More States Considering Low Broadband Prices

Now that New York’s Affordable Broadband Act has gone into effect, other states are looking to mandate low broadband rates for low-income households. The New York law went into effect when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of the case. State Senator Pavel Pavano (D-MA) of Massachusetts proposed SD1200, “An Act preserving broadband service for low-income consumers”. This law proposes that all internet service providers (ISPs) offer 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) broadband to qualified low-income households for $15 per month. This fee must include equipment rental and any usage charges, meaning no separate charges for modems or for data caps. Unlike New York, there is no exception for small ISPs. The qualification for the discount seems to match the qualification used for the now-defunct federal ACP plan. In California, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-CA) introduced  AB 353 that provides broadband discounts for low-income households. The bill generally requires ISPs to offer affordable home broadband to customers. This proposed law doesn’t yet suggest any specific rates or broadband speeds, but the intention of legislators is to add that requirement at some point. The proposed bill is being linked to the larger Digital Equity Bill of Rights legislation and introduces the legislative concept that ISPs should have affordable rates.