[RTC List] CA Net Neutrality bill

[Sean McLaughlin]

Aloha + Howdy -

Here's an item about Net Neutrality policy action in CA that may be of 
interest (this was posted to national policy list yesterday) from a 
colleague at Media Alliance in Oakland (http://media-alliance.org):

________________________________
posted Monday 19 February 2007

*Assemblyman Mark Leno to Introduce Legislation to Keep the Internet 
Free and Open for Everyone;*
*Legislation will preserve equal opportunity to reach Internet users 
from the largest business to the single individual*

SACRAMENTO -Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) announced today he 
will introduce "Net Neutrality" legislation that will preserve the free 
and open Internet by allowing all users to access the content of their 
choice.

"The Internet has provided a forum for free speech and open 
communication, giving a voice for everyone from the largest business 
with the most expensive website to the individual with a one-person 
operation," said Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco).  "We can't 
allow those who want to serve as our Internet gatekeepers to 
discriminate against content and decide for us what we can and cannot 
view."

The legislation will preserve the Internet as we know it- a driving 
force of economic innovation, a valuable research tool and a forum of 
free speech and civic involvement.  Specifically, it will prevent 
companies that control the internet's infrastructure from discriminating 
against content based on its source or ownership.

Similar legislation has been introduced in Maryland and Maine, but the 
sizable force of California's economy is expected to help secure 
Internet freedom nationwide if the legislation becomes law.  The 
language of the bill closely resembles a concession made by AT&T in 
finalizing its merger with BellSouth late last year.  Last month US 
Senators Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) 
introduced legislation to preserve network neutrality.  Co-sponsors of 
this congressional bill include Senators Kerry, Boxer, Harkin, Leahy, 
Clinton and Obama.

Without such legislation, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will have 
the ability to use their power in a number of discriminatory ways such 
as block their customers from using rival web-based phone services, 
block their customers from visiting certain websites that offer 
political viewpoints other than their own, block emails from advocacy 
campaigns that may object to the company's policies or labor practices, 
as well as charge more money for "enhanced" services.
"The Internet has fostered innovation by providing a level playing 
field. This legislation will give content creators and users protection 
from discrimination by ISPs," Leno continued.

Assemblyman Leno has a long history as a civil rights leader and sees 
this legislation as a continuation of that work. "This is about the 
equality of opportunity and access online," Leno said. "The entire 
premise that has allowed the Internet to flourish is that the network 
itself does not discriminate."

###

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://redwoodtech.org/pipermail/list_redwoodtech.org/attachments/20070220/19463c69/attachment.html