MA S45

Bill

Protecting internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduced
03/29/2021

In Committee
03/29/2021

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2022

Introduced Session

192nd General Court

Bill Summary

For legislation to protect internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.

AI Summary

This bill aims to protect internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic. It defines key terms such as "Broadband Internet Access Service," "COVID-19 emergency," and "Internet Service Provider." The bill prohibits Internet Service Providers from increasing costs, imposing new fees or data caps, or shutting off service for subscribers unable to pay due to financial hardship caused by the pandemic. It also establishes a moratorium on pre-existing data caps or allowances during the COVID-19 emergency and 60 days thereafter. Mobile Internet Service Providers are exempt from the provisions of this act, and the bill is set to expire 60 days after the termination of the governor's state of emergency declaration, with a possible 180-day extension.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (14)

Harriette Chandler (D)*, Christine Barber (D), Sal DiDomenico (D), Adam Gómez (D), Carlos González (D), Vanna Howard (D), Kay Khan (D), Jason Lewis (D), Susan Moran (D), Dave Robertson (D), Dave Rogers (D), Lindsay Sabadosa (D), Paul Schmid (D), Andy Vargas (D),

Last Action

Accompanied a study order, see S2683 (on 02/10/2022)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S45

(30 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S45
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S45.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H137	Establishing free broadband internet access in public housing	Accompanied a study order, see H5040	Similar To
H139	Protecting internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic	Accompanied a study order, see H5040	Similar To
H141	Removing barriers to internet regulation, competition and affordability	Accompanied a study order, see H5040	Similar To
H3702	Providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave	Signed by the Governor, Chapter 16 of the Acts of 2021	Similar To
H3771	Similar Bills	Text of amendment, see H3702	Similar To
H3872	Similar Bills	Published as amended, see H3874	Similar To
H4461	Relative to work and family mobility	Published as amended, see H4470	Similar To
H4470	Relative to work and family mobility	Reported by H4805	Similar To
H4945	FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE	Read for information and returned	Similar To
H5055	Relative to the educational needs of students whose education was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 emergency	Read; and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
H521	Relative to internet service provider data	Accompanied a study order, see H5004	Similar To
S1193	Relative to manufacturing and factory worker protection from COVID-19	Accompanied a study order, see S2691	Similar To
S1194	Relative to occupational presumption and COVID-19	Accompanied a study order, see S2691	Similar To
S1450	Relative to notification of front-line health care workers to exposure of Coronavirus	Accompanied a study order, see S2887	Similar To
S1515	Effectuating equity in COVID-19 vaccination	Accompanied a study order, see S3163	Similar To
S1897	Providing financial relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic	Accompanied a study order, see H5250	Similar To
S2065	Extending the lifespan of permits held at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic	Accompanied a study order, see S2931	Similar To
S2289	Relative to work and family mobility during and subsequent to the COVID-19 emergency	Accompanied a new draft, see H4459	Similar To
S2358	Relative to life cycle costs for long term pavement solutions	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S2390	Relative to Veterans' Education Tuition System (VETS)	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Similar To
S2401	Providing COVID-19 emergency financial relief for veterans	Accompanied a study order, see S2680	Similar To
S2472	Relative to extending certain COVID-19 measures adopted during the state of emergency	No further action taken	Similar To
S250	To ensure the health and safety of the commonwealth’s students and educators	Accompanied a study order, see H4938	Similar To
S2516	Mitigating COVID-19 transmission among children and families	Accompanied a study order, see S2756	Similar To
S2683	Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity to make an investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to advanced information technology, the internet and cybersecurity matters	Discharged to the committee on Senate Rules	Replaced by
S2982	Relative to extending certain state of emergency accommodations	Reprinted, as amended, see S2985	Similar To
S2985	Relative to extending certain state of emergency accommodations	Signed by the Governor, Chapter 107 of the Acts of 2022	Similar To
S56	Ensuring accessible and reliable internet service to promote public safety	Accompanied a study order, see S2683	Similar To
S812	To improve health care cost accountability	Accompanied a new draft, see H4248	Similar To
S961	Relating to costs of appeals by the Commonwealth	Accompanied a study order, see S2665	Similar To

Bill

Bill Name

Last Action

Type

H137

Establishing free broadband internet access in public housing

Accompanied a study order, see H5040

Similar To

H139

Protecting internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic

Accompanied a study order, see H5040

Similar To

H141

Removing barriers to internet regulation, competition and affordability

Accompanied a study order, see H5040

Similar To

H3702

Providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 16 of the Acts of 2021

Similar To

H3771

Similar Bills

Text of amendment, see H3702

Similar To

H3872

Similar Bills

Published as amended, see H3874

Similar To

H4461

Relative to work and family mobility

Published as amended, see H4470

Similar To

H4470

Relative to work and family mobility

Reported by H4805

Similar To

H4945

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

Read for information and returned

Similar To

H5055

Relative to the educational needs of students whose education was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 emergency

Read; and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

Similar To

H521

Relative to internet service provider data

Accompanied a study order, see H5004

Similar To

S1193

Relative to manufacturing and factory worker protection from COVID-19

Accompanied a study order, see S2691

Similar To

S1194

Relative to occupational presumption and COVID-19

Accompanied a study order, see S2691

Similar To

S1450

Relative to notification of front-line health care workers to exposure of Coronavirus

Accompanied a study order, see S2887

Similar To

S1515

Effectuating equity in COVID-19 vaccination

Accompanied a study order, see S3163

Similar To

S1897

Providing financial relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Accompanied a study order, see H5250

Similar To

S2065

Extending the lifespan of permits held at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic

Accompanied a study order, see S2931

Similar To

S2289

Relative to work and family mobility during and subsequent to the COVID-19 emergency

Accompanied a new draft, see H4459

Similar To

S2358

Relative to life cycle costs for long term pavement solutions

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

Similar To

S2390

Relative to Veterans' Education Tuition System (VETS)

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means

Similar To

S2401

Providing COVID-19 emergency financial relief for veterans

Accompanied a study order, see S2680

Similar To

S2472

Relative to extending certain COVID-19 measures adopted during the state of emergency

No further action taken

Similar To

S250

To ensure the health and safety of the commonwealth’s students and educators

Accompanied a study order, see H4938

Similar To

S2516

Mitigating COVID-19 transmission among children and families

Accompanied a study order, see S2756

Similar To

S2683

Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity to make an investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to advanced information technology, the internet and cybersecurity matters

Discharged to the committee on Senate Rules

Replaced by

S2982

Relative to extending certain state of emergency accommodations

Reprinted, as amended, see S2985

Similar To

S2985

Relative to extending certain state of emergency accommodations

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 107 of the Acts of 2022

Similar To

S56

Ensuring accessible and reliable internet service to promote public safety

Accompanied a study order, see S2683

Similar To

S812

To improve health care cost accountability

Accompanied a new draft, see H4248

Similar To

S961

Relating to costs of appeals by the Commonwealth

Accompanied a study order, see S2665

Similar To

Bill > S45

MA S45

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (14)

Last Action

Official Document

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bill summary

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