Vermont Lawmaker Introduces Affordable Broadband Bill

March 6, 2025 – Vermont has joined the growing list of states pursuing broadband affordability mandates after the Supreme Court declined twice to hear the broadband industry’s challenge to New York’s low-cost Internet law.

Vermont State Rep. Christopher Morrow, D-Windham, introduced a bill in late January requiring Internet service providers to offer low-cost broadband plans to eligible low-income households. The proposal would cap prices at $15 per month for speeds of at least 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) and $20 for 200 Mbps, inclusive of all taxes and fees.

Morrow, a member of the Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee, said the Supreme Court decision to uphold New York’s Affordable Broadband Act played a key role in shaping Vermont’s approach. 

"It is obviously more prudent to introduce bills with limited legal entanglement possibilities," he told Broadband Breakfast Wednesday. "So it was nice to have the N.Y. bill already litigated. Now we just need to craft a bill more suited to Vermont."

New York’s legal victory has inspired similar efforts in California and Massachusetts, where lawmakers are moving forward with broadband pricing caps after the high court’s decision signaled an opening for states to regulate affordability.

The Vermont bill defines eligible low-income households as those that qualify for the federal Lifeline program — which covers participants in SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, and other assistance programs — or Vermont’s Home Heating Fuel Assistance Program.

More than 20 states have backed New York in its legal battle, and Vermont’s move adds momentum efforts for state-led broadband affordability laws.