Oregon senators voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a bill that seeks to preserve net neutrality protections for the internet, sending it to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature. She has previously indicated support for the issue.

The Federal Communications Commission, now led by Trump administration appointees, recently repealed rules that enforced net neutrality - the principle that all internet traffic be treated equally.

Internet providers and online activists are at odds over the issue. Comcast and other big companies, joined by congressional Republicans, say any regulation could stifle online innovation.

Democrats and advocates of an open internet fear that without net neutrality, big internet companies could block or slow access to certain sites unless those sites or internet subscribers pay extra.

Congress gave the federal government authority for setting the rules for the internet, so Oregon and other states came up with a workaround. House Bill 4155 mandates that state and local governments contract only with companies that abide by the principles of net neutrality.

The bill is unlikely to have a direct impact on the biggest internet companies. Comcast, for example, reported nearly $85 billion in revenue in 2017. By contrast, its contracts with the city of Portland totaled less than $1.3 million last year.

However, local rules could make internet companies think twice about going against net neutrality. And the online protections are likely to return with the next Democratic president.

HB 4155 passed the Senate 21-7 on Thursday after winning approval in the House earlier in the week, 40-17. Several Republicans in each chamber joined Democrats in supporting the bill.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699