|
Legislator officially discloses potential conflict of interest in cable theft bill
Senator Curtis Person (R-Memphis), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee where the bill was scheduled for hearing yesterday, said he declared rule 13 after being questioned about his son’s ties to the cable industry. Person’s son, Curtis Person III, is regional director of Jackson, Tenn.-based Charter Communications and serves on the board of Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Association, which is backing the bill here. If passed into law, the proposed statute would strengthen penalties for illicit use of cable and internet services. Person said while he does not believe he has a personal interest in the bill, he felt it was appropriate to declare rule 13, which formally requires legislators to disclose potential conflicts of interest. He also said he is planning to vote on the bill. Critics say the proposed bill would harm consumers due to its vague language, which could give cable companies the right to pick and choose which customers could plug which technology and communications devices into the broadband service. “I strongly support the bill,” Person, who has been chairing the judiciary committee for 17 years, told NashvillePost.com. “I will answer to my conscience and to citizens of Tennessee in casting my vote [on the bill].” Person said current law does not fully cover broadband theft in Tennessee. The Senate Judiciary Committee convened Tuesday to hear the bill but ran out of time discussing other statues and rescheduled the hearing for 1:30 p.m. next Wednesday, May 28. The House Judiciary Committee hearing, also scheduled to take place yesterday, was deferred until this afternoon, and is now in session. However, a spokeswoman for Rep. Rob Briley, who is sponsoring the bill in the House, said legislators might not get to house bill 457 today. |