California may gut state net neutrality law to comply with Trump admin demand
Advocates say accepting the $1.4 billion grant could force California to weaken net neutrality rules and limit affordable broadband programs.
- California utility regulators voted on Thursday to authorize staff to accept more than $1.4 billion in federal broadband funding, supporting over 80 projects serving more than 270,000 people.
- The Trump administration's BEAD program requires states accepting funds to roll back net neutrality protections, a condition that critics argue threatens public safety and could cost Californians more than $5 billion in lost low-cost internet programs.
- Stanford Law School professor Barbara van Schewick and Public Knowledge vice president Harold Feld urged Governor Gavin Newsom to challenge the conditions in court before finalizing the agreement. Van Schewick said accepting the terms would mean giving up net neutrality protections "for $1.4 billion" which is "mind boggling."
- Legal expert Goodman noted California could sue in the Ninth Circuit Court before finalizing the agreement, offering "a pretty good view of success." Challenging the terms after accepting funds requires the Columbia Circuit, where it is "a much, much harder push."
- New York recently accepted $664.6 million in BEAD funding but may now be unable to enforce its Affordable Broadband Act, which requires ISPs to offer $15- or $20-per-month service to low-income households. The precedent illustrates the stakes for California's decision.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Cal Matters
California is poised to get $1.4 billion for broadband. But there’s a huge catch
California’s bid for $1.4 billion in broadband funding has been five years in the making. Now the Trump administration says it must give up net neutrality and other state internet rules.
Trump Says California Can’t Stand Up To Big Telecom If It Wants Taxpayer Grants
As the federal U.S. government has given up on consumer protection and corporate oversight, states have filled the void with various degrees of success. That’s been particularly apparent in areas like telecom, where the corruption-fueled death of federal privacy and net neutrality protections have been replicated in a handful of states like California, which passed […]
Consumer Advocates Call on California to Fight BEAD Restrictions
Consumer advocates in California are calling on state officials to fight a provision added to the BEAD program by the Trump administration that would require the state to stop enforcing its net neutrality law and consumer protections on BEAD subgrantees...
California May Repeal State Net Neutrality Law to Meet Trump Administration Demands
7 — Challenges in California’s Acceptance of Federal Funds California faces legal hurdles in accepting federal funds, with the possibility of legal action against the Trump administration’s conditions. Attorney Goodman explains that California’s options for legal challenge are limited, with higher chances of success in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Speaking on the difficulties [...]
California has already approved its state proposal to receive up to $1.860 million from the federal BEAD program, but funding requires that it cease to apply its network neutrality rules and other regulatory protections to certain providers for years.
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