Trump administration suing California over new net neutrality rules

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) on Sunday signed a new net neutrality law that prohibits internet service providers from slowing down or blocking websites and charging customers higher fees for faster speeds with certain sites, and within hours the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the state.

In a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the Justice Department "should not have to spend valuable time and resources to file this suit today, but we have a duty to defend the prerogatives of the federal government and protect our constitutional order." While Oregon, Washington, and Vermont have passed their own measures, California restored Obama-era protections that were repealed by the Federal Communications Commission late last year.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat who sponsored the bill, in a statement said that net neutrality "at its core is the basic notion that we each get to decide where we go on the internet, as opposed to having that decision made for us by internet service providers. It's also about ensuring a level playing field for ideas and for businesses trying to compete."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up