The attorneys general from 22 states, plus the District of Columbia, have asked an appeals court to reinstate the Obama-era net neutrality rules that were stricken by the FCC in June.
The states also want to ensure the Trump administration cannot prevent individual states from installing their own such rules. The states had filed a lawsuit against the FCC back in January after the agency voted to reverse the rules, which had prohibited internet providers from throttling, blocking, or prioritizing internet traffic.
The states believe the FCC’s action will lead to harm against consumers, and also believe the agency doesn’t have the “valid authority” to overrule state laws that would reapply net neutrality regulations.
In addition to these 22 states, a handful of companies have filed their own lawsuits seeking to overturn the FCC’s action. Moreover, a democrat-led vote in the Senate pushed for the rules to be reinstated.
That measure will likely fail to pass the House or be signed by Trump.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai believes the industry will police itself. His decision is seen as a win for internet providers such as AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon. It’s unclear what the appeals court will do.
