Attorneys general in several states are preparing lawsuits to fight the federal government's repeal of "net neutrality" rules, but New Jersey is staying out of the fray -- for now.

The Federal Communications Commission voted last week to repeal the Obama-era regulations, which prohibited internet service providers from favoring certain sites.

The rule changes are expected to take effect in coming weeks. Gov.-elect Phil Murphy has signaled opposition to the rollback, but does not take office until next month.

The term "net neutrality" refers to the principle that all lawful web traffic should be treated equally and served as a guiding principle for much of how the internet has worked for most American internet users.

The rules, enacted in 2015, were meant to head off efforts by major telecom companies to charge extra for certain content or create premium "internet fast lanes" that would give customers with more means better access.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai -- who was placed on the board by President Barack Obama but made chairman by President Donald Trump -- argues net neutrality regulations hindered broadband internet expansion and competition.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, announced last week he would lead a multistate lawsuit challenging the rollback after an investigation by his office found many of the public comments submitted in support of repeal were fraudulent.

But a spokesman for New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino declined to comment, and Christie -- a friend an informal adviser to Trump -- has said he doesn't "think the government should be involved in telling us how we run the internet."

At a press conference Wednesday, the Republican governor said he would defer to Murphy, a Democrat, on whether to mount a court challenge.

"I think it would be premature for us to do that," Christie said. "I don't see an imminent danger to the people of the state on net neutrality, so I don't think it causes us to have to make an immediate decision on that."

Murphy took to Twitter last week to decry the rollback as "utter nonsense," saying he had asked his transition team to come up with "concrete recommendations to fight back."

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May -- who is running for Congress -- called on Murphy to join states suing the FCC, saying the repeal would "make everyone, from our most vulnerable residents to our small business owners, subject to the impulses of telecom giant/"

Meanwhile, other Democrats in the Legislature have introduced or drafted measures to fight the net neutrality repeal at the state level, though it's unclear how any state legislature could regulate the internet.

State Assembly members Annette Quijano, D-Union, and Wayne DeAngelo, D-Mercer, introduced a bill that would require internet service providers to provide customers access to any lawful internet content of their choices. At the same time, Assemblyman Tim Eustace, D-Bergen, said he planned to introduce a similar bill.

"The Republican-controlled FCC has sold out the American public," Eustace said in a statement. "This is as anti-consumer as it gets."

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.