The Supreme Court could soon be asked to review Florida’s social media law. In a joint motion Thursday at U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, Florida, plaintiffs NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) asked the district court to stay further proceedings until SCOTUS disposes with "forthcoming petition(s) for a writ of certiorari.” Parties agreed on a June 13 telephone conference that the "case warrants further review" in the Supreme Court and that they would file a joint motion at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals “to stay issuance of the mandate by that Court pending Supreme Court review,” they said. The 11th Circuit ruled last month that Florida may not restrict content moderation by social media platforms, while lifting a temporary injunction on most of the state law’s disclosure rules (see 2205230049). The Supreme Court on May 31 narrowly stopped a similar Texas law from being enforced (see 2206010060).

New Jersey senators voted 38-0 Thursday for a 988 bill (S-311). The amended bill, now in the Assembly, orders the state’s human services commissioner to report by April 1 whether a monthly fee on phone bills is necessary to support the hotline and, if so, what the amount should be and how it will be collected. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) had included funding for the hotline in his budget (see 2204010032).

California Assemblymember Jim Wood (D) is troubled by big ISPs not providing all broadband deployment data sought by the California Public Utilities Commission, he said at a partially virtual California Middle Mile Committee hearing Friday. Seeking address-level data for a state map required for California’s $6 billion broadband effort, the CPUC is considering actions against eight ISPs including AT&T, Verizon and top cable companies, which raised privacy and confidentiality concerns with providing certain information (see 2206160065). “It is important for us to know that these areas that the carriers are saying are served are truly served,” said Wood, characterizing ISPs’ defense as “privacy, blah, blah, blah.” If the big companies’ insufficient response “imperils this project ... and doesn’t get coverage to people who need it, it's a huge disservice and we need to hang that around their necks because it is not appropriate.” CPUC President Alice Reynolds agreed with Wood. “We do understand confidentiality is a concern but the CPUC is very experienced protecting confidential information,” she said. "This data is very essential for the state” and “really critical to our success here.” The California Technology Department agrees, said Mark Monroe, Broadband Middle-Mile Initiative deputy director. "We definitely need to have that data to make sure we're targeting all of the right areas.” Cable companies “hear you,” California Cable and Telecommunications Association General Counsel Jacqueline Kinney responded during a public comments round. CCTA members will work to provide data “consistent with both state and federal law related to broadband mapping” and state and federal consumer privacy laws, said Kinney, noting this year’s data request was different from what the CPUC previously sought. ISPs significantly overstate their coverage, said Patrick Messac, project manager for OaklandUndivided, a partnership that includes the mayor’s education office. “I do struggle with the argument that the ISPs are concerned with consumer data.”

New York state is 97.4% served by broadband, but some counties face larger gaps than others, said a New York Public Service Commission report released Thursday. The PSC also released an interactive map. “Although there are 15 counties with 99% broadband coverage, 26 of New York’s 62 counties have served percentages less than 95%, and of that 26, 11 have served percentages less than 90%. In three of New York’s counties, more than 20% of the address points do not have high-speed broadband service available.” In a cover letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), PSC Chair Rory Christian wrote, “Mapping broadband is an iterative process, and we intend to regularly refine the map as updated information is obtained and verified.” Thursday’s report was the New York PSC’s first; the state plans to release follow-ups annually. The map will help New York direct state and federal funding to unserved and underserved areas, said Hochul. "This address-specific tool is one we can wield to provide a more accurate depiction of connectivity needs in areas that have been disconnected for far too long."

A California Assembly panel cleared a broadband bill to extend until Jan. 1, 2028, California High-Cost Fund A and B programs, set to expire Jan. 1. The Communications Committee voted 11-0 Wednesday to refer SB-857 to the Appropriations Committee. It passed in the Senate last month (see 2205240048). Also, the panel voted 11-0 to clear SB-717 requiring a report including sections on barriers to broadband deployment on government-owned structures, private and public lands and buildings and public rights of way. It would also seek recommendations on improving access and speeding deployment for tribes, low-income customers and underserved communities. The bill goes next to the Natural Resources Committee. The Senate Communications Committee voted 13-0 Wednesday to advance AB-2702 to the Appropriations Committee. The Assembly-passed bill would set a goal for the California Advanced Services Fund public housing account to provide internet connectivity to all public housing residents by Dec. 31, 2025 (see 2205260012).

A California one-touch, make-ready decision could come in Q3, said California Public Utilities Commission President Alice Reynolds in a Wednesday scoping memo in docket I.17-06-027. In comments last year, carriers supported California adopting OTMR rules, while other groups raised safety concerns (see 2104130053).

A bill to update Pennsylvania data breach requirements unanimously cleared the House State Government Committee at a hearing livestreamed Wednesday. SB-696, which earlier passed the Senate, would require state agencies, agency contractors, counties, school districts and municipalities to notify subjects of breaches within seven business days. Within three business days, state agencies would have to notify the attorney general and localities would have to notify their county’s district attorney. The bill also expands the definition of personal information to include medical information, health insurance information and a username or email address, “in combination with a password or security question and answer that would permit access to an online account.” Also, the bill requires state employees and contractors to use encryption and requires the Office of Administration to develop a security policy for storing personal information. The committee unanimously adopted an amendment with changes including that personal information doesn’t include widely distributed media and that the bill covers public schools.

AT&T may give up eligible telecom carrier designation for remaining Ohio areas it didn’t earlier relinquish, the Ohio Public Utilities Commission agreed Wednesday. Commissioners voted 5-0 at a livestreamed meeting to approve the carrier’s Sept. 3 petition in 21-917-TP-UNC (see 2204040037). The PUC “finds that most of AT&T Ohio’s Lifeline customers in the relinquishment area will have one or more ETCs to choose from for their Lifeline service,” said Wednesday’s order. The commission carved out seven Lifeline customers identified by staff as lacking alternatives. Also, PUC members voted 5-0 to approve Time Warner Cable’s Oct. 25 petition to remove from its ETC-designated service area some census blocks where it no longer will receive Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support (docket 21-27-TP-UNC). Commissioners agreed to both items without discussion.

Michigan awarded $3.3 million in grants to three broadband projects under the Connecting Michigan Communities program. The projects aim to extend service to 781 unserved homes and businesses, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said Tuesday. Upper Peninsula Telephone got about $2.2 million, while Duke Broadband received $858,000 and AcenTek $249,000.

The California Public Utilities Commission extended until June 27 from June 20 a deadline for comments on proposed changes to the California Advanced Services Fund infrastructure account. Replies originally due June 27 will now be due July 5. Administrative Law Judge Valerie Kao emailed the R.20-08-021 service list Wednesday. It’s a shorter extension than the California Cable and Telecommunications Association requested Monday (see 2206140042).