Today’s Regulatory Mix: Alabama Governor Awards nearly $17 Million for Broadband Services, Arkansas Adopts New ICS Rate Caps, Colorado Bill Implementing a 988 Surcharge Passes State Senate
Alabama Governor Awards Nearly $17 Million for Broadband Services
Alabama Governor, Kay Ivey, has awarded 36 grants totaling almost $17 million to multiple broadband providers across the state from the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund. The fund was created to assist broadband providers in extending services to communities without adequate service. Internet providers were eligible to apply for grants of up to $1.5 million per project.
Arkansas Adopts New Inmate Calling Services Rate Caps
Arkansas has enacted Senate Bill 550 (SB 550) on new inmate calling service (ICS) rules, including rate caps. The rate caps apply to per minute and ancillary fees for both state and local correctional facilities. Intessera Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 5/10/21
Colorado Bill Implementing a 988 Surcharge Passes State Senate
The Colorado Senate passed SB 154 which would impose a surcharge on service users to be remitted to the public utilities commission on a monthly basis starting January 1, 2022. The surcharge would help fund the 988 suicide prevention lifeline which congress passed in October 2020 to aid rapid access to suicide prevention and mental health support services.
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.
