Montana Becomes First State To Implement Net Neutrality After FCC Repeal (thehill.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Hill: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) signed an executive order on Monday requiring internet service providers with state contracts to abide by net neutrality principles. The order makes his state the first to push back on the Federal Communications Commission's decision to repeal the open internet rules last month. The order says that in order to receive a contract with the state government, internet service providers must not engage in blocking or throttling web content or create internet fast lanes. Those practices were all banned under the Obama-era 2015 net neutrality order. Bullock's office said the executive order goes into effect immediately, but there will be a six-month grace period for companies to ensure that they're in compliance. The governor said on Monday that he is encouraging his counterparts and legislators in other states to follow suit, promising to personally email a copy of his order to any who ask for it. Further reading: The New York Times

Comments

Re:Montana? MONTANA?

[seasunset]

I live in Montana. Not an American citizen, but proud of being here. Best place in the world.

Have you noticed that this is an executive order signed by a DEMOCRATIC governor?

Re:Montana? MONTANA?

[silas_moeckel]

Why is it that strange, conservative legislature with a liberal governor should end up more centrist with less stupid left or right wing bits.

American here, this's due to how our politics work

[rsilvergun]

They're a rural state and the governor knows damn well he won't survive reelection if his constituents are getting screwed over by big city folk. It's the same reason the FCC backed down on reclassifying Mobile internet as broadband and didn't lower the speed caps for it. The Republican party is heavily dependent on rural voters. The American political system is built in such a way as to grant them disproportionate amounts of voting power; most notably the Senate and Electral college but there are other examples. What's more rural voter's interests often don't align with city voters, making them prime candidates for politicking. OTOH, there's lots of good reason for rural voters to oppose the Republican party. The Republicans have to be careful right now or they'll lose those voters and with them the country.