Inslee Lifts Wash. Public Broadband Limits

Washington lifted municipal broadband restrictions Thursday when Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed HB-1336 and SB-5383, passed last month (see 2104260061). While together they remove limits, the Senate bill would add a reporting requirement specific to unserved areas. Reporting requirements will vary and localities “can do whatever they want,” and Inslee "believes expanding access to broadband is important to equity and increasing opportunity for Washingtonians facing barriers to internet connectivity," a spokesperson said Friday. Rep. Drew Hansen (D) replied Friday to a tweet by Institute for Local Self-Reliance Director-Community Broadband Networks Christopher Mitchell, who raised concerns the Senate bill might keep some muni limits. Mitchell later told us “decades of history of the raw political power of large cable and telephone companies makes me wary of any doubt in whether there are barriers to local Internet choice but unless I hear differently at this point, my impression is that Washington has removed its barriers to publicly-owned networks.” Also Thursday, Inslee signed HB-1477 implementing 988. He signed SB-5009 on strategic lawsuits against public participation Wednesday (see 2104150028).