The Association of American Railroads appealed an ISP access case to the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The association notified the U.S. District Court for Eastern Virginia about the appeal Wednesday in the district court’s docket 1:23-cv-00815-DJN-WEF. Last month, Judge David Novak dismissed the railroad association’s lawsuit against state officials including Virginia State Corporation Commission Judge Jehmal Hudson (see 2404170052). The railroads disagree with a 2023 state law that gave ISPs access rights to railroad property. The district court rejected each count of the complaint for various reasons, including lack of standing, failure to state a claim and sovereign immunity.
Iowa extended a sunset on the state's small-cells law by a decade until July 1, 2035. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed HF-2175 on Wednesday. Missouri is considering a five-year extension of a similar law preempting local governments on right-of-way access to try to streamline 5G infrastructure deployment.
Digital equity and 911 bills passed the Hawaii State Legislature on Wednesday. The House and Senate voted unanimously for the bills after a conference committee reached consensus on final versions. The digital equity bill (HB-2359) would require the state to implement a grant program by Jan. 1. The 911 bill (HB-2339) would remove the term “enhanced” from state 911 law so that Hawaii can fund future emergency-number technologies. The bills next need sign-off from Gov. Josh Green (D).
Colorado state senators supported transferring authority for awarding high-cost support to the state broadband office from a broadband deployment board in the governor's IT office. The Senate voted 35-0 to approve HB-1336. Previously, the House passed the bill (see [Ref:2404170063) but will vote again on concurring with Senate changes.
Vermont should expand mobile wireless coverage, the state’s Public Service department said in the final draft of a proposed 10-year plan released Tuesday. The department plans three public hearings on the draft this month and will present it to the Joint Information Technology Oversight Committee June 21. With an influx of federal money from the broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, Capital Projects Fund and American Rescue Plan Act, Vermont “is in the process of facilitating approximately $670.8 million in broadband grants, which will result in every on-grid Vermonter having access to 100/100 megabits per second (Mbps) service by January 2029,” the draft plan said. While fiber broadband is expanding quickly, mobile broadband hasn’t “meaningfully increased in coverage,” though speeds have increased, said the draft: Prioritizing small wireless facilities would be the cheapest way to expand mobile broadband. The draft would suggest a $2 million-$3 million pilot grant program for small-cell deployments. In addition, noting the end of the federal affordable connectivity program, the draft plan recommends “a state-run subsidy program to provide $67 per month to low-income Vermonters for both a wireline and wireless broadband subscription. Also, Vermont should prioritize workforce development, strengthening emergency communications systems and ensuring that BEAD fiber deployments are resilient and redundant,” the draft said.
Providers see no need to continue a Massachusetts probe into incarcerated people’s calling services (IPCS), they said in reply comments Tuesday at the Department of Telecommunications and Cable (docket 11-16). The state made IPCS calls free last year (see 2308090063), “resolving any rate-related issues that Petitioners originally claimed justified initiation of the investigation,” said Securus. “Petitioners’ unverified equipment availability concerns and related complaints seek to raise new issues that do not warrant continuation of this proceeding.” ViaPath agreed that the free calls law means the proceeding should end. However, in March 27 comments, petitioners -- who identified themselves as recipients of collect calls from prisoners -- flagged continuing problems with prison communications after the 2023 law. “Concerns remain that the infrastructure provided by [IPCS] providers must be sufficient to account for increased calling volume with free calls." For example, the group hasn’t verified that calling-enabled tablets are available everywhere, petitioners said. Also, some have complained about the quality of Wi-Fi and headphones provided with Securus tablets, it said.
Social media companies would be barred from collecting data on Louisiana minors under 18 for targeted ads, under a bill passed unanimously by the state House on Tuesday. Members voted 101-0 for HB-577, sending it to the state Senate. The bill covers any social media platform with more than one million users globally that operates in Louisiana.
The California Public Utilities Commission won’t shorten time to respond to consumer advocates’ petition to modify state LifeLine rules in light of the federal affordable connectivity program (ACP) ending. Comments will be due May 23, CPUC Administrative Law Judge Robyn Purchia ruled Tuesday. The California Broadband & Video Association (CalBroadband) had opposed fast comments on multiple petitions by The Utility Reform Network and the CPUC’s independent Public Advocates Office (see 2404240063, 2404230020 and 2404150062). “We are persuaded by the due process concerns raised by CalBroadband,” said Purchia said in docket R.20-02-008.
A Colorado bill about broadband in multiunit buildings passed the Senate in a 26-9 vote Tuesday. The bill (HB-1334) would prohibit owners of multiunit buildings from denying broadband providers access to install high-speed internet. The House passed the bill on March 25 (see 2403260040) but must vote again on Senate changes. Also Tuesday, the House concurred with Senate amendments to bills on digital right-to-repair (HB-1121) and election deepfake disclosures (HB-1147), meaning the measures can go to Gov. Jared Polis (D).
The Nebraska Public Service Commission awarded $680,000 in precision agriculture grants on Tuesday, the PSC said. The 11 funded projects must be completed by April 30, 2025. A state law provides $1 million annually for precision agriculture projects. Unawarded grant dollars carry over to the next cycle, the PSC said.