Florida Bill Would Mandate Filters
on Half of Library Computers
Legislation that would require public libraries to have filtering software on at least half of their public-access computers was introduced in the Florida Senate April 17. If a library makes only one computer available for public use, it would have to be filtered under the measure (SB 1716).
The same day, a comparable filtering bill in the Florida House, introduced March 7, was amended by the Governmental Operations Committee to simply require libraries to adopt appropriate-use policies. Sen. Walter “Skip” Campbell (D-Tamarac), sponsor of the Senate bill, thwarted an effort to similarly amend his measure, calling the House’s proposal “feel-good legislation.” The April 18 Miami Herald reported that Campbell said leaving the matter up to libraries fails to solve a “significant” and “dangerous problem.”
The Senate Government Oversight and Productivity Committee unanimously passed Campbell’s bill. Both measures now move to the floors of their respective bodies.
Posted April 24, 2000.
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