California · Donald Trump · The Information · Ars Technica
California fights "preposterous" Trump admin demand to scrap state broadband laws
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 source. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
California is accepting $1.42 billion in broadband grant funding from the Trump administration, but the state is not accepting the Trump administration’s demand that it stop enforcing a net neutrality law and other telecom regulations.
Key facts
- California is slated to spend $1.42 billion to deploy broadband to 270,571 locations, and may ultimately receive up to $1.86 billion from BEAD for a mix of deployment and non-deployment projects
- Reynolds’ letter said the NTIA-imposed condition is “vague and ambiguous as to its scope and its relationship to Section 47 U.S.C. § 1702(g)(2)(A)(i) of the BEAD statute,” the US law that created
- The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) decided last year that states must agree not to enforce any rate regulation or net neutrality rule on ISPs that receive money
- The CPUC does not interpret Section 50 to require the CPUC to waive, release, or otherwise forfeit any rights, claims, arguments, or defenses concerning potential implications of Section 50
Summary
California’s stand against the Trump administration could result in multiple legal battles involving the state, federal government, and Internet providers seeking government funds. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) decided last year that states must agree not to enforce any rate regulation or net neutrality rule on ISPs that receive money from the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. State officials argue that California should be able to obtain the money and keep enforcing its laws because the Trump administration’s demand would violate the state’s constitutional rights.