Texas Rep. Aims to Ban Community Internet

As reported in yesterday's Facing South email newsletter, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) -- a former telephone company executive -- has introduced a bill that would ban free or low-cost "Community Internet" across the country.

The bill, heavily backed by the telecommunications industry, prohibits state and local governments from providing any telecom or information service that is "substantially similar" to services provided by private companies.

It's part of the assault the telecom giants have been waging on the fast-growing Community Internet movement over the last year, as we reported here and here.

The excellent group Free Press is on the case with a campaign to stop this anti-democratic legislation. Go here to sign a petition. (They also have some great background on the issue here.)