California Advances Net-Neutrality Rules in Rebuke to Trump FCC

California moved to reinstate Obama-era open-internet rules, challenging Trump administration rollback efforts and setting the state on a path to have the strongest net-neutrality rules in the nation. The California bill would forbid internet service providers from blocking websites, intentionally slowing down a website or app, or accepting payments to make online services go faster. The California bill also says interconnection agreements—in which an online service pays a cable or wireless provider to carry its traffic—can’t be used by companies like streaming video services to circumvent the open internet rules and improperly receive faster speeds. Such regulations resemble those adopted by the Obama-era Federal Communications Commission. The bill passed the California assembly by a preliminary count of 59-18, according to the clerk’s office, and now returns to the state senate, which previously passed a similar version. If it passes again there and is then signed by Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA), California would have the nation’s strongest net-neutrality rules. Gov Brown hasn’t publicly indicated his position on the bill.