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Re: Comments on new Mass. comp.crime law?
John K. Taber (jktaber@netcom.com) wrote:
: Ribicoff's bill didn't make progress in Congress, so its supporters promoted
: Little Ribicoff Bills in the state legislatures. These bills were passed
: with an appalling lack of legislative scrutiny. Only in California was
: there opposition, and that was from me and John James.
: But I was one man, and I couldn't be everywhere.
: I don't know the Oregon law on computer crime, but if it is like those of
: the other states, it was passed at the behest of computer security outfits
: and a few prosecutors who hoped for glorious new careers.
: It is unnecessary. It is so poorly drafted that the citizen cannot know
: exactly what is forbidden. And it was passed with only cursory legislative
: examination.
: These laws invite prosecutorial abuse. They are very bad laws.
Such a bill was introduced into the Virginia Legislature this year, and
initially passed with little legislative examination. Then Virginia
Senator Cohen, who represents the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC,
logged into the Capital Area PC Users Group BBS Legal Conference, and
brought the matter up. Turned out the bill was indeed poorly drafted, and
the bottom line is that Senator Cohen got Governor Allen to veto the bill.
Computer literacy is a rare thing in state legislatures. Virginia is
darned lucky to have Senator Cohen!
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