AUGUSTA — In March, Congress overturned a Federal Communications Commission rule banning Internet Service Providers from selling their customers’ online web browsing data to advertisers and other third parties.

At a press conference Tuesday, May 16, Sen. Shenna Bellows, D-Manchester, along with co-sponsors Rep. Owen Casas, I-Rockport, Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, and Stacey Guerin, R-Glenburn, introduced legislation to protect Mainers’ privacy by banning ISPs from selling their customers’ data without the explicit consent of the customer.

 LD 1610, “An Act to Protect Privacy of Online Customer Personal Information,” provides that a customer must opt into an agreement allowing the selling of their personal information versus the service providers already having this authorization.

“With its reckless vote, Congress put Mainers’ privacy up for sale,” said Sen. Bellows, in a news release. “Most people are rightfully appalled by the idea that their Internet service provider could be watching their every move online and selling their information to the highest bidder. We owe it to our constituents to protect their privacy.”

This bill was submitted after deadline in response to the federal law and required Legislative Council approval to be considered. The Legislative Council is made up of a bipartisan board, so approval must come from both parties.

Rep. Casas was tasked with gaining support for the bill in Legislative Council.

“Gaining almost unanimous approval for LD 1610 in Council was a relatively easy task." Casas said. "Protecting privacy rights for Mainers is a non-partisan issue, so there was wide spread support to have the bill be heard.”