Montana Senate Republicans Kill Net Neutrality Bill

Democratic members supported and Republicans opposed SB-355 at the webcast Thursday hearing of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee. Gov. Steve Bullock (D), who last year issued an executive order restricting state procurement to net-neutral ISPs, supported the bill, testified his chief legal counsel, Raphael Graybill. By making net neutrality rules cover all ISPs, the bill is “one step better” than the EO, Graybill said. GOP members don’t think the legislation is necessary. “I'm not convinced we need this bill at this time,” said Sen. Mike Cuffe (R). It tries to solve a nonexistent problem, said Sen. Doug Kary (R). The open market works better than regulation, said Sen. Keith Regier (R). Democrats responded that they didn’t see how the bill would harm ISPs that claim to be net neutral already. It’s better to avoid a problem than to wait for one, said Sen. Mike Phillips (D). Vice Chair Mary McNally (D) isn’t holding her breath for a federal answer. The telecom industry opposed the Montana bill. It “threatens regulation by speculation,” said Montana Telecommunications Association General Manager Geoff Feiss. Lawmakers should be more concerned about Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google that "prevent competitors from offering services on their platform,” he said. Graybill doesn’t deny there are problems with those companies, he said, but raising that concern is an “effort to sidestep what we’re trying to do here.” A Colorado net neutrality bill last week moved closer to final passage (see 1903280058).