California’s state legislature passed a bill Friday that is being heralded for including the country’s toughest net neutrality measures after a heavily partisan fight in Washington last year dismantled similar federal Obama-era regulations.
California’s framework, aimed at ensuring all online content is treated equally, would prohibit Internet providers from blocking, throttling, or deprioritizing certain websites or services over others, according to multiple news outlets. It would also prevent providers from pressuring sites into paying more money in exchange for faster speeds, the Sacramento Bee reported.
Although akin to the rules introduced in 2015 by the Obama administration, California’s proposal would additionally ban the practice of “zero-rating,” through which data may be offered for free and in an anti-competitive manner, according to the Verge.
If Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown signs the bill into law, California would become the fourth state to act against the Federal Communications Commission by enacting its own legislation in the absence of federal leadership on the issue.
Many experts, however, predict Internet providers will launch a litany of legal challenges, some of which could be considered by the Supreme Court, the Washington Post reported. The FCC faces its own legal problems as more than 20 states are suing the agency over its decision to roll back the initial measures in December, a move based on the argument it was a demonstration of government overreach.
Brown has not publicly indicated whether he supports the bill, but it has the backing of state lawmakers and federal counterparts such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., the Verge reported.
