Md. Hears State Support, Comcast Opposition to Net Neutrality Bill

Maryland lawmakers heard testimony on a revived net neutrality bill, a day after a California law was tentatively upheld by a judge (see 2102230074). Maryland HB-1064 would prohibit fixed ISPs from blocking content, ensure that state funds can be used to contract only ISPs that comply with net neutrality rules, and block governments that provide broadband service from use restrictions that prohibit free speech. The Maryland House Economic Matters Committee heard testimony Wednesday on Del. Kirill Reznik's bill. A Democrat, Reznik expects the committee to consider designating broadband service as a regulated utility later in the legislative session. The consumer protection division of the state attorney general’s office expressed “strong support” for the bill. “If you were to allow ISPs to make it more difficult for people to use the internet for their basic needs, then that would only exacerbate the digital divide,” testified Deputy Chief Steve Sakamoto-Wengel. But the internet “did not break” after the COVID-19 pandemic hit because “companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T invested hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Sean Looney, Comcast vice president-state government affairs. “Legislation like this discourages investment,” he said. “If you want to make sure that people have access to the internet, don’t pass a piece of legislation like this.” Looney said Comcast supports federal legislation to “stop this regulatory pendulum” of individual states passing their own versions of net neutrality. Del. Lorig Charkoudian (D) pressed Looney on why Comcast opposed the FCC 2015 net neutrality order, saying his comment appeared “inconsistent with my understanding of Comcast’s position.”