NLC: 17 States Pre-Empt Muni Broadband
More state legislatures are pre-empting local authorities on municipal broadband and other areas, the National League of Cities said in a Wednesday blog post. A recent NLC report said 17 states pre-empt localities from deploying muni broadband, said NLC Research…
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Associate Trevor Langan. State pre-emption “means a loss of local control for cities,” he wrote. “This can have negative effects on local economies and the rights of marginalized groups. Moreover, these laws counter the intentions of local leaders and their communities.” States usually pre-empt municipal broadband by either banning a public entity from providing the service or by placing sufficient barriers to discourage local broadband efforts, NLC reported.