Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) ordered a broadband plan to connect 99% of households in the state by 2027. The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) will finish the plan later this year, the governor’s office said Thursday. The strategy will include how best to use federal funds, a process for soliciting stakeholder feedback, and a review of stage agencies’ broadband needs, said the executive order. CBO Executive Director Brandy Reitter said she wants to partner with local and regional leaders: “There’s no single answer for providing broadband access because every Colorado community has diverse needs and challenges.” The CBO scheduled a March 3 webinar at 11:30 a.m. MST to discuss the plan.
Washington state senators supported raising the state's broadband definition to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, from 25/3 Mbps. The Washington Senate voted 49-0 Tuesday for SB-5715. It goes to the House.
FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks will host a virtual event on connecting Black communities through the affordable connectivity program and NTIA’s broadband, equity, access, and deployment program Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. EST, said the commission Tuesday. Moderated by Fallon Wilson, Multicultural Media, Telecom, & Internet Council vice president-policy, speakers will be Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington. Panelists are Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D), New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin (D), Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D), Augusta, Georgia, Mayor Hardie Davis (D), and Scott Woods, NTIA director-Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives.
Virginia state legislators supported writing a plan for broadband affordability and equity by Dec. 1 so the state may access federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. On chamber floors Monday, the Senate voted 40-0 for SB-716, and the House voted 87-13 for the identical HB-1265. The state’s Housing and Community Development Department would write the plan.
Washington House members voted 68-30 Friday for a bill establishing broadband adoption programs (see 2202030038 and 2201280026). HB-1723 now goes to the Senate.
A Washington state bill meant to streamline broadband grants and loans cleared the House Capital Budget Committee at a livestreamed meeting Friday. Members voted 19-3 for HB-1673, which would allow the state’s Public Works Board to make low- or no-interest loans or grants for emergency public works broadband projects. It would also remove requirements that the board must consult with the Utilities and Transportation Commission before awarding funds and that the UTC must provide the board a technical feasibility assessment of proposed applications. Rep. Peter Abbarno (R) supported the bipartisan bill as a “step forward” that will speed broadband funding. Rep. Vicki Kraft (R) voted no because she would prefer giving tax credits to the private sector, she said. Thursday in Hawaii, two Senate committees cleared a bill requiring public housing built, renovated or reconstructed after Jan. 1, 2023, to have broadband access. Government Operations and Housing committees each voted 5-0 Thursday for SB-2479. State legislatures are weighing many broadband bills this year with federal funds coming (see 2202030038).
Few changes were made to the FCC's final NPRM on consumer broadband labels, according to our comparison with the draft (see 2201270030). An NCTA-sought question on the "scope of broadband service plans to which the labels requirement should apply" was added, as expected. A question about direct notifications of term changes was tweaked. The NPRM will seek comment on whether the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gives the commission the authority to “adopt a direct notification requirement for current customers for changes to terms in the labels after their initial display.” It will also seek comment on costs and benefits of this requirement.
The Missouri House Utilities Committee weighed a broadband bill (HB-2052) that would set up a 12-year task force to evaluate the status of access, affordability and speed, monitor deployment and make recommendations. The bill recognizes broadband is a problem in rural, urban and suburban areas, said sponsor Rep. Louis Riggs (R) at a livestreamed hearing Wednesday. The proposed group would have at least 24 members, said Riggs, who chaired a special broadband committee over the summer. Utilities Chair Bill Kidd (R) said his concern about task forces are that they spend a lot of time and effort, “and in the end, nothing happens.” Riggs assured the chair that the task force will be accountable. Missouri Broadband Development Director BJ Tanksley, named to that position last week, said he sees the task force as a tool to get all the “voices into the room,” though it wouldn’t have decision-making power. If the group is formed, Tanksley would try to ensure it works toward concrete goals, he said. Supporting the bill, Missouri Municipal League Executive Director Richard Sheets said the group won’t “kick the can,” but instead will enhance coordination, which the broadband committee heard was a problem. AT&T supports the bill but is concerned the company won’t be adequately represented by a committee makeup allowing the only wireline member to be from a defunct Missouri telecom association, said Regional Vice President-External Affairs Madeline Romious. She suggested adding three broadband industry representatives. The bill also got support at the hearing from municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, small ISPs and farmers.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities unanimously supported two items involving a 2021 state law establishing a broadband study commission. At a webcast meeting Wednesday, the board voted 5-0 to issue a request for quotation to get bids for consulting services for the study group, which will be funded by the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. It voted 5-0 for a separate item ordering a broadband needs assessment. The COVID-19 pandemic showed parts of New Jersey lack access, which is “unacceptable,” said Board President Joseph Fiordaliso. “This is something that is vital to the education of our children and vital for those who are still not back in the office.”
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated an order and declaratory ruling on broadband access in multi-tenant environments, said a news release (see 2111220047). “With more than one-third of the U.S. population [living] in apartments, mobile home parks, condominiums, and public housing, it’s time to crack down on practices that lock out broadband competition and consumer choice,” Rosenworcel said. The item would prohibit providers from "entering into graduated revenue sharing agreements or exclusive revenue-sharing agreements with a building owner," require that providers disclose "in plain language" to tenants any existing exclusive marketing arrangements with building owners, and "end a practice that circumvents the FCC’s cable inside wiring rules by clarifying that existing commission rules prohibit sale-and-leaseback arrangements that effectively block access to alternative providers." The FCC sought comment in September. The record "revealed a pattern of new practices that inhibit competition ... and limit opportunities for competitive providers to offer service for apartment, condo and office building unit tenants," Friday's news release said, noting such practices could affect consumer access to the affordable connectivity program. The proposal is "welcome news," said Consumer Reports Senior Policy Council Jonathan Schwantes in a statement, adding it's "time to finally put an end to practices and close loopholes that stifle broadband competition and consumer choice." There are "significant barriers to [MTE] competition," said a Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy letter posted Friday in docket 17-142. SBA recommended conducting an economic analysis examining the impact of prohibiting exclusivity agreements on competition and broadband deployment. Providers should be required to "be more transparent about any agreements."