Rhode Island governor orders state agencies to only use internet services that follow net neutrality rules

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) ordered state agencies to use internet providers who observe net neutrality rules, the Providence Journal reported Tuesday.

Raimondo said she issued the executive order so Rhode Islanders can “rely on the free exchange of information on the internet including the ability to access the content of their choosing.”

The order mimics legislation pending in the state’s General Assembly that is intended to incentivize internet providers into following the Obama-era rules repealed by President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

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The governors of New York, New Jersey and Montana have signed similar orders for their state agencies, according to Raimondo’s office.

Several states have passed their own net neutrality laws since the December repeal.

Earlier this month, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed a bill similar to one passed in Washington state that blocked internet service providers like AT&T and Comcast from throttling online traffic.

The FCC included a provision blocking states from creating their own net neutrality rules, meaning the Washington and Oregon laws will likely face a legal challenge.

Attorney generals from 22 blue states filed a lawsuit in February aimed at preserving net neutrality.