Montana has become the first U.S. state to take executive action on the subject of net neutrality. On Jan. 22, Montana Governor Steve Bullock signed an executive order requiring internet service providers (ISPs) to follow net neutrality principles to be awarded state contracts, contradicting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Dec. 14 vote for ISPs to be much less heavily regulated than they have been since 2015. Montana’s rationale is that the loss of net neutrality will increase the state’s cost of doing business. According to the executive order, the state’s Department of Administration will have to prepare policies and guidelines relating to net neutrality by March 1 of this year, and contracts awarded by the state will be required to adhere to those guidelines starting July 1.