FC: Opposition grows to Georgia's "state DMCA" bill

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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From: "Robert A. Costner" <rcostner () rboc net>
To: <declan () well com>
Subject: GA SDMCA Golick Letter Draft
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:18:14 -0400

Dear Declan, my favorite reporter:

I'm meeting with GA Rep. Golick on Thursday morning along with other groups
about the Georgia SDMCA bill.  Below is a near final draft of the letter I
am taking him.  I'm waiting for other signatures to come in.

We have comments on the bill from Georgia lawmakers at
http://www.efga.org/ip/sdmca/analysis/legislators.html

When I get back in town on Monday I hope to try to enlist support for a
cosponsor to the Brownback bill.

Robert A. Costner
Electronic Frontiers Georgia
http://www.efga.org/ip/sdmca/
(703) 948-7572

June 10, 2003

The Honorable Richard Golick
601 LOB
Atlanta, GA 30334

Re: House Bill 867--OPPOSE

Dear Representative Golick:

The undersigned citizens' and consumer rights groups are writing to express
our opposition to House Bill 867.  As we stated in our April 18 letter to
the Georgia General Assembly Public Utilities Committee (attached), this
bill limits citizens' rights, limits legal uses of commonplace consumer
electronics (such as Digital Video Recorders and computers) and stifles
technological innovation and research.

In recent weeks, policymakers in four states have stopped passage of bills
that are substantially similar to House Bill 867. In Colorado, Governor Bill
Owens vetoed the bill, while in Texas, Tennessee and Oregon, opposition from
citizens and the consumer electronics companies created considerable doubt
in the minds of state legislators about the need for these bills and the
reach of the proposed language.

We thank you for the time you have taken to listen to the viewpoints of
citizens and consumer groups on this bill.  We look forward to the
opportunity to participate in the discussion on House Bill 867 and hope to
have something positive for you to promote when the legislature meets next
year.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
Consumer Federation of America
Consumer Project on Technology
Consumers Union
Digitalconsumer.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontiers Georgia
Free Software Foundation
Public Knowledge
US Internet Industry Association
Dr. Gerald Lucas, Macon State College
Dr. Hans Klein, Georgia Institute of Technology




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