HB1587 is dead

The NC House failed to act on HB1587 before they ended this session. So not only don’t we have the bad bill we don’t have the new study version either. The Local Government Fair Competition Act is dead! Goodbye! See ya!
I’m really happy we all got together and killed this thing. But I realize the [...]

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Support the ‘Community Broadband Act of 2007′

Yeah FreePress! I just got this Action Alert email. I’ll repost it here in it entirety. This is a really good action item. We need to support the new federal bill BEFORE the new study of HB1587 is done. If this new Federal bill passes HB1587 may become obsolete and maybe illegal!

Dear Brian,
Community Internet is [...]

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New US Senate Bill could Protect NC Broadband

The wonderful website MuniWireless reports about a US Senate Bill called the Community Broadband Act of 2007.

The bill, the Community Broadband Act of 2007, protects consumers on two fronts: It prohibits states from adopting legislation, like the bill pending in North Carolina, which denies local governments the right to deploy municipal broadband projects; It also [...]

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Join NC Public Broadband List

Not long after I learned about HB1587, the bad NC House bill, I started a Google Group called NC Public Broadband. Its a email list with the goal of keeping people in the loop about what’s going on in the fight to protect community broadband. Its mainly an announce list but you can respond to [...]

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HB1587 Changed, Sent to Study Committee

From many reports of those who attended this mornings NC House Finance Committee meeting it appears we dodged a bullet. HB1587 was changed and a new one took its place. The new bill calls for a committee to “study local government owned and operated communication services.”
Also I heard,
The Senior Chair of the Committee, [...]

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HB1597 Before NC House Finance Committee Tue at 9am

Just when we thought this bill would not survive this legislative session it appears that it will be heard tomorrow (July 25) in the House finance committee. (See bellow)
If you have a minute please call your Representative and tell them to vote NO on HB1587. ESPECIALLY if you live in Durham. Rep. Luebke is the [...]

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Tell Gov. Easley HB1587 is Bad

NCPIRG has a email campaign to ask Governor Easley to oppose HB1587. Public opposition is really mounting. Its time for our Governor to get involved. Lets ask him to stop HB1587. Here is some example language for your email from NCPIRG.
Dear Governor Easley,
North Carolinians need access to fast and reliable Internet service for communication [...]

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Say No to House Bill 1587 Website

There is a new website called Say No to House Bill 1587.
My name is Alan, I am a very concerned citizen of North Carolina. I have been very involved in both the Cable Industry and in the Information Technology field.
When I first started reading about House Bill 1587, I was appauled at how our [...]

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Orange County Opposes HB1587

Orange County Commissioner Mike Nelson lets me know that the Orange County Commissioners passed a resolution against HB1587 last tuesday. They join a growing number of North Carolina municipalities fighting this bad bill. I am so proud of my local governments. Orange County you rock! Thank you Commissioners. [PDF of the OC resolution.]

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Town of Chapel Hill supports G.A.T.E.

G.A.T.E. Greater Access to Technology for Everyone
I’m really happy to see the Town of Chapel Hill promoting their opposition to HB1587. They stood up to a really bad bill in the NC House of Representatives. The Town of Chapel Hill passed a resolution opposing HB1587 on June 11, 2007.
Here is the TOCH agenda and [...]

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