The California Public Utilities Commission has it “backwards” in presuming that the carrier of last resort (COLR) remains necessary, Free State Foundation President Randolph May blogged Monday. The CPUC decided last week (see 2406200065) to open a proposed rulemaking that would update COLR regulations with “a rebuttable presumption that the COLR construct remains necessary, at least for certain individuals or communities in California.” May responded, “Given the undeniable change in the competitive landscape, driven by ongoing technological advancements … there should be a rebuttable presumption that the COLR construct remains unnecessary.”

A second round of grants to expand high-speed internet access throughout Oklahoma opened Monday, Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO) executive director Mike Sanders announced. Until July 8, ISPs can compete for part of $159 million in federal grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act’s Capital Project Fund. In January, the OBO approved projects from the first round of grants and “the response from [that] exceeded our expectations, so we’re looking forward to building on that momentum,” Sanders said.

Charter Communications will withdraw from a New Hampshire review of Consolidated Communications’ deal with Condor Holdings, said Charter at the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission on Thursday. “Charter no longer wishes to be a participant in the proceeding,” said the cable company, which in April sought conditions related to wholesale intercarrier relationships (see 2404290007). Charter filed a similar letter the same day to withdraw from reviews of the transaction at the Vermont Public Utility Commission and at the Maine PUC. Charter didn’t comment further Friday. New Hampshire towns Benton and Greenfield also recently withdrew as intervenors. New Hampshire Electric Cooperative withdrew objections to the deal last month after settling with Consolidated (see 2405210043). Consolidated seeks states' approvals to transfer indirect ownership and control of its local subsidiaries to Condor, a subsidiary of private equity firm Searchlight (docket DT 23-103).

Maryland will award a $2 million grant to provide broadband access to Smith Island, Jake Day, the state's Department of Housing and Community Development secretary, announced at a news conference Thursday. The funding comes from the Office of Statewide Broadband’s Network Infrastructure Program to Verizon and “demonstrates our commitment to work in partnership with communities in every corner of the state ... to ensure every Marylander is connected to high-speed internet by 2030,” Day said. Verizon Vice President-State Government Affairs Joseph Askew said the company "is excited to be partnering with Smith Island residents" and Gov. Wes Moore (D) "to bring ... Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network to the Island."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed two kids’ online safety bills, as expected (see 2406070065), on Thursday. Hochul voiced support earlier this month when the legislature passed the controversial measures to require obtaining parental consent when using algorithms to sort feeds for minors (S-7694) and to ban websites collecting and sharing minors’ personal data without informed consent (S-7695). “Today, we save our children,” said Hochul. “We have heard their cries for help, reminding us as adults that we have a moral responsibility to protect young New Yorkers from harm and from addictive forces.” New York Attorney General Letita James (D) added in another news release, "As we move forward with the rulemaking process, my office will work tirelessly to defend these new laws to protect New York children."

Lumen’s CenturyLink violated Minnesota service quality rules and must quickly rehabilitate its network statewide, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission agreed 5-0 at a partly virtual Thursday meeting. "We have enough evidence in the record” showing a violation, said Chair Katie Sieben. Pointing to multiple photos of CenturyLink equipment in disrepair, Sieben added, “The company should have to repair equipment that looks like it's a disaster.” In addition, it should promptly repair all equipment causing service problems, the commission agreed. Commissioner John Tuma suggested delaying the effective date of the order to give the company more time to reach a settlement, but Sieben disagreed. Commissioner Valerie Means thinks it’s “unrealistic” to expect the company to reach a good agreement since it has already had many opportunities to negotiate. In addition to network rehab, the PUC required the carrier to halve its repair appointment windows to four hours and implement a preventative “plant pride” program. The PUC hasn't yet released the order. In April, the carrier pushed back sharply against a PUC administrative law judge’s recommendation requiring that it repair or replace copper. The company said it would cost “untold millions” (see 2404030012). “We do not believe the commission's decision is consistent with the law, the facts or the state's and our customers' interest in expanding high-speed fiber internet across Minnesota," said a Lumen spokesperson: The company hopes further talks "can lead to a more productive solution for all."

North Carolina will spread $30 million dollars of federal grant money across state organizations to expand digital equity, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology said Tuesday. The money comes from the state’s Digital Champions grants, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. It “will help more families take part in our increasingly digital world,” Gov. Roy Cooper, R-N.C., said. Grant winners include community service, nonprofit, higher education and regional organizations such as libraries and schools.

Lifting Minnesota limits on municipal broadband “may prove costly to local taxpayers and harmful to consumers of broadband services,” Free State Foundation Director-Policy Studies Seth Cooper blogged Thursday. Gov. Tim Walz (D) last month signed a bill that struck an old law letting municipalities buy or construct telephone exchanges, which also included broadband networks, only if a supermajority approved it in a local referendum election (see 2405240011). “Promoting broadband access to all of a community’s residents is a commendable goal,” Cooper wrote. “But labeling local votes of the people or taxpayer protections ‘barriers’ or ‘roadblocks’ effectively dismisses other important goals such as preserving local government integrity, respecting the will of local residents, and safeguarding taxpayers and beneficiaries of traditional government services.”

The New York State Public Service Commission has released its third broadband report and interactive broadband map to chart highspeed broadband availability in the state, said a NYPSC news release Thursday. “This data continues to be a central resource for the efficient deployment of State and federal funding, enhancing New York’s ability to target both State and federal funding to the areas in greatest need,” said Commission Chair Rory Christian in the release. The report shows that 97.4% of New York address locations are served by high-speed broadband and that the number of served address locations increased by 23,370 over last year. The report also shows increased competition among broadband providers, the release said. “Since last year, more than 500,000 addresses across New York gained access to more than one high-speed internet service provider,” the release said.

New York City Council Member Gale Brewer (D) introduced legislation Thursday that would prohibit the Department of Correction from "recording voice communications or electronic communications" made to or by individuals in DOC custody except when there is a warrant or express consent. The bill, End Correctional Community Surveillance (ECCos) Act, was co-sponsored by Council Members Shekar Krishnan, Carlina Rivera, Yusef Salaam, Sandy Nurse and Diana Ayala, all Democrats. The bill would also bar the DOC from collecting or buying location data of such calls and establish a "private right of action for anyone whose voice or electronic communications were unlawfully recorded, monitored, or otherwise surveilled."