California’s state broadband map remains a “work in progress,” said California Public Utilities Commissioner Darcie Houck at a California Broadband Council virtual meeting Wednesday. The CPUC Communications Division told stakeholders in a Tuesday email that it updated the state broadband map’s CASF infrastructure account eligibility layer “to display locations that were inadvertently excluded” in the map released earlier this month. “We received significant feedback on the initial map that was released and have been working diligently to update the map with a new version,” Houck told the council. In response to feedback, the CPUC “removed predefined priority funding areas” and “the underlying data now better reflects the number of unserved locations that have been identified,” the commissioner said.

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.”

An administrative law judge extended by one week the reply comments deadline in the California Public Utilities Commission’s proceeding to make rules for how the state will distribute broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) funding. Replies will now be due May 8 in docket R.23-02-016, ALJ Thomas Glegola said in a ruling emailed to stakeholders Tuesday. The California Broadband and Video Association asked for a three-week extension so parties could digest the many comments submitted to the CPUC earlier this month (see 2304180075). Glegola said that would be too long since the agency must submit its initial BEAD proposal 180 days after NTIA announces funding allocations, expected June 30.

A bipartisan California bill that would effectively ban TikTok on state government devices cleared the Senate Governmental Organization Committee Tuesday. SB-74 by Sens. Bill Dodd (D) and Brian Jones (R) would prohibit high-risk social media apps at least partly owned by an entity or "country of concern." The proposal is similar to actions taken in most states and at the federal level, Dodd said at the livestreamed hearing. Consumer Federation of California Executive Director Robert Herrell praised the bill for not naming specific apps. California’s approach is more reasonable than what some other states have done, he added. Eleven of 15 committee members voted yes in the committee’s initial vote, enough to approve the measure. The other four members weren’t present.

Communications services would be free in Colorado state prisons and juvenile detention facilities under a bill passed Friday by the state House. Members voted 41-19 for HB-1133, which would prohibit the state corrections and human services departments from receiving any revenue, including commissions or fees, from voice, video and electronic messaging. The bill will go to the Senate.

Kansas launched an awareness campaign for the affordable connectivity program, the state broadband office said Friday. The state is working with EducationSuperHighway on the effort, which seeks to address that only 21% of eligible Kansas households have enrolled in ACP, it said. The program makes it easier for families to access essential tools, said Gov. Laura Kelly (D). “More Kansans need to know about it.”

Telecom companies defended line-item fees on bills against consumer group criticism in reply comments last week at the California Public Utilities Commission (docket R.21-03-002). The Utility Reform Network in opening comments earlier this month questioned various provider fees, claiming they were discretionary (see 2304060038). AT&T replied Thursday that its charges are cost-based and clearly disclosed. There is no evidence that consumers mistake “provider charges and fees labeled as ‘regulatory’ or ‘administrative’ … as government fees or government impositions,” said Charter Communications. Comcast said “the fees and surcharges TURN identifies are appropriate and transparent to customers.” The California Broadband & Video Association urged the CPUC not to consider “TURN’s inaccurate statements describing providers’ non-telephone service charges and fees as deceptive or misleading.” Frontier Communications said consumer groups’ recommendations to “broadly prohibit provider-imposed charges other than those required by governmental entities … rely significantly on anecdotal evidence and hearsay from complaint allegations.” However, the CPUC’s independent Public Advocates Office urged the agency to reject companies’ arguments that they present consumers with enough information to understand bills. “Communications-related fees should be clearly disclosed to the customer with specific fee amounts, the purpose of the fee, and whether the fee is government mandated or provider-imposed disclosed to the customer in advertisements and bills at all stages of the initial purchase and over the life of the service contract,” PAO said: Other fees “should have clear disclosure and opt in/out procedures."

Montana and Tennessee passed comprehensive privacy bills Friday, becoming the third and fourth states this year to do so. The Montana Senate voted 50-0 to pass the House-amended SB-384 at a livestreamed floor session. The House passed the bill unanimously earlier this week (see 2304180031). SB-384 next needs a signature from Gov. Greg Gianforte (R). Montana’s bill is based on Connecticut’s law. Tennessee's privacy bill also passed the legislature Friday. The Senate voted 29-0 for the House version (HB-1181), which passed the other chamber unanimously earlier this month (see 2304110031). "Without this legislation, your data is an unregulated space," said Senate sponsor Bo Watson (R). The bill needs approval from Gov. Bill Lee (R). Iowa earlier signed a bill into law. An Indiana measure awaits gubernatorial approval (see 2304140050).

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission awarded about $494,000 in nonprofit access grants to 12 projects, the PSC said Thursday. The winning nonprofits will use the money from Wisconsin USF for projects to make telecom service affordable for low-income households, people with disabilities and residents in high-cost areas, the agency said.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed two 911 bills Thursday. The governor signed SB-316 to ask the statewide 911 board to study interoperability of computer-aided dispatch systems used by public safety answering points. Also, Holcomb signed SB-43 to stop state public safety agencies from setting residency requirements for 911 call takers.