COMMUNICATIONS AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE 6/15/04

On Tuesday, June 15, 2004, the committee met to consider SB 885. 

SB 885 (Conti) - An Act amending the act of December 16, 2002 (P.L.1810, No.222), 

known as the Unsolicited Telecommunication Advertisement Act, establishing a

Statewide do-not-e-mail list.  The bill was reported as amended unanimously. 

Communications and High Technology Committee 2/10/04

The Communications and High Technology Committee met on Tuesday, February 10, 2004,
and took the following action:

Reported Out as Committed: (Unanimously)

SB 704 (CORMAN) An Act amending Title 18 (Crime and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, requiring Internet service providers to maintain confidentiality of certain information; and imposing a penalty.

Reported Out as Amended (Unanimously)

SB 705 (CORMAN) An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for deceptive or fraudulent business practices.

The first amendment (Wonderling) stated that since banks are already governed under federal law regarding internet privacy policies, this amendment exempts them from the state law.

The second amendment (Rafferty) made a violation a summary offense, not a felony or a misdemeanor.

Reported Out as Committed (Unanimously)

SB 893 (CORMAN) An Act providing for notice to employees of electronic monitoring by employers of network and information technology resources; establishing a cause of action; and imposing civil penalties.

Communications and High Technology Committee 6/30/03

The Senate Communications and Technology Committee met on Monday, June 30, 2003 and unanimously reported out the following bill as amended:

House Bill 1018 (Semmel) - This bill amends the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act to establish an enhanced wireless E-911 emergency telephone system to allow county 911 centers to accurately pinpoint the location and phone number of a person who is calling for emergency assistance.

A1962 (Corman) - This amendment removes the bill's language and replaces it with the language from Senate Bill 432, which also provides for the wireless E-911 system.

The following amendment to A1962 was also unanimously adopted:

A2587 (Corman) - This amendment exempts private pay phone providers from paying 911 fees.

Communications and High Technology Committee 5/12/03

The Senate Communications and Technology Committee met on Monday, May 12, 2003 and unanimously reported out the following bill as amended:

Senate Bill 432 (Conti) - This bill creates an enhanced wireless E-911 emergency telephone system to allow county 911 centers to accurately pinpoint the location and phone number of a person that is calling 911 for emergency assistance. The system will be funded by a $1 surcharge on wireless telephones that are registered in Pennsylvania.

A0599 (Corman) - This amendment makes a number of technical changes. Most notably, it replaces the term "public agency" with "PSAP" wherever it appears in the bill. The amendment also mandates a surcharge sunset date of June 30, 2009 for the $1 surcharge fee.

Communications and High Technology Committee  4/29/03

The Senate Communications and Technology Committee met on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 and unanimously reported out the following bill as amended:

Senate Bill 79 (Mowery) - The bill amends Act 34 of 1995 to allow persons who are legally blind or eligible to receive services from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped to be eligible to participate in the Print Media Access System Program, which would allow these persons to access a national or statewide telephone service that provides access to national and local newspapers over the telephone.

A0232 (Mowery) - The amendment removes from the bill the ability of the Department of Labor and Industry to use funds raised by the telecommunications surcharge to pay administrative costs. It also adds the Telecommunications Relay Service Program to the list of programs that the Department cannot use funds raised by the telecommunications surcharge to pay administrative costs. It also includes technical changes to the bill.