Small ISP Enhanced Transparency Waiver Passes House

The House has unanimously passed the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act, which extends the Federal Communications Commission's exemption of smaller Internet service providers from the enhanced transparency rules under its new Open Internet order. "The bill protects small businesses from burdensome regulations, and allows small Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to focus on expanding networks, deploying broadband, improving connectivity for rural consumers, and creating jobs," said Rep Bob Latta (R-OH) after the vote.

After reaching a compromise on language, the House Energy & Commerce Committee voted unanimously to approve an amended version of the bill in Feb. The definition of small business is 250,000 subscribers (the FCC exemption applied to systems with 100,000 and fewer) and the exemption sunsets after five years. The FCC is also directed to report to the Committee, and the Senate Commerce Committee, which also has principal jurisdiction over the FCC, within six months of enactment its recommendations for whether the exemption should be permanent and whether that 250,000 figure should be adjusted. Republicans had wanted a permanent waiver and Democrats a term-limited one. Democrats won that one, though with the report caveat. The FCC recently extended the exemption for a year and put off a decision about making it permanent while it collected more info on the impact of the enhanced transparency requirements on small businesses, but Congress doesn't want to wait that long. The bill must now pass the Senate and get the President's signature.