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California on Thursday moved to reinstate Obama-era open-internet rules, challenging Trump administration rollback efforts and setting the state on a path to have the strongest net-neutrality rules in the nation.
The California bill would forbid internet service providers from blocking websites, intentionally slowing down a website or app or accepting payments to make online services go faster. Such regulations resemble those adopted by the Obama-era Federal Communications Commission.
The fight over net neutrality has become a rallying cry for Democrats since the FCC, led by Trump appointee Ajit Pai, last year did away with the 2015 rules governing internet service providers.
The bill passed the California assembly Thursday by a preliminary count of 59-18, according to the clerk’s office, and now returns to the state senate, which previously passed a similar version. If it passes again there and is then signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, California would have the nation’s strongest net-neutrality rules.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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