Yesterday the FCC's net neutrality rules were officially eliminated in what may just be the least popular tech policy decision in internet history. That said, more than half the states in the nation are now eyeing their own net neutrality protections, either in the form of executive orders banning states from doing business with net neutrality violating ISPs (like in Montana or New York), or new net neutrality state-level laws that in many instances (California) go even further than the federal laws they're intended to replace.

Yesterday the first state level rules in the nation took effect in Washington State, signaling the first of many state level challenges Ajit Pai's FCC and major ISPs will have to contend with.

"It’s obviously incredible," Washington state Representative Drew Hansen said in a phone interview with Motherboard. “We passed net neutrality with overwhelming bipartisan support, proving that it’s really not that hard for elected officials to listen to their real bosses: the people. I just wish congress would do the same."  

Washington State has traditionally been tougher on bad behavior by large ISPs than other States, having taken Comcast to task recently for routinely misleading billing practices.  

Both the FCC and large ISP lobbying organizations have stated they may sue states that try to protect consumers in this fashion, but legal experts say that the FCC's legal authority over state sovereignty is dubious at best, especially in the wake of the agency's decision to neuter much of its authority. Washington State lawmakers have previously laughed off the FCC's claims of authority over states' rights.  

"The FCC doesn't have preemption authority just because it says so," state Rep. Representative Drew Hansen told Ars Technica back in March. "The industry was opposed and the public was in favor," Hansen said of the FCC's historically unpopular repeal. "And you know, we do still live in a democracy, so that still matters."