The Legislature’s budget committee has scrapped a proposal that would have restricted the ability of Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, to collect peoples’ browsing data.
State senators added the internet privacy provision to a bill that’s aimed at expanding broadband in rural Wisconsin. It would have required ISPs — like Charter or Verizon — to get consumers’ permission before selling their data. President Donald Trump recently signed a law repealing a similar federal requirement.
Republican Sen. Howard Marklein, of Spring Green, who sponsored the original broadband bill, said Assembly lawmakers had issues with the privacy amendment.
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“Well, I don’t think we would have gotten it passed with that on there,” Marklein said.
Republicans and Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to pass a broadband bill without the privacy provision. Marklein said he expects that version will pass the full state Legislature.
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