You can add Oregon to the list of states that are in bringing net neutrality law into reality. Oregon Governor Kate Brown has signed the state’s recently passed net neutrality bill (HD 4155) into law. ISPs will now be forced to honor net neutrality if they want to take advantage of government contracts.
Much like other states’ legislative campaigns, this is a creative workaround that will help bring equal treatment of internet traffic without directly overriding the FCC’s order. It’s not just Oregon either. Several other states such as Montana, New Jersey and New York have implemented similar legislation through governors’ executive orders.
While the bill was signed into law in Oregon, it doesn’t provide completely protection for consumers. It exempts companies when there’s only one fixed broadband option. This bill does prevent throttling or blocking outside of urgent situations, it does, however, allow for paid prioritization as long as there are “significant public interest benefits” and will not “harm the open nature” of the service.
You can expect telecoms to test the limits of these rules that are now in place, and USTelecom lobbing group is already threatening to pursue lawsuits against local governments that pass their own net neutrality legislation.
