ISPs Sue Vermont Over Net Neutrality Moves

The American Cable Association, NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, USTelecom and CTIA filed suit Oct 18 in a federal district court in Vermont against a law and executive order that attempt to regulate internet access and restore net neutrality rules rolled back by the Federal Communications Commission. "As the FCC has repeatedly recognized, internet traffic flows freely between states, making it difficult or impossible for a provider to distinguish traffic moving within Vermont from traffic that crosses state borders. Both the Supremacy Clause and the dormant Commerce Clause protect broadband internet service providers (“ISPs”) from a patchwork of inconsistent regulations that are impossible for them to comply with as a practical matter. The Court should declare that the Executive Order and S. 289 are preempted and unconstitutional, and should permanently enjoin the Defendants from enforcing or giving effect to them," the groups wrote.