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• Session Summary

Wireless Communications and Governmental Regulation: What is the Proper Balance?

For the most part, cell phones are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, but states also have a role in protecting consumer interests.  What is the best way to protect consumers’ rights without imposing governmental regulations that may impede new technologies and raise costs for consumers?

Moderator:                            

Senator Carol Fukunga, Hawaii
Chair,  NCSL Communications, Technology and Interstate Comwmerce Committee

Speakers:                             

Representative Phil Barnhart, Oregon

Chuck Davidson, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), Florida

Janee Briesemeister, Senior Policy Analyst Consumers’ Union, Texas

Sheryl Wright, Director, State Government Affairs, Sprint Corporation, Kansas

Handouts:

• Speaker Biographies
• State Legislative Overview
• Wireless Phone Market: Out of Balance - Janee Briesemeister's presentation

(Joint with Budget & Revenue Committee)
This session will provide an overview of state and federal efforts to streamlined sales tax collection and reform state and local telecommunications taxes and business activity taxes.

Co-Moderators:                    

Senator Carol Fukunga, Hawaii,
Chair,  NCSL Communications, Technology and Interstate Commerce Committee

Representative Maxine Bell, Idaho
Chair, NCSL Budgets and Revenue Committee

Speakers:                             

Deborah Bierbaum, Director External Tax Policy,AT&T, New Jersey

Maureen Riehl, Vice President, National Retail Federation, Washington, D.C.

Arthur Rosen, Capital PartnerMcDermott, Will & Emery, New York

Neal Osten, Federal Affairs Counsel, NCSL, Washington, D.C.

Municipal WiFi: Government as a Communications Provider - Is It a Proper Role?

Controversy over the role of governments providing communications services to consumers has heated up recently as some local governments have announced an intention to develop wireless Internet access.  Also, some local government organizations are seeking free spectrum rights from Congress.  This session will explore the policy implications.

Moderator:                            

Senator Ron Amstutz, Ohio
Vice Chair,  NCSL Communications, Technology and Interstate Commerce Committee   

Speakers:                            

Michael Balhoff, Managing Partner, Balhoff & Rowe, Washington, DC

Representative Todd Baxter, Texas

Jonas Neihardt, Vice President, Federal Government Affairs, Qualcomm, Washington, D.C.

Representative Curtis Thomas, Pennsylvania
Vice Chair,  NCSL Communications, Technology and Interstate Commerce Committee

Steven Titch, Senior Fellow, The Heartland Institute, Illinois

Handouts:

• Speaker Biographies
• Session Summary
• Band Era, Christopher Swope, Governing, January 2005  
• Block that Broadband,  Ellen Perlman, Governing, August 2005
• Battle over Municipal Wi-Fi Networks - FCW.com
• Lawmakers, Experts Clash Over Municipal Networks - National Journal

As more Americans now have cell phones than landlines, just what is Universal Service and what do consumers need to be “hooked-up” to the communications world?  The session will explore the future of Universal Service.

Moderator:                            

Senator Ron Amstutz, Ohio
Vice Chair,  NCSL Communications, Technology and Interstate Commerce Committee

Speakers:                            

Rick Cimerman, Director of Telecommunications, Policy, National Cable & Telecommuications Association (CTIA), Washington, DC

Jim Dahmen, President, Columbus Telephone Company, Inc., Kansas

Representative Doug Gatewood, Kansas

Carl Giesy, Chief Policy Counsel, MCI, Virginia

Brian Staihr, Senior Regulatory Economist Sprint, Kansas

Handouts:

• Speaker Biographies
• Universal Service Fund Increases: What Every Consumer Should Know  - FCC
• Universal Service Support Mechanisms - FCC
• VoIP: The Future of Telephone Service - LegisBrief, February 2005 (registered users)

The Committee may consider policy statements and/ or action calendar resolutions pertaining to the Committee sessions held throughout the day.

Presiding:

Senator Carol Fukunaga, Hawaii
Committee Chair

Dave Larson, Director, Computer Services, Kansas
Committee Staff Chair

Steering Committee
The Steering Committee will establish the calendar for the annual business meeting, which will be held on Friday, August 19 at 10:15 AM.

Ironing Out the Wrinkles: Rewriting Telecom Laws   

Several states are revamping their entire telecommunications laws in 2005, and Congress is considering a rewrite of the 1996 Telecommunications Act - come hear the latest policy developments.

Moderator:                           

Senator Carol Fukunga, Hawaii
Chair,  NCSL Communications, Technology and Interstate Commerce Committee

Speakers:                             

Senator Troy Fraser, Texas

Rick Cimerman, Director of Telecommunications, Policy, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Washington, D.C.

Gregg Morton, Vice President, Legislation and Chief of Staff, BellSouth, DC Inc., Washington, D.C.

Walter White, Vice President, State and Local Government Affairs, Verizon, Washington, DC

Handouts:

• Speaker Biographies
• Brave New Telecom World, Christopher Swope, Governing, April 2005

Technology & Privacy:  Update on RFID

In 2005, at least 11 states introduced privacy legislation relating to the use of radio frequency ID technology (RFID).  These small tags containing wireless tracking devices can be used by government and businesses to provide efficiencies in production, procurement, asset tracking, document management, waste management, and ID security.  But the technology also raises concerns that the tags could be linked to personal information.  Speakers will examine the policy issues RFID raises and discuss proposed state legislation.   (Co-sponsored by the ID Systems FSL Partners Project)

Moderator:                            
Senator Steve Kelley, Minnesota

Speakers:                          
Delegate Joe T. May, Virginia

Senator S. Joseph Simitian, Califonia 

Lee Tien, Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation, California 

Richard J.  Varn, President, RJV Consulting, Iowa  

Steven A.N. Shafer, Senior Researcher, Microsoft Corporation, Washington

Handouts:

• Watch the Videocast - Courtesy TVW
• Speaker Biographies
• RFID Uses and Concerns - Steven A.N. Shafer's presentation
• RFID Privacy: The Microsoft Perspective - Microsoft
• RFID - Richard J. Varn's presentation
• The Frequency Factor, Governing, May 2005, Ellen Perlman
• Radio Frequency Identification:  Little Devices Making Big Waves, Progressive Policy Institute, October 2004
• RFID Chart of Legislation - NCSL
• Executive Summary, GAO report, RFID in the Federal Government
• Facts About EPC Technology
• Facts about EPCglobal
• EPC Technology - Consumer Benefits
• FAQs: EPCglobal Network

Wireless at the capitol, handheld computers and cell phones, web sites and blogs…new technology allows legislators to be available to constituents 24/7.  This session will help legislators understand these tools and to manage—not be managed by—technology.

Co-Moderators:                    

Senator Mac McCracken, South Dakota

Dave Larson, Director of Computer Services, Kansas

Speakers:                             

Representative Toby Nixon, Washington

Representative Aaron Pena, Texas

Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Life, Washington, DC

John Turcotte, President, Turcotte Public Administration Consulting and Training, Tallahassee, Florida

For even more high-tech assistance, attend the 3:30 session, "Your Own Personal Trainer For Technology."

Handouts:

• Session Summary

Your Own Personal Trainer For Technology

If you have questions about your computer and its applications, this session is for you. Legislative IT experts will be on hand to provide hands-on assistance with your questions or problems. Learn how to manage email; deal with viruses, spam and spyware; use presentation or spreadsheet software; and get help with other problems. 

Facilitator:

Rick Johnson, Senior Software Engineer, Legislative Service Center, Washington

Trainers:

Rustynne Dalton, Special Services and Training Manager, Legislative Service Center, Washington

Jim Greenwalt, Director, Information Systems, Senate, Minnesota, Staff Chair, NCSL

David Larson, Director, Legislative Computer Services, Kansas

LuAnn Lawhon, Technology Trainer, Legislative Computer Services, Kansas

Deborah E. Maguire, Executive Director, Senate Democratic Computer Services, Pennsylvania

Tim Rice, Executive Director, Legislative Information System, Illinois

Sharon Crouch Steidel, Director, Information Systems, House of Delegates, Virginia

Janet Sullivan, Application Liaison, Legislative Council, Texas

Ronda Tentarelli, Application Support Group Manager, Legislative Service Center, Washington

Although competition has overtaken most telecom industry monopolies, state and local governments still apply discriminatory taxes as though the monopolies still existed.  This session will explore the reasons why state and local governments need to go into rehab and enact a 12 step program to end their dependence on discriminatory taxes. 

Speakers:                             

John Rutledge, Chairman, Rutledge Capital,Connecticut

Scott Mackey, Partner, Kimbell Sherman Ellis, Vermont

Delegate Preston Bryant, Jr, Virginia

Representative Shannon Cooper, Missouri

Meredith Garwood, Vice President – Tax, Time Warner Cable, North Carolina

Deborah Bierbaum, Director External Tax Policy, AT&T, New Jersey

Handouts:

• Watch the Videocast - Courtesy TVW
• Discriminatory Telcom Taxes - Deborah Bierbaum's presentation
• Breaking the Addiction to Discriminatory Taxes - Scott Mackey
• Virginia Telecommunications Tax Reform - Delegate Preston Bryant's presentation

Business Meeting

Presiding:                             

Senator Steve Kelley, Minnesota
Project Chair

Delegate Joe T. May, Virginia
Project Vice Chair

Congress is likely to address the way state and local governments levy business activity taxes, sales taxes on electronic commerce and telecommunications before the end of the 109th Congress.  What effects on states might result? 

Speakers:                             

Annabelle Canning, Assistant General Counsel, Verizon Wireless, New Jersey

Joseph Crosby, Legislative Director, COST, Washington, D.C.

Meredith Garwood, Vice President – Tax, Time Warner Cable, North Carolina

Handouts:

• Congress and State Taxes - Annabelle Canning's presentation
• Congress and State Taxes - Joseph Crosby's presentation

As more organizations disclose security breaches, concerns are growing over unauthorized access to personal information and the rise of identity theft.  The states, Congress and federal regulators are moving forward with legislation and regulations to protect consumers.  Come discuss the latest efforts to prevent security breaches, protect access to personally identifiable information, and halt identity theft.

Co-Moderators:                    

Representative Donna Stone, Delaware

Senator Steve Kelley, Minnesota

Speakers:                             

Senator S. Joseph Simitian, California

Representative Helen Giddings, Texas

Rob McKenna, Attorney General, Washington

Chris Jay Hoofnagle, Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) West California

Chantele Mack, Manager  Government Relations Consumer Data Industry Association, Washington, DC

Dave Cullinane, Chief Information Security Officer, Washington Mutual, Washington

Handouts:

• Watch the Videocast - Courtesy TVW
• Speaker Biographies
• Security Freeze Chart - NCSL
• California Legislation
• Stolen Identities, Governing, August 2005