BROADCASTS.com

Utah State House Bill 60\xa0will cripple\xa0one of the biggest\xa0multi-jurisdiction, public-owned networks in the U.S. Rather than\xa0directly\xa0attack\xa0UTOPIA\xa0communities'\xa0freedom to buy or build their best\xa0broadband solutions, HB60\xa0flat out prohibits businesses from buying services from UTOPIA. In case there was any doubt of the bill's beneficiary, hot\xa0on the heels of HB60 was\xa0CenturyLink's announcement\xa0that they now will offer gigabit services to those same companies.\xa0\n\nUtah community broadband advocate and\xa0FreeUTOPIA\xa0Senior Editor\xa0Jesse Harris discusses how HB60 makes no pretense of creating a level playing field and is\xa0really an anti-competition campaign.\xa0He also advises\xa0how broadband supporters can fight back effectively against incumbents' lobbying might at the state level in Utah and elsewhere.\n\nHarris shares his observations of legislative procedures and broadband politics, including the sleight of hand that removed the bill from Death's doorstep\xa0in the committee, only to raise\xa0it from the dead with only 24 hours notice of a public hearing. Businesses and free market advocates need to pay attention to the threat HB60 poses to both.