California governor signs nation’s strictest net neutrality bill

{mosads}California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) called the bill a “true win for the internet and for an open society,” the Bee reported.

California legislators wrote the bill last year after the Trump administration eliminated net neutrality rules.

Senior Justice Department officials told The Washington Post on Sunday they are planning to sue California over the legislation, claiming the federal government should maintain exclusive authority over net neutrality policies.

The Trump administration has sued California over its “sanctuary” immigration policies.  

Telecommunications companies have rallied against the bill, and the United States Telecom Association in a statement said it believes net neutrality should be the purview of the federal government. 

“Broadband providers strongly support net neutrality, but SB 822 undercuts California’s long history as a vibrant catalyst for innovation and technology,” USTelecom chief Jonathan Spalter said in a statement. “The internet must be governed by a single, uniform and consistent national policy framework, not state-by-state piecemeal approaches.” 

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in a statement after the bill’s signing said it was a win in the battle against the president’s net neutrality policies.

“While the Trump Administration continues to ignore the millions of Americans who voiced strong support for net neutrality rules, California – home to countless start-ups, tech giants and nearly 40 million consumers – will not allow a handful of power brokers to dictate sources for information or the speed at which websites load,” Becerra said. “We remain deeply committed to protecting freedom of expression, innovation and fairness.”

Brown signed the bill hours after approving legislation that made California the first state to require publicly traded companies to include women on their boards of directors.