Bills · 2017-2018 Regular Session
Relating to: requirements and prohibited practices for Internet service providers and granting rule-making authority. (FE)
Agriculture, trade and consumer protection, department of Data processing Telecommunications
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Passes Assembly, not reached
- Governor signs, not reached
- Law, not reached
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill prohibits a provider of broadband Internet access service (BIAS) from
doing any of the following:
1. Blocking lawful content, applications, or services or devices that do not harm
the network.
2. Throttling lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, application, or
service or use of a device that does not harm the network.
3. Engaging in paid prioritization, which is the favoring of some Internet traffic
over other traffic in exchange for some form of consideration.
4. Unreasonably interfering with or unreasonably disadvantaging an end
user's ability to select, access, and use BIAS or an edge provider's ability to make
lawful content, applications, services, and devices available to end users. An edge
provider is someone who provides any content, application, or service over the
Internet, or a device used for accessing any Internet content, application, or service.
5. Engaging in any unjust or unreasonable charge, practice, classification, or
regulation.
6. Making any unjust or unreasonable discrimination in charges, practices,
classifications, regulations, facilities, or services or subjecting any particular person,
class of persons, or locality to any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage
or prejudice or disadvantage.
7. Using, disclosing, or permitting access to any individually identifiable
customer proprietary network information except in the provision of the BIAS or
related service.
The bill also requires a BIAS provider to disclose commercial terms, which must
include information on pricing, other fees, and data caps and allowances, and to
disclose network performance characteristics, which must include information
regarding packet loss. In addition, the bill requires a BIAS provider to make its
services and equipment accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Finally, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection to create and implement a complaint process for responding to violations
of the bill's provisions.
What it would cost
Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs
Sponsors
Full history
- Jan 29, 2018 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Larson, Risser, Vinehout, Carpenter, Hansen, Johnson and Bewley; cosponsored by Representatives Brostoff, Anderson, Hebl, Vruwink, Berceau, Ohnstad, C. Taylor, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Crowley and Shankland
- Jan 29, 2018 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Elections and Utilities
- Feb 22, 2018 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 28, 2018 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1