WASHINGTON — Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan is part of a coalition seeking to block the rollback of net neutrality rules by the Federal Communications Commission.
Vermont is one of 21 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., challenging the FCC’s December decision to scrap Obama-era regulations that require internet service providers to offer unfettered access to all content on the internet.
“Vermonters deserve and expect fair treatment when it comes to internet access,” Donovan said in a statement. “The FCC’s unjustified action threatens the lifeblood of businesses and consumers to transact commerce freely and fairly.”
The group of 22 attorneys general filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking a federal appeals court to determine the rollback of the rules is “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.”
Those in favor of eliminating the net neutrality rules, including FCC Chair Ajit Pai, say the regulations shackled telecommunications companies and that lifting them will spur expansion of broadband into rural areas. But opponents of the move fear that repealing the rules will enable the division of internet service into “fast lanes” and “slow lanes.”
Providers could charge consumers fees to access some web content and could slow or block access to websites that don’t pay additional fees.
According to the statement from Donovan’s office, the policy change would have “dire consequences” for businesses and consumers in Vermont and beyond.
Meanwhile, momentum is growing in Congress among Democrats to block the net neutrality rollback through a procedure that allows lawmakers to keep a rule from taking effect by a simple majority vote.
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said Friday he is a sponsor of legislation to stop the rule, though he is not optimistic the measure will move forward under Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan’s leadership.
Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are backing a similar resolution in the Senate, where the initiative has more momentum.
All 49 members of the Democratic caucus in the Senate signed on, according to caucus leadership. The measure is just one vote shy of passage in that chamber, because Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has said she will support it.
Even if the Senate does adopt the resolution, the House would need to pass a similar measure in order to block the regulations the FCC adopted in December.
