Ohio GOP ends attempt to ban municipal broadband after protests

After coming close to imposing a near-total ban on municipal broadband networks, Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature has dropped the proposed law in final negotiations over the state budget. Lawmakers apparently relented to public pressure from supporters of municipal broadband and cities and towns that operate the networks. People and businesses from Fairlawn, OH where the city-run FairlawnGig network offers fiber Internet, played a significant role in the protests. FairlawnGig itself asked users to put pressure on lawmakers, and the subscribers did so in great numbers. And though it isn't banning public networks, at least for now, Ohio's legislature is apparently not letting municipal networks apply for a new round of funding. With the June 30 deadline looming, Ohio's House and Senate approved the budget and sent it to Governor Mike DeWine for final approval on June 28.