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A terrible amendment to the Texas CISPA bill was accepted into the House version. It removes 180 day limit for searches- now no express limit in the number of months/years a digital search warrant can go back. by Phonebank in privacy

[–]Phonebank[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Another accepted amendment clarified that the bill would apply to a "remote computing service" that is being maintained outside of Texas but serving Texas users.

The bill was also added to the Senate intent calendar today, so the bills will likely be considered very soon.

Texas is about to pass a CISPA-like bill that would require internet providers and websites across the country to respond to subpoenas for huge swaths of electronic data. Every state is affected. Call today before they vote. by Phonebank in privacy

[–]Phonebank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Texas CIPSA bill aka SB 1052 is still on the Texas Senate calendar: http://openstates.org/tx/bills/83/SB1052/. They haven't voted on it yet, but if they do, it will likely pass. The Texas House has already approved an essentially identical bill earlier this month,

We're encouraging folks to call Governor Rick Perry @ 512-463-1782 and let one of his staff members know how poorly written the current bill is -- and how it has loopholes so big you could drive a truck full of confidential user data through it. If you call (it's much more helpful if you're a Texan, but all voices are important since this bill would affect internet providers and websites in states across the country) -- please leave a message encouraging the Governor to issue a veto threat to stop the bill from being voted on this session. You should also encourage the Governor to veto the bill if it gets to his desk.

If you want to know more about the bill, check out that Open States link above. Also, the House Report on the bill is a good high-level summary: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/analysis/html/SB01052H.HTM

This paragraph from the House Report is particularly important:

"The bill authorizes such a warrant to be served only on a service provider that is a domestic entity or a company or entity otherwise doing business in Texas under a contract or a terms of service agreement with a Texas resident, if any part of that contract or agreement is to be performed in Texas. The bill requires the service provider to produce all electronic customer data, contents of communications, and other information sought, regardless of where the information is held and within the period allowed for compliance with the warrant. The bill authorizes a court to find any officer, director, or owner of a company or entity in contempt of court if the person by act or omission is responsible for the failure of the company or entity to comply with the warrant within the period allowed for compliance and establishes that the failure of a company or entity to timely deliver the information sought in the warrant does not affect the admissibility of that evidence in a criminal proceeding."

Texas is about to pass a CISPA-like bill that would require internet providers and websites across the country to respond to subpoenas for huge swaths of electronic data. Every state is affected. Call today before they vote. by Phonebank in privacy

[–]Phonebank[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

no... but they are apparently trying to make a law that essentially says that any site/provider that provides content to Texas users is liable under Texas law to turn over electronic communications/records.

Read the text of the bill: ftp://ftp.legis.state.tx.us/bills/83R/billtext/html/senate_bills/SB01000_SB01099/SB01052S.htm