Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed a broadband mapping bill Tuesday. The law (HB-2928) directs broadband providers to submit coverage maps to the state Commerce Department and Rural Broadband Expansion Council by Oct. 31 and to update maps annually. ISPs must disclose properties served and average minimum download and upload speeds.
Months after committing that CES 2022 would return to the Las Vegas Convention Center Jan. 5-8 as a physical show with a digital component (see 2102070001), CTA announced just that in a Wednesday news release that appeared to break little new ground about the event’s format or expected participation. Among the few new disclosures was that the show's digital "anchor desk," which debuted at CES 2021 from a Microsoft studio in Redmond, Washington, will operate live from the LVCC and "connect the digital audience with exhibitors, conference sessions, keynotes and product announcements" from the in-person event. The association said it will be reviewing “coronavirus safety measures” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Nevada and Clark County authorities in planning and conducting the event. Under the plan that Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) announced in mid-February to hand off decisions on public gathering restrictions to local authorities (see 2102120057), Clark County's Southern Nevada Health District has jurisdiction for LVCC events. Roughly 1,000 exhibitors have booked CES 2022 space, and companies "are continuing to sign up," said CTA. This new announcement made no mention of Microsoft returning in its role as technology partner for the virtual component of CES 2022. The focus of this announcement was on the physical event, said a CTA spokesperson when we asked if Microsoft would return in its CES 2021 role or if the association put out a request for proposals to find a new partner. "We will be sharing more information about the digital event in June," she said. She confirmed that June 1 is the deadline for CES 2022 exhibitors to "cancel or downsize without penalty."
Florida legislators teed up possible Wednesday votes on privacy, social media and pole attachment bills. The Senate placed its privacy measure (SB-1734) on Wednesday’s special order calendar. House lawmakers amended the Senate’s social media bill (SB-7072) Tuesday and placed it on third and final reading. The House revised the Senate’s bill, passed by that chamber Monday (see 2104260061), to replace the definition of social media with the one from HB-7013. The Senate’s definition was narrower, and social media companies might find loopholes, said HB-7013 sponsor Rep. Blaise Ingoglia (R) in webcast floor debate. Democrats slammed the bill. “This bill is an unconstitutional mess,” said Rep. Omari Hardy. States “have no right to wade into these waters,” he said. “This is a vindictive piece of legislation.” Rep. Anna Eskamani disagreed with treating tech companies like utilities: “We don’t have to be on these platforms.” Florida has a right to regulate monopolies to protect its citizens, responded Ingoglia. Later Tuesday, the House teed up for final reading SB-1944, passed Monday by the Senate, to give the Public Service Commission authority to regulate pole attachments
Apple is investing over $430 billion and adding 20,000 U.S. jobs over the next five years, said the company Monday. That includes “billions” of dollars for silicon development and 5G innovation in nine states, plus data center investments, capital expenditures and spending with American suppliers. The company’s Apple TV+ productions in 20 states create “thousands” of jobs, it said. It’s investing over $1 billion in North Carolina, including a new campus and engineering hub in the Research Triangle area, which is expected to create 3,000 jobs in machine learning, AI and software engineering. The company will contribute over $110 million in infrastructure spending to 80 North Carolina counties for broadband, roads, bridges and public schools. Apple is on track to meet its 2018 goal of creating 20,000 new jobs in the U.S. by 2023; its next target is to create 20,000 jobs in California, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington.
Gov. Janet Mills seeks to establish a Maine Connectivity Authority to pursue universal broadband. The Democrat announced the bipartisan bill (LD-1484) Monday. The authority could use federal broadband funding, own physical broadband infrastructure like poles and wires, hold equity in broadband projects, provide grants and loans, and partner with industry and communities, said Mills. The legislature’s Technology Committee plans to hear testimony on LD-1484 and other broadband bills Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Arkansas extended telehealth support beyond the pandemic. Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) signed HB-1063 last week. “Arkansas modernized its healthcare system and made important strides to resolve health disparities,” said American Telemedicine Association CEO Ann Mond Johnson on Friday.
"No one cares more about your data than you do,” said Florida Rep. Fiona McFarland (R) Tuesday, defending a private right of action in her privacy bill on the House floor. After the livestreamed debate, the House moved HB-969 to a third and final reading. Rep. Ben Diamond (D) asked McFarland to address concerns this right could lead to a deluge of lawsuits. Enforcement is “the trickiest part of this bill,” McFarland said. Senators removed a private right from their privacy bill (SB-1734). Based on a House committee hearing last week, "it would be fair to conclude … that if the private right of action is not removed or significantly dialed back, HB 969 will not pass the House,” Shook Hardy privacy attorney Alfred Saikali blogged Thursday. Legislators must resolve disagreement by April 30, the session's last day. The House temporarily postponed considering HB-7013 to make it unlawful for social media sites to de-platform political candidates, while requiring sites be transparent about policing users (see 2104190030).
The Washington state legislature passed a bill on strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). The Senate voted 48-0 Wednesday and concurred with House amendments to the bill (SB-5009), which responds to the Washington Supreme Court throwing out a previous anti-SLAPP law.
The main question consumers asked the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable after the COVID-19 pandemic hit was how long they would be spared from service cutoffs based on agreements between the FCC and providers, Commissioner Karen Charles Peterson said during an FCBA webinar Tuesday. Others asked how they could get better and cheaper broadband, she said. “If the pandemic taught us anything, or showed us anything, it was that broadband was necessary and folks needed to have broadband in order to work, learn and socialize from home,” she said. Most think of Massachusetts as an urban state, but the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) targeted many areas, Peterson said. Local areas needed to decide on their own how they would get connected. “That’s the story of the MBI,” she said: “It’s 50 little stories of how we sort of put everything together and made it work.” GeoLinks advocates a “hybrid” approach to getting people online, said General Counsel Melissa Slawson. Fiber, fixed wireless and mobile all work best in different areas, she said. GeoLinks likes mountains and hills for fixed wireless “because we can use them to our benefit to beam down to whoever the end user is,” she said: “We do have trouble sometimes in high foliage areas or areas where there’s a lot of inclement weather. … You just have to engineer around it.” Permitting remains a challenge for GeoLinks, she said. The company had to reroute an entire project around a mountain because of federal concerns, which meant a two-year delay in reaching a community and its school, Slawson said. T-Mobile considers 5G “very promising” for business customers, with opportunities in public safety, education, healthcare and agriculture, said Michele Thomas, vice president-government affairs. Wireless competition is “fierce,” and policymakers need to recognize the need for rapid deployment, she said. Regulators should identify “appropriate areas for regulation” and make sure “government funding is being done both efficiently and effectively,” she said. Continue “efforts to limit unreasonable restrictions on wireless deployment -- they’re still out there,” Thomas said.
The California Senate Communications Committee cleared a broadband bill to set a goal of upgrading to at least 100 Mbps downstream as part of a California Advanced Services Fund revamp. The panel voted 11-1 Monday to forward SB-4 to the Judiciary Committee. “It is time to close the digital divide by providing the funding necessary to deploy broadband infrastructure in communities that need it the most and by empowering and enabling local governments and nonprofits to apply for these funds as well,” author Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D) said Monday. Bill sponsors joined FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel last month in backing more ambitious broadband speed standards (see 2103300070). Also at Monday’s hearing, the committee voted 14-0 to clear a bill (SB-28) to expand the California Public Utilities Commission's authority to regulate cable video franchises. It goes next to the Governmental Organization Committee. And the panel voted 14-0 to send to the Human Services Committee a measure (SB-546) to extend a California LifeLine pilot program for foster youth.