Montana becomes first state with net neutrality mandate after FCC repeal News
Montana becomes first state with net neutrality mandate after FCC repeal

Montana governor Steve Bullock signed an executive order [text] on Monday that will make companies provide nondiscriminatory internet services in order to obtain a contract within the state.

The executive order takes effect starting July 1, 2018. Soon, Montana telecommunications providers are not to: block lawful content, speed-up or slow-down certain web pages, allow companies to pay for faster loading of their web content, or generally engage in any activity that hinders Montanans’ access to equal and open internet.

According to the executive order, “Montanans expect and rely on the traditional principle that internet service providers will not pick and choose what content they can see-rather, Montanans expect that their internet service providers will be “neutral.”

This change comes after the FCC repealed net neutrality [JURIST report] in December. Since then, 22 state attorneys general and non-profits have challenged the repeal [JURIST report].

Montana will formalize specifications for the order by March.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Georgia became first US state to ban lynching

On December 20, 1893, Georgia became the first state in the Union to pass a law against lynching, making the act punishable by four years in prison. The statute was not particularly effective—read the text of the 1899 pamphlet Lynch Law in Georgia by anti-lynching activist Ida Wells-Barnett.