STATE OF MONTANA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER PROVIDING FOR INTERNET NEUTRALITY PRINCIPLES IN STATE PROCUREMENT

The STATE OF MONTANA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 3-2018

EXECUTIVE ORDER PROVIDING FOR
INTERNET NEUTRALITY PRINCIPLES IN STATE PROCUREMENT

STEVE BULLOCK
Stephen Clark Bullock is an American politician and lawyer who is the 24th and current Governor of Montana, serving since 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

WHEREAS, the free and open exchange of information, secured by a free and open internet, has never been more essential to modem social, commercial, and civic life;

WHEREAS, Montanans expect and rely on the traditional principle that internet service

providers will not pick and choose what content they can see-rather, Montanans expect that

their internet service providers will be "neutral" and abide by principles commonly referred to as "internet neutrality";

WHEREAS, guided by principles of internet neutrality, the information society and Montana's

economy have flourished;

WHEREAS, Montana citizens rely on a free and open internet to meet the world-to learn, to

entertain, to make informed personal choices about their families and to make public choices

about our society;

WHEREAS, Montana businesses rely on a free and open internet to enter new markets, to gain

new insights, to recruit, to compete, and to grow-few changes in human communications have

revolutionized commerce so quickly;

WHEREAS, educational institutions in Montana rely on a free and open internet to provide

Montanans with world-class educational opportunities;

WHEREAS, as federal regulators recently illustrated, a free and open internet is not
guaranteed-it is susceptible to corporate and political degradation, and its protection requires
constant vigilance by consumers, market participants, and governments alike;
WHEREAS, the loss of internet neutrality principles threatens to increase the costs of accessing
and sharing information for people and for businesses alike;
WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has argued that violations of
internet neutrality principles may violate state competition and fair trade practices laws, which
requires the vigilance and attention of state governments;
WHEREAS, many internet service providers, including significant broadband and mobile
internet services providers in Montana, have made public pledges to adhere to certain internet
neutrality principles in the wake of changes by federal regulators;

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