Press Releases

Demand Progress applauds introduction of California net neutrality bill

California Senate Bill 822 would ensure strong net neutrality protections for the country’s most populous state

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2018
Contact: Mark Stanley, 202.681.7582, [email protected]

Demand Progress applauds the bill introduced today by California state senator Scott Wiener and his colleagues. The bill would provide strong net neutrality protections for California, the most populous state in the country, by preventing ISPs from blocking content, as well as prohibiting the creation of fast lanes for sites that can afford to pay and slow lanes for those that cannot. The bill would restore all the net neutrality protections from the 2015 Open Internet Order, which was repealed by the FCC in December.

The FCC’s repeal of the Open Internet Order, via the deceitfully-named ‘Restoring Internet Freedom’ order, means that Americans will soon be without net neutrality protections, leaving ISPs able to stifle free expression and warp the digital economy on which so many depend, by advantaging some sites and services over others.

The following statement can be attributed to Demand Progress Director of Communications Mark Stanley:

“Demand Progress commends the introduction of Senate Bill 822, which will restore strong net neutrality protections in California. In the wake of the FCC’s massively unpopular and disastrous repeal of net neutrality, state lawmakers have been compelled to take up the mantle of ensuring constituents and state economies have protections against ISPs blocking and slowing down services. State-level bills, such as the one introduced by Senator Scott Wiener and his colleagues, are in direct response to the immense appetite from constituents—Republican, Democratic and Independent alike—for strong protections against ISPs that seek to dismantle the open internet for profit.

“While state bills that restore net neutrality protections are crucial in the wake of the FCC’s repeal, the onus is still on lawmakers in Congress to restore federal net neutrality protections necessary for free expression and a vibrant national economy. Congress can restore these protections by supporting the CRA resolutions from Sen. Markey and Rep. Doyle, which would reverse the FCC’s net neutrality repeal. Currently the CRA resolution—which only requires the support of a simple majority to pass in the Senate, and already has the backing of 50 senators—is the only feasible option for Congress to restore net neutrality protections this session. Every member of Congress must stand with their constituents, not Comcast, by supporting the resolution.”

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