Colorado lifted an 18-year-old municipal broadband ban. Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed SB-183 Monday to repeal many parts of a 2005 state ban. Local governments applauded the legislature's passing the bill last month (see 2304190048). “Colorado now has a clear path to achieving” Polis’s goal to connect households, “establishing a competitive economy … for generations to come," said Colorado Broadband Office Executive Director Brandy Reitter. Meanwhile, the Senate voted 43-20 Monday for a bill (HB-1306) that would allow elected officials to bar an individual from using the official’s private social media account for “any reason,” including bullying, harassment or intimidation.

Tennessee will raise its minimum broadband speed standard to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, from 10/1 Mbps. Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed a broadband bill that would make that and other changes to broadband laws Friday. HB-1211 passed both legislative chambers unanimously last month (see 2304130043). Also Friday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed a bill (SB-460) to exempt streaming and satellite video services from paying local franchise fees. Kansas approved a similar law last month (see 2304140045). In Vermont, the Senate passed a bill to extend a state telecom siting process by three years (see 2303230028). The House passed H-110 in March (see 2303230028) but must vote again to concur with a Senate amendment seeking a report on how to make it easier for municipalities and individuals to participate in the siting process.

California has authority over many communications types, the California Public Utilities Commission said in a scoping memo Friday in a proceeding on possible VoIP rules (docket R.22-08-008). “California’s Constitution specifically extends the Commission’s jurisdiction to companies engaged in ‘the transmission of telephone and telegraph messages,’” said the CPUC memo by assigned Commissioner John Reynolds. “This includes services delivered over any technology, including but not limited to, traditional copper lines, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, and mobile or fixed wireless radios.” The CPUC seeks to determine an appropriate regulatory framework for VoIP and if and how it should differ from that of other telephone technologies. Comments are due June 2, replies June 30. Industry earlier bristled at possible new regulations (see 2301240058).

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission awarded about $140,000 for Lifeline outreach Thursday. The PSC granted about $89,600 to 211 Wisconsin and $50,400 to Indianhead Community Action Agency.

The Texas Public Utility Commission approved deregulating Windstream’s local exchange market in Sugar Land, Texas (see 2302160042). Thursday’s order in docket 54068 also reclassified Windstream Sugar Land as a transitioning company.

The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously supported $9.3 million in California Advanced Services Fund broadband adoption grants (resolution T-17773) at a livestreamed meeting Thursday. Commissioners also voted 5-0 for a $1 million local agency technical assistance grant (resolution T-17785). The CPUC made adoption grants to 11 projects including by California State University, Los Angeles County and Thai Community Development Center. Santa Barbara County won the local assistance grant. "It's not enough to just build broadband infrastructure,” said Commissioner Darcie Houck. “We also have to ensure that community members have the digital literacy to utilize what broadband can provide for them." Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma praised the “wide-ranging” nature of the adoption grant awardees. Commissioner Karen Douglas also applauded the grants. "We all share the sense of urgency about the importance of removing socioeconomic barriers to broadband adoption, and this resolution takes some really important steps that help move that goal forward.” Also at the meeting, the CPUC unanimously approved a consent agenda that included an item revoking operating authority of seven telephone companies for failing to comply with annual reporting or performance bond requirements (Resolution T-17784).

The Utah Public Service Commission will keep rules on extended area service (EAS) as written, the PSC decided Thursday. Commenters last month warned the PSC to think twice about possibly scrapping its rule 347 (see 2303240055). “The submitted comments were very useful in the PSC’s analysis of the continuing role of Rule 347,” the PSC said in docket 23-R347-01. “However, a person who desires to submit suggested language to update this, or any, administrative rule is free to do so at any time.”

The Texas House received a Senate-passed bill Wednesday that would add more teeth to the state’s already controversial social media law. Despite a tech industry challenge of the original 2021 law at the Supreme Court (see 2301230051), the Texas Senate voted 18-12 Tuesday for SB-2509 to create a new cause of action under the state’s deceptive trade practices law to allow private suits against platforms for not following the 2021 law. It would also allow the state attorney general to issue civil investigate demands if the AG “has reason to believe that a person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in a violation of this chapter.”

The California Public Utilities Commission may vote June 8 on a Wednesday proposed decision to approve two pilot programs to stack California LifeLine and federal affordable connectivity program (ACP) benefits. Under the draft in docket R.20-02-008, the CPUC would approve a wireline broadband pilot that would use ACP dollars to test if letting California LifeLine provider affiliates offer broadband to participants will increase program participation by ISPs while maintaining program rule compliance. It would also check if LifeLine can ensure participants with stand-alone broadband service can make 911 calls through a separate service plan and if allowing LifeLine subsidies for stand-alone wireline broadband will increase participation, the draft said. Also, the CPUC would approve a wireless broadband pilot that would use ACP funding “to test how much mobile and hotspot data California LifeLine participants would use if they had unlimited data, including a high allotment of high-speed mobile data, a substantial allotment of high-speed hotspot data” and a capable mobile device, said the proposal. Participants in each pilot would get access to up to $57.15 -- or up to $102.15 on tribal lands -- of combined state and federal support for plans. The CPUC proposed testing LifeLine and ACP subsidy stacking after scrapping an earlier proposal (see 2210140068). Meanwhile, state legislators are considering a bill to allow such combinations (see 2304200044).

An update to Florida’s telemarketing law passed the state House in a 99-14 vote Wednesday. HB-761 goes next to the Senate. It would narrow the definition of autodialer to an automated system used for selection “and” dialing of phone numbers; existing law says “or.” It would also add that an “act demonstrating consent,” which might include a simple yes, counts as a signature for giving express written consent. The Senate version (SB-1308) cleared the Rules Committee in a 17-2 vote Monday. The full Senate is scheduled to vote Friday on a comprehensive privacy bill (SB-262) that also passed Rules Monday (see 2304240045). The Senate also plans to vote Friday on SB-1418, which aims to support the state’s transition to next-generation 911. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee voted 19-0 for the 911 bill Tuesday. The telemarketing bill “would drastically alter the [Florida Telephone Solicitation Act] and undercut current FTSA cases,” attorney Eric Troutman blogged Wednesday. If it passes the Senate and gets a signature from Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), “the FTSA is essentially dead moving forward and defendants facing current FTSA claims have a very good argument that the class portions of the case must be stricken.”