Two state Senate committees will hear and vote on A.B 375 next week, legislation that will restore your broadband privacy rights.
Update: The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee has since waived jurisdiction over the bill, so it will face only two committees not three as the post originally stated.
Earlier this year, Congress voted to repeal federal privacy rules that kept your ISP from selling information about who you are and what you do online without your permission. That wildly unpopular vote undid years of work at the FCC to prevent companies that you already pay to access the Internet from also monetizing information about what you look at, what you buy, and who you talk to online.
Last week, companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon attempted to stall the bill in its first committee in hopes of running out the clock. They failed, but now they will now make every effort to vote the bill down in any one of these next two committees. If the telecom lobby wins in any of these committees, the bill will be stalled for the rest of the year.
EFF will be testifying at both committees in support of the legislation and will be in Sacramento fighting hard this week to convince state legislators to restore your broadband privacy rights. But we can’t do this alone and we need your help. One of the most effective ways to counter the influence of giant cable and telephone companies is for regular people to directly advocate to their elected official to take action. We know requiring cable and telephone companies to obtain your consent first before selling your personal information enjoys support across the political spectrum, but we need to make sure our voice is heard in Sacramento this week.
If you live in the state of California, pick up the phone and call your state senator today and demand that they vote yes on A.B. 375. Then recruit your other California friends to also make that call. This is especially important if your hometown senator is listed below, as these senators are first up in deciding whether large cable and telephone companies will retain the ability to monetize your personal information without your consent.
Tell your representatives to support online privacy.
Proposed Hearing and Voting Schedule for Next Week
Utilities and Energy Committee – Estimated Hearing and Voting Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Senator Ben Hueso (Chair)
Senator Mike Morrell (Vice Chair)
Senator Steven Bradford
Senator Anthony Cannella
Senator Robert M. Hertzberg
Senator Jerry Hill
Senator Mike McGuire
Senator Nancy Skinner
Senator Henry I. Stern
Senator Andy Vidak
Senator Scott D. Wiener
Judiciary Committee – Estimated Hearing and Voting Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (Chair)
Senator John M. W. Moorlach (Vice Chair)
Senator Joel Anderson
Senator Robert M. Hertzberg
Senator Bill Monning
Senator Henry I. Stern
Senator Bob Wieckowski
