T-Mobile voluntarily dismissed its complaint against the California Public Utilities Commission regarding the state’s shift to a per-line universal service fund surcharge. The 9th Circuit Court last month affirmed the U.S. District Court for Northern California decision to deny a preliminary injunction against the CPUC (see 2404260066). The 9th Circuit said the carrier failed to show a likelihood of success. “This notice of voluntary dismissal is being filed with the Court before Defendants have served either an answer or a motion for summary judgment … and by operation of law, the dismissal is without prejudice,” T-Mobile said Thursday at the district court (case 3:23-cv-00483-LB).

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed a kids safety bill (HB-603) modeled after the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, his office confirmed Thursday. Moore signed despite the tech industry's veto request. NetChoice General Counsel Carl Szabo said the Maryland law is unconstitutional and will have unintended consequences, all without making the internet safer for kids. Meanwhile, two other states advanced bills aimed at protecting children online Wednesday. The Pennsylvania House voted 105-95 to pass HB-2017, which would set age-verification and content-flagging requirements for social media companies (see 2403190050). The bill will go to the Senate. In South Carolina, the Senate voted 43-0 for H-3424, another bill requiring age verification to keep kids younger than 18 off pornographic websites. The House previously passed the bill (see 2402010024) but will have to vote again to concur with Senate changes.

The New York Senate approved a wireless tower bill that would require cellphone companies and third-party infrastructure firms to submit plans for powering their towers with 100% renewable energy by 2031. The Senate voted 41-19 for S-4305 on Wednesday. The Assembly will next consider the bill, which cleared the Senate Telecom Committee in January (see 2401230028). Senators approved the bill last year, but the Assembly never addressed it.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission temporarily increased the state USF surcharge for the state Lifeline program to 18 cents per access line (see 2309190078). An order Wednesday said the surcharge will remain "for the pendency of this proceeding or until further order by the commission." The PSC will initiate a review of the state fund in March, the order said.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed a broadband bill (S-199) Monday aimed at simplifying the merger process for the state’s communications union districts. CUDs are groups of two or more municipalities that build infrastructure in rural areas of the state. The legislature passed the bill last month (see 2404160026). Meanwhile, the Connecticut House on Saturday added the wide-ranging SB-3 to its calendar after the Senate approved it 26-10 on Friday. Senate amendments included striking sections on net neutrality and affordable broadband that industry opposed (see 2402290053). The amended bill would require Connecticut’s consumer counsel to study broadband internet access; prohibit junk fees; ban certain foreign-made drones; require disclosures about voice recognition features on connected devices; give customers a right to repair electronics; and require municipalities to only use .gov internet domains, according to an official bill analysis.

An administrative law judge canceled further proceedings in a Minnesota Public Utilities Commission case (docket 22-221) about whether to revoke LTD Broadband’s eligible telecom carrier designation. ALJ Jessica Palmer-Denig referred the matter back to the commission. Parties agreed to close the case after LTD asked to relinquish the designation for receiving federal Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support (see 2405030074 and 2405020042).

Proposed children’s privacy rules are headed to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) for approval. Colorado's Senate voted 34-0 Monday to concur with House changes and re-approve SB-41. The House passed it Sunday (see 2405060025). The bill would add tighter restrictions for kids to the Colorado Privacy Act.

Washington state awarded $20 million for fiber broadband construction projects, the state Public Works Board said Tuesday.

The California Public Utilities Commission could freeze the state LifeLine specific support amount (SSA) for wireline and wireless providers at $19 until it adopts another method for calculating the SSA, Administrative Law Judge Robyn Purchia said in a Monday ruling in docket R20-02-008. Purchia sought comments on the possible freeze by June 3. Replies will be due June 14. Carriers in January comments resisted a CPUC staff proposal for updating the method (see 2401250051). “We agree with parties’ recommendations to further analyze market conditions, customer impacts, pilot results, and the regulatory landscape,” Purchia wrote. “However, we also see a need to de-link the SSA from the highest [carrier of last resort] basic rate before rates increase again in 2025.”

Multiple telecom and internet bills cleared the Colorado House during the weekend and are on their way to the governor. The House voted 53-7 Saturday in favor of HB-1336 after concurring with Senate amendments. If approved by Gov. Jared Polis (D), the bill will transfer authority for awarding high-cost support to the state broadband office from a broadband deployment board in the governor's IT office (see 2405020016). Also, the House voted 44-16 to pass HB-1334 after agreeing to Senate changes. Polis will next consider that bill, which would prohibit owners of multiunit buildings from denying broadband providers access to install high-speed internet (see 2405010009). In addition, the House voted 61-0 to pass the Senate-passed SB-151, which would require the state’s homeland security division to make rip-and-replace rules for telecom infrastructure equipment that a federally banned entity manufactured. The House didn’t amend the bill, so it will go to Polis next. Last, the House on Sunday approved unanimously a kids’ privacy bill (SB-41) that the Senate passed last month (see 2404240064). Due to House changes, the Senate must vote again on that bill before it can go to the governor.