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States Consider Limits on Government Role in E-Commerce

The legislation would require committee approval of e-commerce-style programs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Several states are considering legislation that would limit the services that state government can provide over the Internet. The Ohio House of Representatives is considering the Electronic Government Securities Act (HB-482), which would create a committee that would have to give approval before any government agency can create an e-commerce-style program that could compete with the private sector. The bill is based on model legislation from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a bipartisan organization of state legislators.

An aide to Ohio Rep. Steve Buehrer, who sponsored the bill, said there will likely be a set of guidelines for the committee, which will be added to the legislation which is before the Ohio House State Government Committee. The bill would also place restrictions on how state government agencies can use information they collect from Web sites. ALEC analyst Morgan Long said six other states have introduced bills based on the model legislation, including Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Public Technology Inc.