Scroll Top

TURNER STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR MURPHY’S NET NEUTRALITY EXECUTIVE ORDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTION

Senator Turner

 

TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner issued the following statement on actions taken today by the Murphy Administration to combat the rollback of net neutrality rules. Governor Phil Murphy today signed an executive order directing state contracting authorities to require that all future contracts for internet, data, and telecommunications be awarded only to Internet Service Providers that adhere to net neutrality principles. He also announced that the Attorney General will join 21 other states and the District of Columbia in challenging the FCC repeal.

Senator Turner introduced legislation today that would prohibit the awarding of public contracts to Internet service providers, unless ISPs adhere to the principle of “net neutrality.” She also introduced a Senate Resolution urging the Attorney General to join the 22 attorneys general in challenging the FCC repeal.

“The repeal of net neutrality rules threatens access to the internet and the free flow of information to the public. It creates an environment in which corporations can dictate how and at what cost consumers access vital information.

“We need to take action to protect equal access to the internet for the public, and defend our residents against the harm this could cause. Last week, the state Senate passed a resolution I sponsored urging action at the federal level to protect the public from the FCC actions. We can and should do more.

“I applaud Governor Murphy for prioritizing this issue. Utilizing New Jersey’s purchasing power to implement a statewide standard, and require that public contracts for internet, data and telecommunications are awarded only to those that adhere to the principle of net neutrality, is the right thing to do.

“I also want to thank the state Attorney General for his move to join the other states challenging the repeal of net neutrality rules. Making sure the internet remains an open platform and that internet service providers aren’t free to speed, slow or block access to content online is critical in the 21st Century where people and businesses depend on access to this information in their daily lives.”