Oregon finalizes net neutrality law despite likelihood that ISPs will sue

Gov Kate Brown (D-OR) will sign a network neutrality bill into law April 9, making Oregon the second state to pass a net neutrality law since the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal nationwide rules. The new law was written narrowly in an attempt to survive lawsuits from Internet service providers. Instead of imposing prohibitions on all Internet providers, the law forbids state agencies from purchasing fixed or mobile Internet service from ISPs that violate the core net neutrality principles laid out in the soon-to-be-dead FCC rules. ISPs that sell Internet service to Oregon state agencies will be required to publicly disclose whether they block or throttle lawful Internet traffic or engage in paid prioritization (subject to reasonable network management).

A lobby group that represents AT&T, Verizon, and other telecommunication companies has already said it plans to sue states and cities that try to enforce net neutrality rules. States that narrowly target net neutrality rules on ISPs that sell to state agencies are trying to get around the FCC's claim that state net neutrality laws are preempted by federal policy.