The Virginia Senate passed a junk-fees bill Tuesday that the wireless industry raised concerns about last month. Also on that day the Senate approved an AI bill and the House passed a kids privacy bill. State senators voted 28-11 for SB-388, which would prohibit businesses from displaying prices that don’t include mandatory added fees other than taxes. CTIA opposed including the wireless industry in the bill. The FCC’s 2023 broadband labeling rules already protect consumers from surprise or unfair fees, the association said in a Jan. 24 letter. Wireless providers also follow the FCC’s truth-in-billing requirements, CTIA said. “Any new law should expressly exempt services already regulated by the FCC.” The Virginia Senate voted 39-0 for SB-487, which would set guardrails on public bodies’ use of AI. The House voted 98-0 for HB-707, which would add children-specific protections to the state’s comprehensive consumer privacy law. It would prohibit data controllers from selling a child’s personal data or using it for targeted advertising or profiling (see 2401310071).

A Hawaii digital equity bill cleared the Senate Energy Committee by a 5-0 vote Tuesday. The panel approved SB-3048 to seek out remaining obstacles to digital equity and establish a grant program. The bill next needs the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees’ approval. A House version cleared that chamber’s Technology Committee last week (see 2402050024).

Utah state senators supported requiring content filters to be activated for minors using tablets and smartphones. The Senate voted 25-3 to approve SB-104 and send it to the House on Wednesday.

A New York state Senate data privacy bill cleared the Consumer Protection Committee for the second straight year during a livestreamed hearing Tuesday. In a voice vote, the panel supported advancing S-365 to the Internet and Technology Committee. The comprehensive measure by Consumer Protection Chair Kevin Thomas (D) passed the full Senate last year (see 2306090052). However, because the Assembly didn’t take it up in 2023, the bill returned to the Senate on Jan. 3. “It’s a bill that is necessary, especially since AI is generating so much right now,” said Thomas. “Data privacy goes first, and then the guardrails need to be set on AI.” Later in the morning, the Senate Telecom Committee unanimously cleared a cable prorating bill by Sen. Leroy Comrie (D), sending it to the Senate floor. S-493 would allow cable customers to seek a prorated refund if their service was disconnected or downgraded. The legislation received the committee’s approval last year (see 2305160033) but returned to the panel Jan. 3 because the full Senate didn’t vote on it in 2023. On Monday, the Telecom Committee sent a bill (S-1203) to the floor that would prohibit broadband terminations and disconnections during state disaster emergencies.

Congress should extend the affordable connectivity program, Wisconsin Public Service Commission Chairperson Summer Strand wrote Tuesday. “The ACP is an effective resource for millions of families,” said Strand. “Access to broadband infrastructure alone is not enough to bridge the digital divide … The path to internet affordability starts by extending the ACP.”

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission could decide by July 8 on Lumen’s Jan. 8 petition seeking competitive classification for all its CenturyLink ILECs around the state. Under a procedural schedule ordered Monday (docket UT-240029), the Washington UTC will receive Lumen direct testimony Feb. 16, staff and public counsel response testimony April 3 and the company’s rebuttal May 10. The commission will hold a virtual public comment hearing May 16, an evidentiary hearing May 24 and a second virtual public comment hearing June 6. Then post-hearing briefs will be due June 12. CenturyLink has operated for nearly a decade under an alternative form of regulation in Washington state, the commission noted in a Jan. 25 order setting the matter for adjudication: “We must explore whether the Company retains a significant captive customer base or is truly subject to effective competition.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed a bill Monday to clarify that satellite TV and streaming video fall outside cable franchise fees. H-3782 passed the legislature last month (see 2401250025). The Missouri House Rules Committee on Monday teed up a similar bill (HB-2057) for a full House vote. The Utilities Committee approved it last month (see 2401260025). Also that day in Missouri, the Senate Judiciary Committee cleared a bill to cap inmate phone calling rates. Under SB-1098, state correctional centers couldn’t charge more than 12 cents per minute for domestic calls, including fees. The bill would cap the amount at 14 cents for local jails with at least 1,000 inmates and 21 cents for jails with fewer inmates.

Cable customers moving to long-term care facilities could avoid paying early-termination fees when ending contracts under a New Jersey bill the state's Senate Commerce Committee advanced Monday. The panel voted 5-0 for S-684, which would require a physician’s referral. Last year’s version of the bill stalled after the same committee approved it. The New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel supported S-684 in a letter to the committee Friday. “This requirement will ensure that consumers and their loved ones have one less financial and practical concern when making the often-difficult choice to relocate to a long-term care facility,” Division Director Brian Lipman wrote.

The Florida Senate's version of a bill banning kids younger than 16 from having social media accounts cleared the Judiciary Committee on Monday. The panel voted 7-2 for Sen. Erin Grall's (R) SB-1788. It shares language with the House-approved HB-1, including prohibiting children from having accounts even with parental consent. However, the Senate bill wouldn't require social websites to disclose social media's possible mental health issues to those 16-18. A bipartisan majority in the House supported HB-1 last month (see 2401240079). Also, the Judiciary Committee voted 9-0 for Grall's SB-1792, which would require strict age verification for porn websites. It’s similar to HB-3, which unanimously passed the House (see 2401250017).

Alabama awarded nearly $188.5 million for middle-mile broadband projects, said Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on Monday. The governor’s office said 12 ISPs will install more than 4,000 miles of projects statewide, using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. “These middle-mile projects will be extremely beneficial to our anchor institutions, and it puts us in a desirable situation where the ‘last mile’ projects that will supply broadband service to businesses and households are more economical and attainable,” said Ivey. Awards included $128.8 million for Alabama Fiber Network, $21.5 million for Farmers Telecom and $7.3 million for Charter Communications.