Votes are again delayed on foster youth and AT&T items at the California Public Utilities Commission. Both were scheduled for Thursday’s meeting, but CPUC staff postponed them until the May 9 meeting, said a hold list Tuesday. The commission originally planned to vote on both items at its Feb. 15 meeting and has now held them multiple times (see 2403200013). The first item would make the CPUC’s pilot foster youth program permanent (docket R.20-02-008). The second would deny AT&T’s corrective action plan explaining how it will correct failures and improve service after failing to meet the state’s out-of-service repair interval standard in 2021 (resolution T-17789).

A Kansas 911 administration shakeup won approval from Gov. Laura Kelly (D) on Monday. She signed HB-2690 to replace the Kansas 911 Coordinating Council with a state 911 board, among other changes (see 2403060075). The governor signed another 911 bill Friday to end a five-year audit (see 2404150027). In Colorado, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 5-4 on Tuesday to advance SB-139 to the full Senate. The bill would create a 911 services enterprise within the Department of Regulatory Agencies that could impose a user fee of up to 50 cents monthly per 911 access connection. Revenue from the new fee, which would be separate and in addition to an existing 911 surcharge imposed by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, would fund 911 costs and expenses including statewide training, cybersecurity support, geographic information system programs, grants for public safety answering points and governing bodies and matching funds for 911 or emergency notification service grants.

The connections-based Utah Universal Service Fund (UUSF) surcharge could increase by 27 cents to 98 cents monthly per access line, a 38% increase, the Utah Public Service Commission said in a Monday notice. The increase is needed due to AT&T overcounting access lines subject to the surcharge for nearly two years, from August 2021 to July 2023, the PSC said. After correcting the reporting error, “the actual number of access lines subject to the surcharge have now been reduced by approximately 260,000 per month and thus results in less revenue to meet the costs associated with the UUSF statutory obligations.” Also, UUSF distribution estimates “were significantly underestimated,” the PSC said. “Unless public comment convinces the PSC to alter its plans,” the new rate will take effect July 1. Comments are due June 3.

State agencies advised rejecting Lumen objections to an administrative law judge’s recommendation that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission force the carrier to rehab its copper network to address reportedly widespread service quality problems. Lumen’s CenturyLink pushed back sharply earlier this month on the ALJ’s proposed findings and remedies (see 2404030012). Replying Friday in docket C-20-432, the Minnesota Office of Attorney General said, “The rosy picture of satisfied customers that CenturyLink presents is at odds with the evidence documenting the crackly reality wireline customers face.” The state Commerce Department agreed. “None of CenturyLink’s conclusory claims should cause the Commission to depart from the ALJ’s sound legal analysis,” rule interpretations and “findings that certain customers are not receiving adequate service and that certain facilities are failing to provide it.”

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) supported ending a five-year 911 audit by the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit. Kelly signed HB-2483, the governor’s office said Friday. The state legislature passed that bill and another to shake up state 911 administration earlier this month (see 2404020059).

Microsoft applauded Nebraska lawmakers for passing a comprehensive privacy bill last week. “Microsoft is steadfast in our commitment to protect consumer privacy and work with policymakers at the state and federal level to advance robust privacy legislation,” a spokesperson emailed. Nebraska passing a Texas-style privacy bill drew concern Friday from Consumer Reports that the bill lacks teeth and doesn’t cover enough companies (see 2404120047). The bill still needs a signature from Gov. Jim Pillen (R) to become law.

Illinois counties could lease or license fiber and other broadband infrastructure for delivery of high-speed internet under a bill the state's Senate approved unanimously Friday. After Senate passage, the bill (SB-3173) arrived in the House. Senators voted 59-0 for an amended bill that would allow counties to lease to public or private entities so long as they do so “on a nondiscriminatory, nonexclusive, and competitively neutral basis” and the county complies with safety codes and all other state and federal laws. The bill's original version would have let counties and municipalities sell local broadband service as a retail provider by obtaining a telecom carrier certificate from the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Colorado appropriators supported bills on the future of the state's high-cost support mechanism (HCSM) at Friday committee meetings. The HCSM, which provides subsidies to a dozen rural telecom providers, is scheduled to sunset Sept. 1. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 8-0 for a bill (HB-1234) to prolong the fund indefinitely. It previously passed the House but will need another vote there to conform with Senate tweaks. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee voted 7-4 for HB-1336, which transfers authority for awarding grant money from the HCSM to the state broadband office. A broadband deployment board in the governor's IT office currently distributes the money. Senate appropriators also voted 7-1 for a social media bill, HB-1136. The House previously passed the bill, which would require the state’s education department to create elementary and secondary school curricula on social media’s mental health issues (see 2403120065). In addition, it would require social media platforms to display pop-up warnings when users younger than 18 spend more than one hour on a platform during a 24-hour period and when they are active on social media between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Louisiana could use unspent cash from a broadband grant program for non-internet infrastructure. The state House voted 100-0 Thursday to pass HB-617, which would permit unobligated funds from the Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) program for “nonbroadband infrastructure project uses.” Projects would need to satisfy the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. The bill will go to the Senate.

Create a state version of the affordable connectivity program (ACP) with New York ConnectAll broadband funding helping low-income residents pay for wired broadband, the Cable & Telecommunications Association of New York (CTANY) suggested Thursday. The New York Public Service Commission received comments from the association, which includes Altice and Charter Communications, in docket 22-M-0313. "If ACP is eventually extended by Congress, the state program can complement the federal benefit, but if it is not extended, the subsidy can be an important safety net to continue connectivity for the over one million households who ... rely on ACP in the state,” CTANY said.