Montana Gov. Steve Bullock Steve BullockIRS issues proposed rules to reduce donor disclosure requirements following court ruling The Hill's Campaign Report: North Carolina special election poses test for GOP ahead of 2020 Bullock unveils plan to support rural communities MORE (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.

“There has been a lot of talk around the country about how to respond to the recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission to repeal net neutrality rules, which keep the internet free and open. It’s time to actually do something about it,” Bullock said in a statement.

“This is a simple step states can take to preserve and protect net neutrality. We can’t wait for folks in Washington DC to come to their senses and reinstate these rules.”

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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.

The Republican FCC voted to dismantle those rules in December.

The FCC's repeal includes a ban on states implementing their own net neutrality rules, but Democratic-controlled legislatures around the country are eager to challenge that provision.

Democrats are fighting back by pushing for legislation in Congress that would wipe out the FCC vote, suing to overturn it and now by implementing laws at the state level. They argue the rules were an important check on the power of companies that control access to the internet, such as Comcast and Verizon.

But most Republicans, including FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, argue the rules were unnecessary and that existing laws are sufficient to preserve an open internet.

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.

“When the FCC repealed its net neutrality rules, it said consumers should choose,” Bullock said in his statement. “The State of Montana is one of the biggest consumers of internet services in our state. Today we’re making our choice clear: we want net neutrality.”

—Updated at 3:37 p.m.</s>WASHINGTON — Most efforts underway to restore so-called net neutrality face big obstacles and would take many months, if not years, to succeed.

But in Montana, the governor has used the stroke of a pen to bring the rules to broad parts of his state.

Through an executive order, Gov. Steve Bullock declared on Monday that any internet service provider with a state government contract cannot block or charge more for faster delivery of websites, two core aspects of net neutrality, to any customer in the state.

Many major landline and mobile broadband providers, including Charter, CenturyLink, AT&T and Verizon, hold government contracts in the state. The new requirements apply to new and renewed contracts signed after July 1, 2018.</s>HELENA, Mont. — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock signed an executive order Monday requiring telecommunications companies with state contracts to follow net neutrality principles, saying Montana would continue expectations about a “free and open Internet” and called on other states to follow his lead.

The executive order states that Internet, data and telecommunications contractors doing business with the state must adhere to net neutrality principles as of July 1.

That means the service provider can't block lawful Internet traffic “or unreasonably interfere or disadvantage the users’ ability to select, access, and use broadband internet access service.”

More: After net neutrality, brace for Internet 'fast lanes'

“Our citizens rely on free and open internet,” Bullock said, telling students at Helena High School that protection of rights requires “constant vigilance.”

“We can’t let internet companies stand in the way of how Montanans talk,” the Democratic governor said.

Bullock said he was the first governor in the nation to implement such action in the wake of the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality rules and called on other other governors to join him.

Bullock made his announcement in a computer science class at the same school he attended as a teen, telling them that the loss of internet neutrality principles threatens the future of the students "standing in this very room.”

More: Net neutrality rules threaten to rewind the Internet back to 2014. Is that possible?

In December, the Federal Communications Commission repealed the Obama-era “net neutrality” rules halting a principle that said all web traffic must be treated equally.

The move reportedly gives Internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T the ability to slow or block websites and apps as they see fit or charge more for faster speeds.

Some fear there will be some control as to what people see and do online. But the broadband industry has reportedly promised that the internet experience for the public isn’t going to change.

More than 20 state attorneys general have joined a lawsuit challenging the FCC repeal, which is expected to go into effect this spring.



 Bullock believed the executive order could withstand any legal challenges.

"We're simply setting the terms of purchase," he said.</s>Montana will require Internet service providers to follow net neutrality principles in order to receive state government contracts.

"There has been a lot of talk around the country about how to respond to the recent decision by Federal Communications Commission to repeal net neutrality rules, which keep the Internet free and open," Bullock said. "It's time to actually do something about it. This is a simple step states can take to preserve and protect net neutrality. We can't wait for folks in Washington, DC, to come to their senses and reinstate these rules." FCC will also order states to scrap plans for their own net neutrality laws

A copy of the governor's order was published by the Independent Record.

The FCC's repeal of net neutrality rules scrapped the US-wide regulations, and it preempts state and local governments from enacting their own, similar net neutrality rules.

Montana's attempt to enforce net neutrality rules could be challenged in court. But Bullock is attempting to sidestep the FCC's preemption by making net neutrality a condition of state contracts rather than a law applying broadly to any Internet service.

"The order directs that, to receive a contract from the State of Montana for providing telecommunications services, the service provider must not block lawful content, throttle, impair, or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of Internet content, engage in paid prioritization, or unreasonably interfere or disadvantage the users' ability to select, access, and use broadband Internet access service," Bullock's announcement said.

The executive order attempts to extend the net neutrality protections to residents and private businesses in Montana. To qualify for state contracts, ISPs must not violate net neutrality principles "with respect to any consumer in the State of Montana (including, but not limited to, the State itself)," the order says.

"Many major landline and mobile broadband providers, including Charter, CenturyLink, AT&T and Verizon, hold government contracts in the state," The New York Times wrote today.

The state's announcement said Bullock is the first governor to take this action. But there is net neutrality legislation pending in several other states.

Separately, 21 states and the District of Columbia are suing the FCC to overturn the net neutrality repeal and preemption of state rules.

The FCC's preemption authority does have limits, and those limits will be tested in the states' lawsuit against the FCC. A previous FCC decision to preempt state laws that restrict the expansion of municipal broadband was struck down by a federal appeals court.

Montana is not one of the states suing the FCC. Montana has a Republican attorney general, and only states with Democratic attorneys general have joined the lawsuit.</s>Following the repeal of net neutrality by Federal Communications Commission, Montana Governor Steve Bullock brought it back to the state through an executive order.

The order said that any internet service provider with a government contract cannot block or charge more for faster delivery of websites to any customer in the state.

“If you want to do business in Montana,” the Democratic Governor told the New York Times on Monday, when he signed the executive order, “there are standards on net neutrality you will have to follow.”

The new rule would affect any new or newly renewed contract inked after July 1 of this year. The list of providers that would likely be affected includes some of the industry’s biggest names. AT&T, Charter, CenturyLink and Verizon all currently have contracts with the state.

The action could face legal challenges from providers. If successful, however, it could be a method adopted by other states and become a national standard like auto emission rules, cybersecurity notification laws, or GMO food labels.

Bills are also being worked up in New York and Rhode Island using government contracts to regulate the practice of internet service providers.

The move is the latest effort by state lawmakers to push back against the Federal Communication Commission’s decision on December 15 to repeal net neutrality rules in a 3-2 vote. Net neutrality means internet service providers must treat all data on the web equally, regardless of the content, website, platform, application or method of communication. The FCC says states cannot create net neutrality laws.

Bullock told NYT the executive order was the fastest way to bring back net neutrality rules and to head off any decisions by internet service providers to begin throttling or charging websites more to reach customers.

The FCC argued net neutrality was preventing websites from investing trillions of dollars in network services. However, critics claim with net-neutrality regulations gone internet service providers will charge extra to prioritize traffic, effectively creating a ‘slow lane’ for smaller websites.

The executive order overrides the lengthy processes facing other recently filed opposition, including a lawsuit filed last week by 22 state attorneys general. Mozilla has also filed a similar suit, and 49 Democratic senators outlined their own plan for helping restore the net neutrality rules, originally established under the Obama administration.</s>WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Montana has passed an order that will require Internet service providers in the state to follow net neutrality principles in order to receive state government contracts.



Governor Steve Bullock Monday signed an executive order to protect net neutrality in Montana, beginning July 1, 2018.



Governor Bullock said, 'There has been a lot of talk around the country about how to respond to the recent decision by Federal Communications Commission to repeal net neutrality rules, which keep the internet free and open. It's time to actually do something about it. This is a simple step states can take to preserve and protect net neutrality. We can't wait for folks in Washington DC to come to their senses and reinstate these rules.'



Montana is the first state in the country to implement the order in the wake of the FCC's decision to repeal net neutrality rules. Governor Bullock invited other governors and statehouses to join him.



'To every governor and every legislator in every statehouse across the country, and to every small business and every Fortune 500 company that wants a free and open internet when they buy services: I will personally email this to you,' Bullock continued.



In December, the FCC had voted to deregulate the broadband industry and eliminate net neutrality rules that prohibit Internet service providers from blocking and throttling Internet traffic.



Meanwhile, Montana's decision to enforce net neutrality rules could be challenged in court.



However, Bullock's order directs that to receive a contract from the State of Montana for providing telecommunications services, the service provider must not block lawful content, throttle, impair or degrade lawful internet traffic on the basis of internet content, engage in paid prioritization, or unreasonably interfere or disadvantage the users' ability to select, access, and use broadband internet access service.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX</s>WASHINGTON — Most efforts underway to restore so-called net neutrality face big obstacles and would take many months, if not years, to succeed.

But in Montana, the governor plans to use the stroke of a pen to bring the rules to broad parts of his state.

Through an executive order, Gov. Steve Bullock will declare that any internet service provider with a state government contract cannot block or charge more for faster delivery of websites, two core aspects of net neutrality, to any customer in the state. Governor Bullock said in an interview that he expected to sign the order on Monday.

Many major landline and mobile broadband providers, including Charter, CenturyLink, AT&T and Verizon, hold government contracts in the state. The new requirements would apply to new and renewed contracts signed after July 1, 2018.

The action, the first of its kind by a governor, could face legal challenges.

In December, the Federal Communications Commission rolled back rules meant to protect a free and open internet. The new rules say that states cannot create net neutrality laws. The agency did not respond to a request for comment about the potential Montana action.

But Mr. Bullock and some public interest advocates who have advised him argue that the state has wide latitude to set conditions to any contracts with the government — one of the biggest customers in most cities and states — to get around the F.C.C.’s restrictions.</s>Montana just became the first state to establish its own net neutrality rules since the Federal Communications Commission ended the popular policy in December.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) signed an executive order on Monday that requires all internet service providers (ISPs) seeking to renew or acquire new state contracts to abide by net neutrality. In essence, these companies will be barred from blocking websites or charging more for faster delivery of websites.

“If you want to do business with Montana, there are standards on net neutrality you will have to follow,” Bullock said.

Bullock signed the order in front of a high school computer class in Helena, reported the Billings Gazette.

Montana state, county and local governments have about $50 million worth of contracts with ISPs, including national companies like Verizon, AT&T, Charter and CenturyLink, per the Gazette.

When the FCC repealed its net neutrality rules earlier last year, “it said consumers should choose,” Bullock added. “The state of Montana is one of the biggest consumers of internet services in our state. We’re making our choice clear: We want net neutrality.”

Now Bullock is encouraging other governors and state legislators to follow his example.

“This is a simple step states can take to preserve and protect net neutrality,” Bullock stated. “We can’t wait for folks in Washington to come to their senses and reinstate these rules.”

Attorneys from more than 20 states and the District of Columbia have sued to block the federal repeal. State legislatures in California, New York and other areas have also introduced net neutrality bills. But Bullock is the first governor to taken action, The Associated Press reported.

An unidentified spokeswoman for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and USTelecom, which represents the broadband industry, complained about the executive order, saying Congress and not individual states should write the rules.</s>Following the repeal of net neutrality by Federal Communications Commission, Montana Governor Steve Bullock brought it back to the state through an executive order."If you want to do business in Montana," the Democratic Governor told the New York Times on Monday, when he signed the executive order, "there are standards on net neutrality you will have to follow."The new rule would affect any new or newly renewed contract inked after July 1 of this year. The list of providers that would likely be affected includes some of the industry's biggest names. AT&T, Charter, CenturyLink and Verizon all currently have contracts with the state.The action could face legal challenges from providers.Bills are also being worked up in New York and Rhode Island using government contracts to regulate the practice of internet service providers.The move is the latest effort by state lawmakers to push back against the Federal Communication Commission's decision on December 15 to repeal net neutrality rules in a 3-2 vote.The FCC says states cannot create net neutrality laws.Bullock told NYT the executive order was the fastest way to bring back net neutrality rules and to head off any decisions by internet service providers to begin throttling or charging websites more to reach customers.The FCC argued net neutrality was preventing websites from investing trillions of dollars in network services. However, critics claim with net-neutrality regulations gone internet service providers will charge extra to prioritize traffic, effectively creating a 'slow lane' for smaller websites.The executive order overrides the lengthy processes facing other recently filed opposition, including a lawsuit filed last week by 22 state attorneys general. Mozilla has also filed a similar suit, and 49 Democratic senators outlined their own plan for helping restore the net neutrality rules, originally established under the Obama administration.</s>Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Monday issued an executive order to protect net neutrality in his state.

The executive order requires internet service providers with state contracts to adhere to net neutrality principles. Several major ISPs, including AT&T, Charter and Verizon hold state contracts.

"There has been a lot of talk around the country about how to respond to the recent decision by Federal Communications Commission to repeal net neutrality rules, which keep the internet free and open. It's time to actually do something about it," Bullock said in a statement. "This is a simple step states can take to preserve and protect net neutrality. We can't wait for folks in Washington, D.C to come to their senses and reinstate these rules.".

Bullock, a Democrat, is the first governor to attempt to thwart the Republican-led Federal Communications Commission's decision to repeal net neutrality. But other states have also responded to the FCC's actions.

Earlier this month, lawmakers in six states introduced bills that would also require ISPs with government contracts to follow net neutrality rules.

And last week when 21 states sued the agency for repealing net neutrality.

With different states enacting different rules on net neutrality, ISPs say they could run into problems.

"Following patchwork of legislation or regulation is costly and makes it even harder to invest in networks," Matt Polka, president of the American Cable Association, an ISP lobbying group, told The New York Times.

But Bullock said Monday that his actions were based on consumer choice.

"When the FCC repealed its net neutrality rules, it said consumers should choose," Bullock said Monday. "The State of Montana is one of the biggest consumers of internet services in our state. Today we're making our choice clear: we want net neutrality. It's good government, and our citizens who use online services rely on it."
Montana Governor Steve Bullock signs an executive order that bars any Internet service provider with state contracts from blocking or charging more for faster delivery of websites to any customer in the state. Montana is the first state to respond this way to the FCC's December 14, 2017, net neutrality ruling.