Arora said, “We will not only accelerate and scale ongoing programs but will also incorporate new elements in our instructional strategy and work with local partners in effecting the regional rollout.”

The California Public Utilities Commission awarded $10.3 million to 15 regional broadband projects though the California Advanced Services Fund rural and urban regional broadband consortia account, the CPUC said Thursday. Applications were filed in July. Also, the commission awarded $3.2 million in local agency technical assistance grants to four local agencies, a school district and one tribe, the CPUC said. The CPUC awarded $5.76 million through the same program to 16 local governments last month (see 2212190060).

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) released the state's broadband development map Monday identifying areas eligible for funding. The map, which uses data collected from ISPs, will be updated biannually through the Comptroller’s Broadband Development Office, said a news release. ISPs' submissions on advertised speeds "don’t necessarily match test speeds on the ground, which is a prime example of the types of flaws that are now more apparent in the federal mapping process and in the definition of broadband services," Hegar said: "There will be multiple opportunities to challenge the accuracy of the data, and I encourage the public, stakeholders and legislators, as well as service providers and other vendors, to engage with us."

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley (D) said Thursday he's running for state governor this year, setting him up for a potential challenge to incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. Presley has been active on telecom policy since joining the PSC in 2008, including raising concerns last year about potential provider abuse in the FCC’s affordable connectivity program (see 2201250028). As NARUC president November 2019 through November 2020, he was active in prodding Congress to allocate significant funding in COVID-19 aid bills for increasing broadband buildouts (see 2003260063). He asked Congress to speed disbursing funds from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction (see 2005280048). Presley also sharply criticized language in two 2020 bills in Congress that omitted a requirement that companies be designated eligible telecom carriers to qualify for proposed broadband funding (see 2009150070). Presley cited his work on the PSC Thursday, saying in a campaign launch video he “brought high speed internet service all the way out … to some of the most rural and forgotten places in our state.” House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., endorsed Presley.

The Texas Public Utility Commission extended until Feb. 15 its 90-day deadline to act on a Windstream deregulation petition so the agency can collect more information. The PUC seeks comments by Jan. 20 on a legal conclusion from the carrier and commission staff’s Dec. 29 joint proposed order that Windstream “will be a transitioning company after its Sugar Land market is deregulated,” Administrative Law Judge Susan Goodson ordered Wednesday in docket 54068. “The ALJ requires confirmation that Windstream serves more than one market, not just the Sugar Land market, and a recommendation from Commission Staff regarding the legal conclusion.”

Alaska’s utility regulator is seeking comment on an industry pact on intrastate access charges (docket U-23-001), said a Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) notice Monday. The Alaska Exchange Carrier Association, AT&T and GCI filed a petition Wednesday asking the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to accept their stipulation on intrastate access charge rates for July 1 through June 30, 2024, and July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. The parties requested a multiyear waiver of several requirements in the Alaska Intrastate Interexchange Access Charge Manual, the RCA said. They asked to delay the starting date for 2023 fiscal year access charge proceedings until Jan. 3, 2025, so they may renew the agreement for the period starting July 1, 2025, the agency said. Comments are due Feb. 3.