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Wireless Telecommunications Privacy Act of 2000

Introduced: November 18, 1999 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 16 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 11, 2000
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 409.
Jul 11, 2000
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 106-725, Part II.
Jul 11, 2000
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Commerce. H. Rept. 106-725, Part I.
May 24, 2000
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
May 24, 2000
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
May 19, 2000
Subcommittee on Crime Discharged.
May 17, 2000
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
May 17, 2000
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
May 10, 2000
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
May 10, 2000
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Apr 6, 2000
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Dec 14, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Dec 6, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
Nov 19, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2490)
Nov 18, 1999
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Nov 18, 1999
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Wireless Telecommunications Sourcing and Privacy Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to add provisions relating to State and local taxation on mobile telecommunications services (mobile services) and sets forth exceptions.

States that all charges for mobile services provided by the customer's home service provider (provider) are authorized to be subject to tax, charge, or fee by the taxing jurisdictions whose territorial limits encompass such customer's place of primary use, regardless of where the mobile services originate, pass through, or terminate. Prohibits any other taxing jurisdiction from imposing a tax, charge, or fee for such mobile services. Provides tax limitations.

Authorizes a State to provide an electronic database to a provider, or allows a designated database provider to provide such database to a provider. Requires such database to designate the appropriate taxing jurisdiction identified by one nationwide standard numerical code. Outlines additional database requirements. Requires a State or database provider to provide notice of the availability of such database in that taxing jurisdiction.

Holds a provider harmless if neither a State nor designated database provider provides such a database, as long as the provider employs an enhanced zip code to assign each street address to a specific taxing jurisdiction for each appropriate level of taxation and exercises due diligence to ensure that such information is correct. Outlines procedures to be undertaken by a provider when the enhanced zip code overlaps boundaries of taxing jurisdictions. Terminates the exclusion from liability of a provider acting in such manner on the later of: (1) 18 months after the nationwide standard numeric code has been approved; or (2) six months after that State or designated database provider provides the database for such use.

Authorizes a taxing jurisdiction, or a State acting on behalf of any taxing jurisdiction within such State, to take appropriate action to correct erroneous data concerning a customer's place of primary use.

Makes a provider responsible for obtaining and maintaining each customer's place of primary use for tax purposes. Allows the provider, for two years after the enactment of this Act with respect to existing service contracts, to treat the customer billing address as that customer's place of primary use.

Excludes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from jurisdiction over the interpretation, implementation, or enforcement of this Act.

(Sec. 4) Directs the U.S. Comptroller General to review the annual regulatory fees collected by the FCC to determine whether such fees have been accurately assessed since their inception, and report review results to Congress.

(Sec. 5) - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit modifying any electronic communication device, equipment, or system in a manner which causes it to fail to comply with regulations governing electronic eavesdropping devices. Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations (and review and revise them when necessary in response to changes in technology and behavior) denying equipment authorization for any scanning receiver capable of: (1) receiving transmissions in frequencies allocated to the domestic cellular or personal communications service; (2) being readily altered to receive such transmissions; (3) being equipped with decoders that convert domestic cellular or personal communications service or protected specialized mobile radio service transmissions to analog voice audio, or which convert protected paging service transmissions to alphanumeric text; or (4) being equipped with devices that otherwise encode encrypted radio transmissions for purposes of unauthorized interception.

Directs the FCC, with respect to scanning receivers capable of receiving transmissions in frequencies used by commercial mobile services and that are shared by public safety users, to examine methods and prescribe regulations to enhance the privacy of users of such frequencies. Requires tampering prevention measures and warning labels to be considered by the FCC in prescribing such regulations.

(Sec. 6) Applies penalties for the unauthorized publication or use of electronic communications to the unauthorized receipt, intentional interception, or intentional divulgence of any such communication. Directs the FCC to investigate alleged violations and proceed to initiate action to impose forfeiture penalties.

What's happening now July 11, 2000

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 409.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4