The Nebraska Public Service Commission might update speed test rules. Commissioners voted 5-0 at their Tuesday meeting for an order to seek comments by July 23 and hold a hearing Aug. 6 at 1:30 p.m. CST (docket NUSF-133). The Nebraska PSC required annual broadband speed tests by Nebraska Universal Service Fund participants in a November 2022 order. Now, about 18 months later, the commission wants to review that requirement “to determine if any changes or improvements should be made,” it said.

The California Public Utilities Commission has it “backwards” in presuming that the carrier of last resort (COLR) remains necessary, Free State Foundation President Randolph May blogged Monday. The CPUC decided last week (see 2406200065) to open a proposed rulemaking that would update COLR regulations with “a rebuttable presumption that the COLR construct remains necessary, at least for certain individuals or communities in California.” May responded, “Given the undeniable change in the competitive landscape, driven by ongoing technological advancements … there should be a rebuttable presumption that the COLR construct remains unnecessary.”

The U.S. Supreme Court won’t review a Voting Rights Act case involving the Georgia Public Service Commission, the court said Monday. A text entry in case 23-1060 said the court denied the petition, which a group of Black voters filed. It sought review of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' finding that elections must remain statewide for the Georgia PSC’s five members, who represent five separate districts (see 2406040044). In a May 28 brief, Georgia called the case, involving Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a “splitless dispute” (see 2405290009). The petitioners "are very disappointed that the Supreme Court decided not to hear this case" and are "still reviewing our options for moving forward," their attorney, Bryan Sells, said.

A second round of grants to expand high-speed internet access throughout Oklahoma opened Monday, Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO) executive director Mike Sanders announced. Until July 8, ISPs can compete for part of $159 million in federal grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act’s Capital Project Fund. In January, the OBO approved projects from the first round of grants and “the response from [that] exceeded our expectations, so we’re looking forward to building on that momentum,” Sanders said.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) might veto a digital equity bill (HB-2359), the governor’s office said Friday. The state legislature last month approved the bill that requires implementing a grant program by Jan. 10 (see 2405020014). However, Green included the measure on an “intent to veto list” of 17 bills. The governor isn’t required to veto every bill on the list, but can’t veto bills not on the list. He has until July 10 to issue a final veto or the measure would become law. “This bill would inhibit the development of small-scale, community-based networks in historically disadvantaged communities” in Hawaii, the governor said. “As a matter of fairness, providers, regardless of size, should be permitted to participate in the Digital Equity Grant Program.” In general, the governor’s veto list “reflects our need to prioritize [Hawaii’s] crippling high cost of living, the state’s affordable housing crisis and … families impacted by the Maui wildfires,” the governor said. “In addition to fiscal considerations, my decisions are based on legal concerns, improving government operations, and avoiding negative impacts on the public.”

Charter Communications will withdraw from a New Hampshire review of Consolidated Communications’ deal with Condor Holdings, said Charter at the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission on Thursday. “Charter no longer wishes to be a participant in the proceeding,” said the cable company, which in April sought conditions related to wholesale intercarrier relationships (see 2404290007). Charter filed a similar letter the same day to withdraw from reviews of the transaction at the Vermont Public Utility Commission and at the Maine PUC. Charter didn’t comment further Friday. New Hampshire towns Benton and Greenfield also recently withdrew as intervenors. New Hampshire Electric Cooperative withdrew objections to the deal last month after settling with Consolidated (see 2405210043). Consolidated seeks states' approvals to transfer indirect ownership and control of its local subsidiaries to Condor, a subsidiary of private equity firm Searchlight (docket DT 23-103).

Maryland will award a $2 million grant to provide broadband access to Smith Island, Jake Day, the state's Department of Housing and Community Development secretary, announced at a news conference Thursday. The funding comes from the Office of Statewide Broadband’s Network Infrastructure Program to Verizon and “demonstrates our commitment to work in partnership with communities in every corner of the state ... to ensure every Marylander is connected to high-speed internet by 2030,” Day said. Verizon Vice President-State Government Affairs Joseph Askew said the company "is excited to be partnering with Smith Island residents" and Gov. Wes Moore (D) "to bring ... Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network to the Island."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed two kids’ online safety bills, as expected (see 2406070065), on Thursday. Hochul voiced support earlier this month when the legislature passed the controversial measures to require obtaining parental consent when using algorithms to sort feeds for minors (S-7694) and to ban websites collecting and sharing minors’ personal data without informed consent (S-7695). “Today, we save our children,” said Hochul. “We have heard their cries for help, reminding us as adults that we have a moral responsibility to protect young New Yorkers from harm and from addictive forces.” New York Attorney General Letita James (D) added in another news release, "As we move forward with the rulemaking process, my office will work tirelessly to defend these new laws to protect New York children."

North Carolina will spread $30 million dollars of federal grant money across state organizations to expand digital equity, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology said Tuesday. The money comes from the state’s Digital Champions grants, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. It “will help more families take part in our increasingly digital world,” Gov. Roy Cooper, R-N.C., said. Grant winners include community service, nonprofit, higher education and regional organizations such as libraries and schools.

Lifting Minnesota limits on municipal broadband “may prove costly to local taxpayers and harmful to consumers of broadband services,” Free State Foundation Director-Policy Studies Seth Cooper blogged Thursday. Gov. Tim Walz (D) last month signed a bill that struck an old law letting municipalities buy or construct telephone exchanges, which also included broadband networks, only if a supermajority approved it in a local referendum election (see 2405240011). “Promoting broadband access to all of a community’s residents is a commendable goal,” Cooper wrote. “But labeling local votes of the people or taxpayer protections ‘barriers’ or ‘roadblocks’ effectively dismisses other important goals such as preserving local government integrity, respecting the will of local residents, and safeguarding taxpayers and beneficiaries of traditional government services.”