Public Power

for today's wired world

what we believe

In 2006, following the appointment of a commission heavily lobbied for by incumbent phone companies, the Legislature received a hotly divided recommendation to ban a whole range of technology from use in Nebraska and to continue the Legislative prohibition against public entities offering telecommunications with their electric services. The recommendation also calls for a ban on public entities from ever offering services offered by the established phone companies. Although supporters of this petition effort delayed the commencement of circulation so that the Legislature could address the issue and avert the need for an initiative petition, the 2007 session of the Legislature did not address the issue. That left in place the ban against technology and public services. It is that ban that this initiative petition seeks to set aside.

 

There is every reason to believe that the established phone companies will spend hundreds of thousands on the lobby to perpetuate the ban and continue to exercise enormous political influence to increase their anti-competitive advantage.


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latest news

11/13/2007
Nebraska petition to lift BPL ban faces dramatic obstacles.   Read more.

10/21/2007
Our petition drive is picking up more and more attention as a real good idea.   Read more.

12/19/2006
Task force vies to set Nebraska BPL ban in stone.   Read more.

12/06/2006
Nebraskan Group Seeks Vote on Municipal Broadband Rules.   Read more.