The FCC announced the final agenda for its February 14, 2019, Open Meeting. The agenda is as follows:
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The Regulatory Mix Today: FCC Open Meeting Agenda, New York Governor Announces $31.6 Million in Funding for Electric Vehicles, House Legislation On Open Internet
New York Governor Announces $31.6 Million in Funding for Electric Vehicles
"More and more New Yorkers are seeking out cleaner and greener means of transportation, and we must ensure there is necessary infrastructure in place across the state so drivers can travel any distance without fear of losing power," Governor Cuomo said. "These public-private partnerships will spur the development of this growing industry, create new jobs, and advance our aggressive efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
House Legislation On Open Internet
At the February 7, 2019, House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the Open Internet See the Regulatory Mix dated 2/1/19, ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) called on Congress to pass a permanent legislative solution to net neutrality. “The fact is, since its creation the internet has been the single most important driver of economic growth, job creation, and a better quality of life for all Americans. How we address the future of the internet will impact generations of Americans to come and deserves an open and honest public debate.” Walden has introduced legislation that codifies into law permanent prohibitions on blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization for internet traffic, and requires that internet service providers (ISPs) be transparent in their network management practices and prices. It is identical to legislation Walden introduced in 2015.
Other members of the committee introduced their own bills. Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) introduced net neutrality legislation that he believes could gain bipartisan support because it is based on legislation introduced by former Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and does not use the Title II framework. Latta said about the bill, “Like most attempts over the years in Congress and the FCC alike, the bill focuses on the potential behaviors of concern, namely, blocking, throttling, and discriminatory practices. What it does not include is the drastic, outlier measure of reclassifying broadband into Title II, the part of statute meant to regulate the monopoly telephone carriers of the last century. Title II is from the era of this antique that was used by my family before telephones even had rotary dials.”
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) also introduced a bill called the Promoting Internet Freedom and Innovation Act. She said: “[m]y bill is based on the Washington State law and would codify the “bright line rules” of Net Neutrality, specifically: no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization… The Internet is vital to our future, and the opportunity that it provides is vital to the economic potential of hardworking men and women in the 21st century. I want to once and for all resolve this manufactured political debate and provide certainty to the internet ecosystem so that we can make that opportunity a reality for every single American.”
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.