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Committee hearings on cable theft bill rescheduled; House group in session now, Senate to meet at 3:30
Opponents of the bill, who organized under the Tennessee Digital Freedom Network roughly a month ago, have posted a red alert on their web site (http://tndf.net/), urging concerned citizens to attend the hearings. “This schedule has changed quickly and dramatically, and can do so again. Please do all you can to stay informed, and to keep the rest of us informed!” the posting reads. Critics of the proposed legislation, which include Vanderbilt University, say the technology statute supported by the Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Associations is so vague that it could potentially single out any computer user for defrauding a cable service. At the same time, proponents of the bill, such as Rep. Rob Briley who is sponsoring the bill in the House, say broad language is required to rid potential culprits of having a road map to using cable services free of charge and without fear of punishment. The House Budget Subcommittee hearing on HB457 has been moved to 10 a.m. today. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on SB213 has been rescheduled for 3:30 p.m. today. For more details see cover story, "Cable bill mobilizes technology crowd." |