Court Blocks NY Broadband Affordability Law -- for Now

New York may not start enforcing a state broadband law requiring $15 monthly low-income plans that was to go into effect Tuesday, a federal judge ruled (in Pacer) Friday.

U.S. District Court for Eastern New York Judge Denis Hurley granted a motion for preliminary injunction in case 21-cv-2389 by the New York State Telecommunications Association, CTIA, ACA Connects, USTelecom, NTCA and the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association. While stopping the state from enforcing the law for now, the court will later decide its legality.

At oral argument earlier this month, Hurley grilled New York about how the state’s law squares with the FCC 2018 net neutrality order. The case raises preemption issues like those in California net neutrality and Maine ISP privacy cases where courts supported states.

The New York attorney general's office didn't comment right away.