California net neutrality bill takes another step forward

A California bill that would impose the nation's strictest net neutrality law has been approved by another state Senate committee, bringing it closer to passage. The California Senate Judiciary committee approved the bill April 24 in a 5-2 vote, with Democrats supporting the net neutrality rules and Republicans opposing them. The bill was also approved recently by the California Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee despite protests from AT&T and cable lobbyists. AT&T complained in last week's committee hearing that the bill "goes well beyond the FCC order of 2015."  The California net neutrality bill can proceed to a vote in the full state Senate after it goes through the Senate Appropriations Committee, which reviews bills that have a fiscal impact after they have been cleared by policy committees. With the Judiciary vote, the bill has cleared the last Senate policy committee that it needed approval from. The bill would also need approval from the Democratic-majority State Assembly and Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA).