Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) issued subpoenas to USTelecom and ThinQ Technologies in an investigation into scammers using robocalls to pretend to sell AT&T DirecTV services, Nessel’s office said Thursday. Judge Joyce Draganchuk of Michigan’s Ingham County Circuit Court authorized the AG to issue subpoenas based on an ex parte petition describing about 500,000 spoofed calls coming into the state monthly. With the subpoenas, the AG seeks to learn the identity of the callers and VoIP or voice service providers involved in the scam, including contractual and financial arrangements and detailed call records, the petition said. The petition said there's probable cause to say ThinQ, of Raleigh, was one originating VoIP provider that brought the calls into the country. USTelecom and ThinQ didn’t comment.
The Illinois Commerce Commission voted 5-0 to clear Apollo to buy Lumen ILEC assets Thursday. The deal won’t adversely affect the ILEC’s ability to perform statutory duties or diminish its “ability to provide adequate, reliable, efficient, safe, and least-cost public utility service,” said the ICC order: The combination isn’t likely to hurt competition.
A proposed Connecticut privacy law is “probably one of the most important consumer protection bills that we'll be dealing with this year,” said Connecticut Senate President Martin Looney (D) at a livestreamed news conference Thursday. Sen. James Maroney (D) unveiled the Colorado-like SB-6, as expected, with a hearing March 1 (see 2202160042). It establishes consumers' rights and corporate responsibilities, Maroney said. People don’t realize how their data is being used, so SB-6 will let them know what’s being tracked and give them power to opt out, he said. Sen. Bob Duff (D) said he’s confident the legislature will pass and Gov. Ned Lamont (D) will sign SB-6. With congressional inaction and a “paralyzed” FCC, he said, “states can call the shots” in the tech space.
Washington state senators supported raising the state's broadband definition to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, from 25/3 Mbps. The Washington Senate voted 49-0 Tuesday for SB-5715. It goes to the House.
The NARUC board adopted resolutions Wednesday including a telecom measure on federal broadband infrastructure dollars coming to states. The Telecom Committee cleared it Tuesday (see 2202150067).
An Arizona House panel cleared an app store bill to allow developers to deal directly with customers and avoid app store fees from Apple and Google. The Arizona House Commerce Committee voted 5-3 Tuesday for HB-2200 with an amendment that converted the land mapping bill into an app store bill like HB-2662, which had last week failed in the Judiciary Committee. “We hope the full Arizona House swiftly approves the bill, and that similar bills that have been introduced in other states such as Illinois, Florida, and New York are passed into law,” said Pat Garofalo, American Economic Liberties Project director-state and local policy. The same committee voted 8-0 for HB-2678 to establish a state broadband office.
Oral argument on Florida’s law regulating social media is tentatively back on for the April 25 week after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier postponed it (see 2202010081), the appeals court said Wednesday in case 21-12355.
Virginia state legislators supported writing a plan for broadband affordability and equity by Dec. 1 so the state may access federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. On chamber floors Monday, the Senate voted 40-0 for SB-716, and the House voted 87-13 for the identical HB-1265. The state’s Housing and Community Development Department would write the plan.
Washington House members voted 68-30 Friday for a bill establishing broadband adoption programs (see 2202030038 and 2201280026). HB-1723 now goes to the Senate.
Cable and wireless industries opposed a Rhode Island net neutrality bill, at a livestreamed hearing Wednesday. The House Innovation, Internet and Technology Committee held the bill for further study, a common practice that doesn’t mean the panel won’t later take it up. HB-7187 would require ISPs to follow open-internet rules and allow state contracts only with companies that adhere. The bill isn’t needed because there have been no ISP net neutrality violations, said New England Cable and Telecommunications Association President Tim Wilkerson. Cox sees “no pressing need” and states are preempted, said Latham & Watkins lawyer Matt Murchison. CTIA Vice President-State Legislative Affairs Gerard Keegan also opposed HB-7187. The American Civil Liberties Union thinks net neutrality rules are critical, said Hannah Stern, ACLU-Rhode Island policy associate.