A bill requiring schools and libraries receiving e-rate subsidies to use Internet filters has been reintroduced in the U.S. House as H.R. 4600 by Rep. Bob Franks (R-N.J.) and Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.).
The measure, titled the Children’s Internet Protection Act, was attached in amended form to the House Juvenile Justice Bill a year ago, but that bill has yet to be acted on by the Senate after passing the House. Rep. Pickering explained to the online Tech Law Journal that he and Rep. Franks reintroduced the legislation because “we wanted to make sure that we have an opportunity to move this bill as a stand-alone bill through the House and through the Senate.”
A similar measure, S. 97, was introduced in the Senate last year by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.). Although the Senate Commerce Committee approved the legislation, it has yet to be taken up by the full Senate.
Posted June 19, 2000.