The Washington state House and Senate will conference on a facial recognition bill (SB-6280), the chambers decided Tuesday after they couldn’t reach agreement on amendments. House members are House Innovation, Technology and Economic Development Committee Chairman Zack Hudgins (D) and Reps. Matt Boehnke (R) and Debra Entenman (D); Senate members are bill sponsor Joe Nguyen (D), Sen. Sharon Brown (R) and Lisa Wellman (D). The chambers agreed earlier that day to conference on the related SB-6281, the Washington Privacy Act (see 2003100053). “For the conference committee to be successful, it will need to find compromise positions on the two biggest differences between the House and Senate versions of the WPA -- enforcement and facial recognition,” Husch Blackwell attorneys blogged Wednesday. The session ends Thursday.

A Rhode Island net neutrality bill cleared the Senate Commerce Committee. A 2019 bill like this year’s S-2103 passed the Senate but stalled in the House (see 1905030038). The House Corporations Committee held a hearing but didn’t vote Tuesday on the House version, H-7553. Also Tuesday, New York Senate Energy and Telecom Committee Chairman Kevin Parker (D) introduced SB-8020 to limit state contracts to ISPs that follow net neutrality and establish a $250 million fund for municipal broadband. Net neutrality is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) proposed budget. In New Hampshire, the House Science, Technology and Energy Committee scheduled a March 25 hearing on the Senate-passed SB-554 to establish a net neutrality study committee. Net neutrality bills may be nearing key votes in Maryland and Connecticut (see 2003060037).

Washington state representatives refused to back down Tuesday after senators refused to accept House amendments to the proposed Washington Privacy Act (SB-6281) Monday. The House appointed Innovation, Technology and Economic Development Committee Chairman Zack Hudgins (D) and Reps. Drew Hansen (D) and Jeremie Dufault (R) to a House-Senate conference committee. Accepting conference, the Senate appointed bill sponsor and Environment, Energy and Technology Committee Chairman Reuven Carlyle (D), Democratic Deputy Leader Manka Dhingra and Republican Whip Ann Rivers. Lawmakers must work out differences on enforcement, facial recognition and other issues before legislative session ends Thursday (see 2003090051).

West Virginia legislators gave electric utilities the green light to plan middle-mile broadband deployments. The House voted 99-0 Saturday to concur with the Senate-amended HB-4619. The Senate voted 34-0 Friday to pass the bill that would authorize the Public Service Commission to approve utility broadband plans and provide expedited cost recovery. The bill goes next to Gov. Jim Justice (R) for signature. His office didn’t comment Monday.

The California Public Utilities Commission is weighing backup power and other communications network resiliency rules, the agency said Friday. President and assigned Commissioner Marybel Batjer asked in docket R.18-03-011 if the CPUC should require providers to deploy backup power at key facilities to better prepare for earthquakes, wildfires, public power shutoffs and other emergencies. The proposal would require backup power to support all essential communications equipment needed to maintain service for at least 72 hours after a power outage. Batjer asked if the agency should require providers to share location of critical facilities with emergency responders and report outages to the commission during disasters. Comments are due March 27, replies April 3. Commissioners drilled down on disaster response at a hearing last week (see 2003050016).

The Washington House voted 63-33 Friday on a bipartisan basis for a facial recognition bill (SB-6280). Members amended the bill to add language on private use of facial recognition that had been in the state’s comprehensive privacy bill (SB-6281). Lawmakers decided in recent days to remove the controversial section from the main privacy bill and move it to the other bill, Rep. Norma Smith (R) told us on the phone from the House floor Friday. Smith, who voted aye, praised the amendment by Rep. Debra Entenman (D), which included a private right of action and made other changes. "I originally wanted a ban" on facial recognition after learning about racial bias and other issues, Entenman said on the floor. "This technology does not see me as a brown-skinned person and as a woman." She urged supporting the bill with her amendment to add "moral guardrails." SB-6280 next goes to a House-Senate conference. Friday was the last day for floor votes, but as of 6 p.m. EST, the House hadn't voted on SB-6281 or its more than 25 amendments. The bill coming to the floor allows individuals to bring lawsuits under the state’s Consumer Protect Action, Smith said. Debate over enforcement and facial recognition divided Washington state lawmakers (see 2002280070).

California Public Utilities Commissioners won’t decide T-Mobile buying Sprint sooner, Administrative Law Judge Karl Bemesderfer ruled Thursday. The carriers wanted to close April 1. The ALJ denied the carriers' four motions to shorten typical CPUC procedural time frames and reconsider Bemesderfer’s Feb. 24 ruling that the agency may vote April 16 (see 2003040024). The companies didn’t comment.

Seeking California clearance of T-Mobile's buying Sprint by March 26, the carriers asked the Public Utilities Commission to trim the agency’s usual timelines. An administrative law judge ruled last week the CPUC may vote April 16, after a proposed decision March 13 (see 2002240053). “The companies have publicly announced their intention to close the merger on April 1," so the CPUC should reconsider the ALJ ruling and determine it will come up at the March 26 meeting, the carriers said in docket A.18-07-011. Other motions are here, here and here.

Communications Workers of America opposes pre-emptive 5G language in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) proposed state budget as “another push for deregulation” by telecom companies seeking to avoid accountability, CWA District 1 Assistant to the Vice President Bob Master said Tuesday at a livestreamed presentation to state legislators in Albany. Co-hosts Sen. Rachel May (D) and Assemblymember Sean Ryan (D) raised concerns about the 5G section in A-9508 and S-7508 that tries to streamline wireless infrastructure deployment by pre-empting local government in the right of way (see 2002140037). Stripping local authority is “bad news,” said Ryan. Democratic assembly members in attendance included Internet Subcommittee Chairman Clyde Vanel, Marianne Buttenschon and Nily Rozic. Don't pre-empt local authority, said Master, who suggested legislators question claims that 5G will bring broadband to rural areas. The union wrote Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) Feb. 19 to urge her to oppose the 5G language.

NATOA, the National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors remain concerned about CTIA and Wireless Infrastructure Association proposals seeking additional changes to wireless infrastructure rules, on which the FCC took comment last year (see 1911210054). “The Petitions seek rule changes -- not mere clarifications -- that warrant a rulemaking proceeding with sufficient notice of the changes the Commission is considering to allow for meaningful comment by those who will be most impacted by them, including local governments and the residents we serve,” the groups said in docket 19-250, posted Tuesday.