Washington State on Monday approved its own set of laws regulating net neutrality after the FCC voted in December to scrap such laws at the federal level.
The law bans internet providers from throttling and/or blocking content, and also mandates that they make public their network management policies. Companies that violate the rules would be at the mercy of the state’s Consumer Protection bureau.
“We know that when D.C. fails to act, Washington state has to do so,” said Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s Republican-led FCC voted to abolish the Obama-era net neutrality rules in what was seen as a victory for broadband and wireless companies. The FCC’s new rules go into effect April 23, while Washington State’s rules will become law in June.
The FCC has prohibited states from contradicting its decision, but that hasn’t stopped a half dozen governors from signing decrees that will prevent their state governments from doing business with companies that don’t adhere to the principles of net neutrality.
The FCC itself is under legal attack from the attorneys general of 21 states, as well as private organizations. Litigation will likely decide the eventual outcome of net neutrality.
