Tuesday, December 6

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Pre-Conference Seminar
RFID: A Guide for Policymakers

Wednesday, December 7

8:30 am - 1:00 pm

Pre-Conference Seminar (cont.)
RFID: A Guide for Policymakers

Hearing: Universal Service
Universal Service has ensured that most Americans have affordable access to a wire line telephone.  In today’s high tech world, is Universal Service necessary?  If so, what should it cover” and who should pay?  The hearing will address the future of Universal Service.

Handouts:
Proposal of the Universal Service Working Group -  The Progress & Freedom Foundation 
Reports associated with the Digital Age Communications Act project - The Progress & Freedom Foundation

Hearing: Local Franchising Authority
Some in Congress see local franchising authority and/or rights-of-way requirements as barriers to competition and legislation recently introduced would preempt or limit the ability of local governments and/or states with regard to franchising or rights-of-way requirements. The hearing will address such questions as: Should the current local franchise authority be applied to telecommunications providers of video services?  Are the current local franchise requirements a barrier to entry and competition?  Should states regulate local franchise authority?  Should Congress establish a national franchise for the providers of video services? 

• Statement of Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Texas
• Statement of Darrell Gilbert, Oklahoma
• Testimony of Sonia Arrison, Pacific Research Institute
• Testimony of Bill Peacock, Texas Public Policy Foundation
• Statement from the Internet Innovation Alliance
• Written Testimony of Lawrence J. Spiwak, Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies
• Testimony of Sean Parnell, Vice President of External Affairs for The Heartland Institute

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Reception

Thursday, December 8

8:00 am - 9:30 am

Plenary Breakfast: Emergency Preparedness--Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina

9:45 am - 12:00 n
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

Committee Business Meeting
Committee members will hold a short business meeting.

9:45 am - 10:00 am
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

Economic Development and Tax Incentives
This session will examine states' use of tax incentives for economic development purposes, developments in the Cuno v. Daimler-Chrysler case, and state legislative interests in the case.

Speakers:
Kevin Thompson, Legislative Counsel, COST, Washington, D.C.

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

10:00 am - 10:30 am
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

Update of Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement and Federal Legislation
An update on the status of the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board and proposed federal “Sales Tax Simplification and Fairness Act”

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

Scott Peterson, Interim Executive Director, SST Governing Board, South Dakota

10:30 am – 11:00 am
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

Federal Update – Federal Telecommunications Act Re-consideration / Telecommunications Tax Reform
Status report on congressional efforts to re-write the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as well as an update on federal and state efforts to reform telecommunications taxation.

Speakers:
Neal Osten, NCSL, Washington, D.C.

Scott Mackey, Partner, Kimbel Sherman Ellis, Vermont

Rich Martin, Director, External Tax Policy, Sprint, Kansas

Stacey Sprinkle, Director, Tax Policy, Verizon Wireless, Colorado

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

11:00 am – 11:15 am
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

Digital Archiving Project

Speaker:
Jim Greenwalt, Director of Information Systems, Senate, Minnesota

11:15 am – 11:45 am
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

State Do-Not-Call Statutes V. the Federal Do-Not-Call List

Speaker:
Honorable Steve Carter, Attorney General, State of Indiana

11:45 am - 12:00 n
Waldorf – 3rd Floor

Tour and Briefing--Motorola

Visit Motorola's Corporate headquarters where you'll see live demonstrations of a mobile broadband access system, and wireless tracking and monitoring systems for vehicles and high value assets.  Also tour the center responsible for staging, integrating and testing two-way radio systems.

Box lunch will be provided on the bus which departs at 12:15 pm. 

6:15 pm - 7:45 pm

Reception

Friday, December 9

9:00 am - 10:45 am

Special Briefings: 

The Aftermath of Hurrican Katrina: Rebuilding a City and Its People

Eminent Domain: Where Do We Go from Here?

The States and Global Competiveness