California May Roll Back Net Neutrality Law Under Pressure From Trump Administration Broadband Rules

California may scale back its state net neutrality law in order to comply with conditions attached to federal broadband funding under the Trump administration, according to a report published by Ars Technica.

The report states that grants tied to broadband expansion programs administered under the Trump administration include a condition forbidding states from enforcing their own net neutrality laws. California, which passed one of the strongest state-level net neutrality statutes in the country in 2018, is reportedly among the states now weighing changes to its law in order to remain eligible for the federal funding.

Net neutrality rules generally require internet service providers to treat all internet traffic equally, without blocking, throttling, or prioritizing certain content or services for payment. California's law was enacted after the Federal Communications Commission repealed federal net neutrality protections during the first Trump administration, and it has served as a model for similar legislation in other states.

According to Ars Technica, the prospect of gutting the state law reflects a broader tension between federal broadband funding conditions and state-level consumer protection statutes. The report did not specify further details of the legislative process, the exact scope of proposed changes to California's law, or a timeline for any decision.

Ars Technica's report indicates that the situation remains developing, and it is not yet clear whether California lawmakers will ultimately move to amend or repeal parts of the state's net neutrality statute, or how other states with similar laws might respond to the same federal funding conditions.