Once again, S1209 discussion was postponed Tuesday in the Senate Finance Committee.  No explanation for the change was given.  But before you get your hopes up, the bill is on the agenda for today at 1:00pm.

Brian Bowman of Save NC Broadband invites anyone in the Raleigh area to consider coming to the Legislative Office Building, Room 544 at 1pm this afternoon if you want to make your presence known to the Committee.

If you can’t go, please consider following through on our Call to Action and get in contact with your legislators and tell them to oppose S1209.

IndyWeek notes calls and messages opposing the bill are making an important impact:

Sen. William Purcell, a Democrat representing Anson, Richmond, Scotland, and Stanly counties, attended yesterday’s meeting, and said he cannot support S 1209 as written.

“I hope the bill is going to come back changed,” said Sen. Purcell. “I have had a lot of calls and emails from local governments in my district who are very concerned about this bill.”

Sen. Purcell is most concerned with the burden the bill places on local governments to apply for and receive General Obligation Bonds before implementing a broadband system or repairing an existing project. “Local governments going up against powerful communications people who have the money to do a large campaign against a broadband project during a general election, could make it virtually impossible for any city to put in their own system.”

Municipal cable and broadband consultant Catharine Rice of Action Audits said, “I think Sen. Clodfelter finally understands that there are negative impacts to Sen. Hoyle’s bill.”

“These Senators have to hear from the grassroots,” said Rice. “They need to hear from their own people who don’t want our state handed over to Time Warner Cable and AT&T.”