Amended IN Assembly April 17, 2017 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Joint Resolution No. 7Introduced by Assembly Member MullinMarch 20, 2017Relative to the Internet. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAJR 7, as amended, Mullin. Internet: net neutrality: access.This measure would declare that the Legislature strongly supports, and would respectfully urge the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect, net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline programs discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-Rate E-rate programs discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries. The measure would declare that the Legislature views these as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO Bill TextWHEREAS, High-speed Internet access service, referred to generically as broadband advanced communication services, including both wired and wireless technologies, is essential in the 21st century for economic competitiveness and quality of life; andWHEREAS, Broadband infrastructure is vital to the operation and management of other critical infrastructures, including energy generation systems, the power grid, water supply systems, smart cities, the Internet of Things, public safety and emergency response systems, medical facilities, educational institutions, and libraries; andWHEREAS, Studies confirm that the use of broadband advanced communication services increases economic productivity, public and private organizational operation efficiency, and enhanced business profitability; andWHEREAS, The provision and maintenance of equitable access to technology, broadband Internet access services, digital content, and management tools are necessary for all students, teachers, and school administrators in California, including those in rural and other unserved and underserved areas, in order to provide equal educational resources to all students at all education levels; andWHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the Open Internet Order to protect net neutrality, the principle that the government should treat all Internet traffic equally, regardless of its source and who consumes it; adopted open Internet rules on February 26, 2015, to protect free expression and innovation on the Internet and to promote investment in the nations broadband networks; andWHEREAS, Those open Internet rules ensure that consumers and businesses have access to a fast, fair, and open Internet by imposing three bright-line rules: (1) Broadband providers shall not block access to lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices; (2) Broadband providers shall not impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, application, or service, or use of a nonharmful device; and (3) Broadband providers shall not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful Internet traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind; andWHEREAS, The FCC net neutrality rules reclassified broadband Internet access service as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, which was enacted to protect consumers by banning unjust or unreasonable discrimination in the provision of telephone services under the same principles now extended to Internet access; andWHEREAS, Because the Internet must be a place in which companies, large and small, as well as individual developers, can compete on a level playing field, the State of California supports net neutrality as a principle that underpins a free fast, fair, and open Internet and ensures for consumers and businesses to ensure equal access to lawful content by prohibiting paid prioritization, throttling, and blocking; andWHEREAS, The FCCs federal Lifeline program provides a discount on telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers in every state, territory, commonwealth, and Tribal land, and ensures that all Americans have the opportunities and security that telephone service provides, including connecting to jobs, family, and emergency services; andWHEREAS, On March 31, 2016, the FCC adopted a comprehensive reform and modernization of the federal Lifeline program by including broadband Internet access service as a support service in the federal Lifeline program and established a federal Lifeline National Eligibility Verifier to make independent subscriber eligibility determinations; andWHEREAS, Established as a part of the 1996 federal Telecommunications Act, Act of 1996, the FCCs E-Rate E-rate program provides discounts on telecommunication and Internet access services to schools and libraries, based on poverty level; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature strongly supports each of the above positions, initiatives, and programs, views them as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them; and be it furtherResolved, That the Legislature respectfully urges the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline programs discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-Rate E-rate programs discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.
Amended IN Assembly April 17, 2017 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Joint Resolution No. 7Introduced by Assembly Member MullinMarch 20, 2017Relative to the Internet. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAJR 7, as amended, Mullin. Internet: net neutrality: access.This measure would declare that the Legislature strongly supports, and would respectfully urge the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect, net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline programs discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-Rate E-rate programs discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries. The measure would declare that the Legislature views these as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO
Amended IN Assembly April 17, 2017
Amended IN Assembly April 17, 2017
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Joint Resolution No. 7
Introduced by Assembly Member MullinMarch 20, 2017
Introduced by Assembly Member Mullin
March 20, 2017
Relative to the Internet.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AJR 7, as amended, Mullin. Internet: net neutrality: access.
This measure would declare that the Legislature strongly supports, and would respectfully urge the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect, net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline programs discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-Rate E-rate programs discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries. The measure would declare that the Legislature views these as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them.
This measure would declare that the Legislature strongly supports, and would respectfully urge the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect, net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline programs discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-Rate E-rate programs discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries. The measure would declare that the Legislature views these as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, High-speed Internet access service, referred to generically as broadband advanced communication services, including both wired and wireless technologies, is essential in the 21st century for economic competitiveness and quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Broadband infrastructure is vital to the operation and management of other critical infrastructures, including energy generation systems, the power grid, water supply systems, smart cities, the Internet of Things, public safety and emergency response systems, medical facilities, educational institutions, and libraries; and
WHEREAS, Studies confirm that the use of broadband advanced communication services increases economic productivity, public and private organizational operation efficiency, and enhanced business profitability; and
WHEREAS, The provision and maintenance of equitable access to technology, broadband Internet access services, digital content, and management tools are necessary for all students, teachers, and school administrators in California, including those in rural and other unserved and underserved areas, in order to provide equal educational resources to all students at all education levels; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the Open Internet Order to protect net neutrality, the principle that the government should treat all Internet traffic equally, regardless of its source and who consumes it; adopted open Internet rules on February 26, 2015, to protect free expression and innovation on the Internet and to promote investment in the nations broadband networks; and
WHEREAS, Those open Internet rules ensure that consumers and businesses have access to a fast, fair, and open Internet by imposing three bright-line rules: (1) Broadband providers shall not block access to lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices; (2) Broadband providers shall not impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, application, or service, or use of a nonharmful device; and (3) Broadband providers shall not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful Internet traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind; and
WHEREAS, The FCC net neutrality rules reclassified broadband Internet access service as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, which was enacted to protect consumers by banning unjust or unreasonable discrimination in the provision of telephone services under the same principles now extended to Internet access; and
WHEREAS, Because the Internet must be a place in which companies, large and small, as well as individual developers, can compete on a level playing field, the State of California supports net neutrality as a principle that underpins a free fast, fair, and open Internet and ensures for consumers and businesses to ensure equal access to lawful content by prohibiting paid prioritization, throttling, and blocking; and
WHEREAS, The FCCs federal Lifeline program provides a discount on telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers in every state, territory, commonwealth, and Tribal land, and ensures that all Americans have the opportunities and security that telephone service provides, including connecting to jobs, family, and emergency services; and
WHEREAS, On March 31, 2016, the FCC adopted a comprehensive reform and modernization of the federal Lifeline program by including broadband Internet access service as a support service in the federal Lifeline program and established a federal Lifeline National Eligibility Verifier to make independent subscriber eligibility determinations; and
WHEREAS, Established as a part of the 1996 federal Telecommunications Act, Act of 1996, the FCCs E-Rate E-rate program provides discounts on telecommunication and Internet access services to schools and libraries, based on poverty level; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature strongly supports each of the above positions, initiatives, and programs, views them as high priorities for California and the country, and opposes any federal efforts to rescind or block them; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature respectfully urges the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress to continue to protect net neutrality, open Internet access, the federal Lifeline programs discounted telephone service for qualifying low-income consumers, and the E-Rate E-rate programs discounted telecommunication and Internet access services for schools and libraries; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.