Net neutrality bill moves forward

Measures meant to protect net neutrality survived a first hearing Wednesday.

Key to the proposal sponsored by Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) is a prohibition against state internet service providers deciding what information is readily available to their consumers.

HF136 would still allow the common network management practice of prioritizing file types to maintain traffic flow. But internet service providers found to engage in the practice of altering flow based on data content or misleading consumers on how the company treats internet traffic would face the loss of government contracts and possible legal penalties.

The House Commerce Committee approved the bill, as amended, and sent it to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Joe Konstan, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota, explained net neutrality is simply treating the data on the internet the same regardless of who it came from or where it is going.

The bill failed to earn support from industry testifiers.

Representatives from the Minnesota Cable Communications Association, Bevcomm, AT&T, and the Minnesota High Tech Association said the solution to net neutrality needs to be decided at the federal level.

The regulatory uncertainty the bill would create for state ISPs, which must handle interstate and global traffic, would act as a, “disincentive for investment,” according to Tony Mendoza, legal counsel for the cable communications association.

Mendoza and the other ISP representatives said they practice and support net neutrality already.

That came in contrast to the testimony of John Gordon, executive director at the Minnesota ACLU. He recounted a number of instances in which content was limited by providers who pushed paid content or limited content available to subscribers.

Gordon said you don’t find companies spending money to fight a law just so they can follow it voluntarily.

The companion, SF317, sponsored by Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), awaits action by the Senate Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee.