NY decrees net neutrality for web firms with state contracts

ALBANY, N.Y. – New York state will require all internet providers to observe net neutrality or risk losing their eligibility for state contracts.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo enacted the policy through executive order Wednesday, following a similar move by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Monday. Several states are considering how to respond after the Federal Communications Commission last month repealed its net neutrality policy.

New York state legislators had pushed for the new policy as a way to protect consumers by using the state’s lucrative information technology contracts as leverage over internet companies.

Attorneys general for 21 states and the District of Columbia have sued to block the repeal of the federal policy, which had banned companies from interfering with web traffic or speeds to favor certain sites or apps.