S1209 Passes NC Senate, on to the House

The bill that will slow, if not stop public broadband deployment in NC passed the Senate last night. Here’s the newest version. The City of Wilson’s Greenlight network is safe.

Here’s an update from Catharine Rice of Action Audits:

“S1209 received more than 30 minutes of discussion on its third reading. The State’s heros include Senator Joe Sam Queen (D-Haywood, Yancey), Senator Atwater (D- Chatham County), Senator Purcell (D- Scotland) and Senator Snow (D- Cherokee) who all spoke with impassioned tones on the harms that will be brought to North Carolina by placing a moratorium on our local communities which will prevent them from deploying broadband. Senator Hoyle introduced a substitute amendment to Senator Joe Sam’s amendment to strip out the moratorium, undercutting it, simply with a request to fix a technical mistake in the bill’s deadline for the moratorium – a substitute Hoyle would have submitted without Joe Sam’s amendment.  Fifteen Senators in essence voted with Senator Joe Sam by denying  Hoyle’s amendment, which rendered only 33 votes.”

“Speaking for the bill, and for the industry’s control of our broadband future, were Senator Hoyle (D-Gaston), Senator Clodfelter (D-Charlotte Mecklenberg) and Senator Josh Stein (D-Wake).  It passed 41 to 7.”

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