Business Disappointment at CA Assembly Committee’s Failure to Pass Strong Net Neutrality Protections
Washington, DC – In response to a California State Assembly Committee failing to advance strong net neutrality rules, the American Sustainable Business Council released a statement expressing disappointment with the result. The following may be attributed to Policy Director Christine Blackburn:
“We are very disappointed with today’s outcome. SB 822 was an opportunity to right a wrong and reinstate the necessary and strong net neutrality protections included within the 2015 FCC order. ASBC and our members know that net neutrality rules and strong enforcement are key to maintaining a fair and open internet. An open internet is crucial for the exchange of ideas, job creation, and business growth. While today was a setback, ASBC will continue fighting on behalf of its members to advocate for the restoration of strong net neutrality protections.”
Today, the California State Assembly Committee on Communications and Conveyance met to consider SB 822 and SB 460, two bills that sought to reinstate net neutrality rules in California. ASBC and its members supported SB 822 because it was a comprehensive bill that would have reinstated the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 2015 open internet order and provided the California Attorney General with the authority to enforce those rules.
The bills’ authors, Senators Scott Wiener and Kevin de Leon, had previously come to a compromise solution to merge the two bills into one. However, Committee Chairman Miguel Santiago did not accept these changes and instead offered his own amendments, which removed most of the 2015 order and enforcement provisions. Without actually debating the bills, the committee voted on and passed SB 822 with the chairman’s amendments included, which rendered the bill ineffective.
The full California State Assembly still has time to pass a strong net neutrality law, and ASBC will continue to advocate to build business support for such an outcome.