The Regulatory Commission of Alaska will wait for an Oct. 5 proposal from a collection of local exchange carriers before deciding whether to allow Alaska USF to sunset in June, commissioners said in a brief videoconference meeting Wednesday (see 2208240061). The proposal was announced in a notice of consensus submitted to the RCA Tuesday, which didn’t include details but said the plan would extend the AUSF sunset date to June 30, 2026, adjust AUSF distributions “to reallocate support to remote areas,” and “adopt a simple, flat, per-connection rate” for contributions “for sustainability.” By 2026, “the impacts of significant federal infrastructure funding in Alaska will be better known, and the Commission will have more information that it may use to determine the best AUSF policy for the long term,” said the notice. The LEC entities behind the notice include Alaska Communications Systems Group, the Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition and Yukon Telephone. The Office of Alaska Attorney General’s Regulatory Affairs & Public Advocacy Section also supports the proposal “even though the consensus proposal differs from RAPA’s proposal and some points made in RAPA comments,” said a filing from RAPA. “My sense is that when you can get a multitude of people on the same sheet of music, it does perk one’s ears up,” said RCA Chairman Keith Kurber. Commissioner Jan Wilson said the Oct. 5 submission should include an explanation of why continuing the AUSF is in the public interest. “If you’re going to be given other people's money you need to build a record that demonstrates that you need, not just want other people’s money.” Commissioner Robert Pickett had been ready to vote to close the proceeding and allow the AUSF to sunset prior to the submission of the notice of consensus, he said. Under the current law, the RCA doesn’t appear to have any authority over broadband, Pickett said, saying he’s also unsure there’s enough time to create the package of new AUSF rules the notice proposes before the 2023 sunset. “We’re almost too late,” Pickett said. “We don’t really have a whole lot of time to do much of anything.”

A Michigan comprehensive privacy bill by nine state senators surfaced Tuesday. Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D) introduced SB-1182 “to establish the privacy rights of consumers.” The bill was referred to the Senate Energy and Technology committee. SB-1182 would apply to any business that, during a calendar year, either controls or processes personal data of at least 100,000 consumers or of at least 25,000 consumers if it derives more than half its gross revenue from sale of their data. It would include exemptions for state agencies and political subdivisions, financial institutions covered by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and higher education institutions. Michigan’s attorney general would enforce the measure.

Expect California privacy law enforcement to escalate once the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) takes over from the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) on Jan. 1, said Carlton Fields attorney Christina Gagnier on a Tuesday webinar. Enforcement will shift from Attorney General Rob Bonta (D), who already has been more aggressive than predecessors, to the new California Privacy Protection Agency, said the privacy lawyer for businesses. One takeaway from Bonta’s recent $1.2 million action against cosmetics store Sephora under the CCPA (see 2208240067) is that “enforcement is industry agnostic,” said Gagnier. “Any company could be a target.” 2023 will be a big year for privacy with other state laws taking effect in Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia and Utah, said the same law firm’s Eden Marcu. Note that those are four very different states, said Gagnier, predicting four or five more could enact privacy laws next year. Two-thirds of states have considered comprehensive privacy bills, said Gagnier: States currently in session with privacy bills include Michigan, New York and Ohio. "It's something that you're going to see pop up state by state over the next couple years" until most states have comprehensive laws, she said. Don't bet on a federal law soon, said Gagnier, saying she doesn't expect Congress's American Data Privacy and Protection Act to go anywhere.

North Carolina launched a digital equity program, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said Tuesday. The state IT department’s digital equity and literacy office will spend $24 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Under phase one, $10 million will go to 10-15 state government entities to develop or expand digital inclusion programs. Each grantee will get up to $2 million for a project that must be completed by 2025. State entities must apply by Oct. 28. A second phase opening in winter 2023 will include $14 million in competitive grants for municipalities, nonprofits, community-based organizations and others. “This is an important step toward getting more people connected online so they can work, learn, access telehealth and connect with one another,” said Cooper.

The California Public Utilities Commission is seeking comments on staff-proposed guidelines for the state’s $750 million broadband loan loss reserve fund program, said assigned Commissioner Darcie Houck in a Monday ruling in docket R.20-08-021. The proposal includes “definitions, eligibility, supported financing instruments, project information, financing terms and conditions,” the ruling said. And the CPUC seeks comment on “implementation, outreach and reporting requirements for broadband infrastructure projects deployed using financing supported in whole or in part by the Loan Loss Program,” it said. Comments are due Oct. 14 and replies, Oct. 24.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a telehealth bill, the governor’s office said Friday. AB-32 would make COVID-19d telehealth accessibility permanent, his office said Friday. Newsom has until Friday to consider bills passed by the legislature last month.

Expecting Hurricane Ian’s landfall, the Florida Public Service Commission cancelled all meetings this week, the PSC said Monday.

The California Public Utilities Commission awarded $6.1 million for digital inclusion, the state agency said Monday. The CPUC said it gave California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) broadband adoption account grants to 75 projects from 20 applicants. The broadband access and digital literacy projects are expected to help 23,638 people, it said. The CPUC received 99 applications seeking $28.5 million last July and plans to make more grant decisions before yearend, it said.

Nine Mississippi electric cooperatives received state clearances to use $9.1 million in grants next year through the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley (D) said Friday he approved eligible telecom carrier redesignations for Alcorn County Electric, Monroe County Electric, Natchez Trace Electric, North East Mississippi Electric, Prentiss County Electric, Tallahatchie Valley Electric, Tippah Electric, Tombigbee Electric and Tishomingo County Electric. The action is expected to benefit 182,311 homes and businesses in Presley’s northern district, the commissioner’s office said. Only one Mississippi PSC member is needed to sign off on ETC status for areas solely within his or her district.

Frontier Communications sought rehearing Friday of an amended Arizona Corporation Commission order on the carrier’s June 911 outage. The ACC on Tuesday modified a July 27 decision requiring the company to invest in redundancy (see 2208160042). The commission removed a requirement that Frontier disseminate its emergency response plan to public safety agencies and the state 911 office, but left the rest of the order intact. Frontier supported the change but maintains objections to the original order, which was unlawful and issued without affording the company due process, it said in docket T-20680A-21-0198.