I received this email flash yesterday -- and am wondering if anyone else has heard anything about this. This particular note is ostensibly from Marc Pearl, General Counsel & Vice President, Government Affairs Information Technology Association of America (ITAA)...

To: PLI-Y2KLAW@PLI.EDU > >> The White House planning to drop its "Good Samaritan" bill later >> today. More details to follow. >> >Marc

I am concerned about the effect this is going to have if this is true -- Clinton just proposed this - and now it's going by the wayside. Koskinen has said that even though the bill only had a 50-50 chance - it was vital that it be passed. So --- are any of you aware of this "news flash"?

Thanks.

-- Chana Campos (chana@campos.org), July 28, 1998

Answers

I haven't seen the news flash, but there were some holes in that bill. First of all, it allows companies to say that the products of other companies aren't compliant while protecting them from libel and slander lawsuits. Well, what's that going to lead to? Everybody calling everybody else non-compliant, and no one knowing whose lying. Plus, businesses are not going to helpfully share information anyway.

-- Amy Leone (aleone@amp.com), July 29, 1998.