California strikes deal with FCC to delay state’s ‘net neutrality’ law

“California has agreed to delay the enforcement of its ‘gold standard’ net neutrality bill, according to a statement from the law’s sponsor Sen. Scott Wiener,” Makena Kelly writes for The Verge. “The net neutrality rules were set to go into effect next year, but California officials have agreed to wait until the courts have resolved any pending litigation over the Federal Communications Commission’s roll back of the federal rules late last year.”
“FCC Chairman Ajit Pai cast the delay as a victory for the Commission. ‘This substantial concession reflects the strength of the case made by the United States earlier this month,’ Pai said. ‘It also demonstrates, contrary to the claims of the law’s supporters, that there is no urgent problem that these regulations are needed to address,'” Kelly writes. “‘I look forward to successful litigation on this issue and to the restoration of strong net neutrality protections in our state,’ Wiener said.”
“To some experts, this delay was expected. According to Harold Feld at Public Knowledge, the FCC’s net neutrality order can only be challenged in the D.C. circuit,” Kelly writes. “The pending litigation on the California law, if challenged, would have to be brought to the state’s district court, violating the Hobbs Act. Therefore, waiting for a decision on the federal rule is both parties’s safest bet.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: 50 states each with different laws is not the right way to go about this.
As we wrote last December regarding the call by U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) for the U.S. Congress to pass ‘net neutrality’ legislation:
Real net neutrality legislation is the solution to the FCC/FTC regulatory seesaw.
SEE ALSO:
Internet provider groups sue over California ‘net neutrality’ rules – October 3, 2018
Trump administration sues California over ‘net neutrality’ law – October 1, 2018
U.S. broadband investment is up after end of FCC’s so-called ‘Net Neutrality’ rules – August 31, 2018
Applying the Trump Doctrine to net neutrality – June 15, 2018
FCC’s repeal of so-called ‘net neutrality’ rules now official – June 11, 2018
Republican senator calls on U.S. Congress to pass ‘net neutrality’ legislation – December 12, 2017
Dear Aunt Sadie, please step back from the so-called ‘net neutrality’ ledge – November 27, 2017
U.S. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai: Killing Obama-era rules for so-called ‘net neutrality’ will set the internet free – November 22, 2017
U.S. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai: How the FCC can save the open internet – November 21, 2017