Montana Gov. Signs Executive Order To Protect Net Neutrality

In the wake of the Federal Communication Commission's vote to repeal net neutrality, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, signed an executive order on Monday that requires any internet service providers with state contracts to adhere to net neutrality principles.

Bullock is encouraging other governors and statehouses to do the same and his administration says they will offer the framework to other states who wish to follow.

"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. "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."

Bullock's executive order mandates that to receive a contract after July 1, 2018, an ISP must not:

• Block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices, subject to reasonable network management that is disclosed to the consumer
• Throttle, impair or degrade lawful internet traffic on the basis of internet content, application, or service, or use of a non-harmful device, subject to reasonable network management that is disclosed to the consumer
• Engaged in paid prioritization
• Unreasonably interfere with or unreasonable disadvantage:
  
  • Users' ability to select, access and use broadband internet access service or lawful internet content, applications, services or devices of their choice
  • Edge providers' ability to make lawful content, applications, services or devices available to end users

The executive order is effective immediately. The New York Times notes that Bullock's order could face legal challenges.

Bullock's executive order comes as attorneys general is over 20 states filed lawsuits to block the FCC's vote.

Last week, Senate Democrats said they were one vote shy to overturn the FCC's vote that does away with net neutrality. Whether Democrats will be able to get enough votes for the resolution of disapproval to pass remains unclear.

The FCC voted 3-2 in December to repeal the body's rules enforcing net neutrality, the principle that internet service providers should give equal access to all online content. The three Republicans on the committee voted to repeal the rules, while the two Democrats voted to preserve them.

Proponents of net neutrality argued that getting rid of the rules would open to door to internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon to take advantage of consumers. Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has said that repealing the rules would end the federal government's micromanaging of the internet.

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