Washington state's privacy bill will get a vote Friday at 8 a.m. PST in the Innovation, Technology and Economic Development Committee, confirmed Chairman Zack Hudgins (D) in a Wednesday email to stakeholders. "There is a rumor of a 'new bill' which I think is actually a working draft." It's the committee's last meeting before the deadline to get bills passed by the Senate out of House committee.

The California Consumer Privacy Act's right to delete could disrupt “efficient transmission of recall notifications,” which could lead to serious injury or death, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission member Peter Feldman wrote in Monday comments on revised CCPA draft rules by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D). A Republican, Feldman sought an exemption allowing businesses to keep data for consumer safety or recall efficiency reasons. The AG plans to start enforcing the law July 1 (see 2002070054).

The California Public Utilities Commission discussed how the FCC can work with states as it establishes its data collection on broadband mapping, in meetings with aides to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, and Wireline Bureau staff on Feb. 13, said filings posted Tuesday in docket 19-195. CPUC supports an FCC proposal to use broadband data from states, localities and tribal governments to help validate ISP-provided broadband data. The state agency recommended its federal counterpart require that broadband serviceable location fabric information, "including its underlying location and parcel data, should be open, public, and non-proprietary." Industry wants to keep some data proprietary, citing competitive reasons (see 1909240005). The CPUC asked the FCC to include agricultural areas in its broadband serviceable location fabric framework, to support precision agriculture.

South Dakota’s Senate Commerce and Energy Committee voted 7-0 Tuesday to stop telemarketers from using misleading caller ID, sending HB-1131 to the Senate floor. The House earlier voted unanimously for the call-spoofing bill that would empower the state attorney general to investigate upon receiving a complaint (see 2002130009). “Not going to tell you it’s going to end the calls,” said Chief AG Deputy Charles McGuigan at the hearing livestreamed from Pierre. “It’s going to give us another tool.” AARP South Dakota Advocacy Director Erik Nelson supported the bill. The committee voted 5-2 to clear a Verizon-backed bill. SB-151 would make it a crime to trespass, damage or tamper with critical infrastructure including communications facilities.

Frontier Communications is “clearly violating” the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act by failing to provide broadband speeds as high as what it promises customers in contracts, said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Paul Bailey (R) at a Tuesday hearing webcast from Nashville. The panel voted 6-1 for SB-2851, which designates such failure as an unfair or deceptive practice under the act and allows the state attorney general to assess $5,000 to $15,000 per violation. Bailey cited numerous complaints over the past few years that he said were met by excuses or silence by Frontier. The carrier promised to submit a corrective plan to Bailey by the end of last week, but he never received it, the senator said: “At a time when Tennessee continues to invest in rural broadband, this company is hindering our ability to provide this important service to individuals who desperately need it.” Several states are probing the telco and responding to reports the company might seek bankruptcy protection (see 2002200022). The phone service provider didn’t comment.

A federal judge sided with a New York town in a wireless siting lawsuit. Crown Castle claimed Oyster Bay violated sections 253 and 332 of the Communications Act when it banned wireless facilities amid public opposition resulting from “unfounded fears” of RF emissions (see 1807240047). Friday at U.S. District Court in Central Islip, Magistrate Judge Arlene Lindsay recommended (in Pacer) Crown Castle’s Telecom Act claims “be dismissed for a lack of jurisdiction, Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment with respect to the remaining claims be denied, Defendants’ motion for summary judgment with respect to the remaining claims be granted and Plaintiff’s motion to strike be denied as moot.” Lindsay agreed with the city that the court lacks jurisdiction under Section 332 because the company’s claims aren’t ripe -- Crown Castle never applied for necessary permits so the town never denied them. Crown Castle failed to point to a regulation or any part of the town code that violates Section 253, the judge said. “We’re pleased the court acknowledged the Town’s claim to be valid,” as Oyster Bay “issues building permits to protect the welfare and safety of the public,” a spokesperson emailed Monday. The company declined comment. U.S. District Court in Delaware heard argument Monday in another wireless siting dispute, T-Mobile v. Wilmington (see 2002240036).

The California Public Utilities Commission should propose a T-Mobile/Sprint decision by Tuesday so commissioners can vote March 26, California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) President Sunne Wright McPeak wrote Thursday to assigned Commissioner Cliff Rechtschaffen and Administrative Law Judge Karl Bemesderfer in docket A.18-07-011. CETF signed a pact last April with the carriers to support the deal with commitments (see 1904080041). The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York decided “the merger is not likely to substantially lessen competition in the market for retail mobile wireless services,” said the CETF president. “This well-reasoned conclusion based on evidence should be instructive to this Commission as it ponders the same question as to the California market.” The carriers are trying to close the deal by April 1 (see 2002200066).

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) should enact a telco tax exemption for property used to provide broadband to rural areas, TDS Telecom said Thursday. The Senate voted 33-0 Wednesday to pass AB-344, after the House voted 62-36 for the measure last week. The bill would require at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. TDS Senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs Drew Petersen said the proposed exemption would give incentive to expand broadband into underserved places.

The Lifeline national verifier hard launches March 24 in Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, the FCC Wireline Bureau said Thursday in docket 11-42. The NV soft launched in those states in December (see 1912090066). A modified soft launch is underway in California, Oregon and Texas (see 1912180046). The Universal Service Administrative Co. told NARUC this month that it learned from NV missteps that brought criticism from state regulators and others (see 2002110021).

The California Public Utilities Commission started taking informal public comments through an online portal, but parties to a proceeding must still formally file comments, the CPUC said Thursday. The public can also read others’ comments through the new portal, the agency said.