A Texas bill heading to Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) desk would require all school districts to adopt device-free policies for students during school hours. The bipartisan bill (HB-1481), which the state Senate passed Tuesday, also applies to "open-enrollment charter schools." Districts must adopt disciplinary procedures for students who violate the policy. The bill would also give schools the ability to dispose of any confiscated devices after providing a student's parents with 90 days' notice. Students with individualized education programs, a documented medical need or other safety reasons would be exempt. The policy would take effect Sept. 1.

Texas lawmakers voted Thursday to amend certain rules for its utility pole replacement program, which now awaits action from Gov. Greg Abbott (R). The House voted 111-31 in favor of SB-1405, which would require the comptroller to publish data annually on the number of applications received, reimbursement amounts and the estimated funding available from the preceding fiscal year. ISPs would need to have available speeds of 100/20 Mbps to be eligible for funding.

The Nevada state Senate voted unanimously last week to approve a bill amending rules on ISPs' access to public rights of way. The measure now heads to Gov. Joe Lombardo (R). Earlier, the Assembly also unanimously approved the bill, AB-509. ISPs would be required to enter into an agreement with a local government to access a public right of way. The agreements must include compensation to the government of not more than 2% of the ISP's annual gross revenue resulting from such access. The new rules would take effect July 1, 2026. ISPs without existing agreements would be protected from suspension or revocation of access to public rights of way, unless the suspension occurs after the new rules take effect.

Now that the FCC has approved Verizon's proposed acquisition of Frontier (see 2505160050), the deal is under mounting scrutiny in states including California and West Virginia, where initial public comments are running against the deal. Utah, Nevada, Virginia and Texas have already given their OK.

Nebraska became the latest state this week to restrict students' use of cellphones during school hours (see 2501130041). LB-140, which Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed Tuesday, will go into effect during the 2025-26 school year. It provides certain exemptions for students with individualized education plans, emergencies and educational purposes. The law also clarifies that the restriction doesn't authorize monitoring, collecting or assessing information on a device that isn't owned or provided by a school district. "The research is clear about the detriments from overexposure to social media and the way Big Tech works to keep kids online and coming back for more," Pillen said.

The Alaska House of Representatives voted Monday to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy's (R) veto of a bill that included a wireless device policy for students. The bill, HB-57, included a provision requiring school districts to adopt a policy regulating students' use of personal wireless devices during school hours. In a Facebook video, Dunleavy said he vetoed the bill because it didn't contain policies that he supported regarding "reading, charter schools, and neighborhood schools."

The only unconstitutional aspect of the Digital Equity Act is the president trying to end a program authorized by a bipartisan Congress, which also appropriated its funding, said Gigi Sohn, a Benton Institute for Broadband & Society senior fellow, during a National Digital Inclusion Alliance conference Wednesday, according to prepared remarks. But don't expect Congress to push back on President Donald Trump's funding freeze, she said, adding that states are in the best position to defend DEA and pick up the slack. She said multiple state broadband offices are using grant funding to make subgrants to digital equity and inclusion organizations. State attorneys general "can and should" sue the Trump administration to make DEA funds available, she said, and multiple states are considering doing so. Digital equity issues should be a priority for AG offices already busy suing the Trump administration over numerous other issues, she said. She also called for digital equity organizations to educate state AGs about DEA programs and advocate for them to lead or join a lawsuit.

Connecticut became the latest state to move forward with a bill establishing a program for affordable broadband for low-income households (see 2505010040). The state Senate voted 29-7 on Wednesday to adopt the bill, SB-514, which Sen. Robert Duff (D) introduced in January. The bill would require ISPs to begin allowing eligible households to change their current service to an affordable option beginning Oct. 1. ISPs would also be required to charge no more than $40 per month, with speeds for such services required to be a minimum 100/20 Mbps.

The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) said Thursday that it received notice from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that its $5.3 million digital equity capacity grant was canceled as of May 9. VCBB said it's in contact with the Vermont Attorney General's office and "is exploring legal options." NIST's letter explains that President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "agreed" that the program is "unconstitutional and grants issued pursuant to it were created with, and administered using, impermissible and unconstitutional racial preferences." The "decision is final and there is no right of administrative appeal," the letter said. Vermont had planned to use the funding to implement its digital empowerment (DE) program. “Vermont’s DE program was going to improve the lives of Vermonters who can’t access the internet," said VCBB Executive Director Christine Hallquist. "Taking this funding away now will severely limit our work and will mean many Vermonters will be left behind, unfortunately the most vulnerable," Hallquist added.

North Carolina announced $48 million in additional funding for its completing access to broadband (CAB) broadband program. The latest round of CAB funding will serve 14,514 homes and businesses in 22 counties, Gov. Josh Stein (D) said Friday. "Connecting all North Carolinians, especially in our rural areas, opens doors of opportunity," Stein said. The state has awarded $118 million in CAB support so far to serve more than 46,000 households and 130 businesses, according to an awards tracker. Of the total funding announced Friday, more than $33 million will be funded through the American Rescue Plan and more than $14 million from the selected ISPs. Brightspeed, Star Communications, Foothills Broadband, RiverStreet Networks, Spectrum, Fybe, RIVR Tech, Zirrus, Windstream, Zito Media, Focus Broadband, Star Communications and Surry Communications received funding. Brightspeed will serve seven of the 22 counties.