A Kansas editorial board sided with the American Civil Liberties Union in advocating additional privacy protections for the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889). Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., sponsored the legislation, especially popular among the Kansas delegation. Kelsey Smith, the murdered woman for whom the bill is named, was abducted in Kansas. That bill failed in a House floor vote Monday under suspension of the rules, a process that required a supermajority. Despite a majority of House lawmakers favoring the bill, several Democrats and Republicans voted against the measure due to what they considered insufficient privacy protections (see 1605240061). The Topeka Capital-Journal editorial board backs “judicial review of all cases in which emergency location data was accessed by law enforcement,” it said. “If this is part of the bill, it will deter law enforcement officials from abusing the emergency disclosure requirement (the ACLU cites cases in California, Texas, New York and Maryland where this has happened). Moreover, individuals should be able to seek judicial redress when their location data is wrongfully accessed. The Kelsey Smith Act could save many lives, but it should only be passed if extensive safeguards are in place.” Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., sponsor of the Senate companion, has tweeted about the measure all week responding to National Missing Children's Day Wednesday. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., became the bill’s third Senate co-sponsor this week. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., became the second earlier this month, joining Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. No new floor vote for the House measure has been scheduled.
The federal government should harmonize federal security requirements to reduce regulatory burden on states, Connecticut Chief Information Officer Mark Raymond told a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Wednesday. Raymond testified for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). “When states receive federal funds, they are required to certify that certain security measures are in place; this is mandated by the Federal Information Security Management Act. CIOs and CISOs [chief information security officers] must also comply with a variety of federal regulations, typically promulgated in a silo-ed fashion.” Funding remains a challenge to state cybersecurity efforts, Raymond said. Most states spend 1 to 2 percent of their IT budget on cybersecurity, compared with 14 to 16 percent earmarked by the federal government, Raymond said in a prepared statement. The small budget hurts the ability of states to hire and retain skilled personnel, he said. In a separate statement, New York State Police Lt. Col. Daniel Cooney backed streamlined information sharing between state and federal governments, and clear guidelines on who should be called when a local government or private entity suffers a cyberattack. Chairman Dan Donovan of the Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communication Subcommittee said he didn’t understand why many states lag on cybersecurity. “I’m left scratching my head when I see for the fourth year in a row, the National Preparedness Report, released by FEMA, indicates that states continue to report cybersecurity as the lowest core capability,” the New York Republican said in prepared remarks. He acknowledged the need to improve information sharing. “I have heard that while sharing cyber information is becoming more prevalent, there is still confusion on who states should talk to when an incident occurs and the sharing of cyber related information with the emergency management and first responder communities is ad hoc at best.”
The federal government should harmonize federal security requirements to reduce regulatory burden on states, Connecticut Chief Information Officer Mark Raymond told a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Wednesday. Raymond testified for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). “When states receive federal funds, they are required to certify that certain security measures are in place; this is mandated by the Federal Information Security Management Act. CIOs and CISOs [chief information security officers] must also comply with a variety of federal regulations, typically promulgated in a silo-ed fashion.” Funding remains a challenge to state cybersecurity efforts, Raymond said. Most states spend 1 to 2 percent of their IT budget on cybersecurity, compared with 14 to 16 percent earmarked by the federal government, Raymond said in a prepared statement. The small budget hurts the ability of states to hire and retain skilled personnel, he said. In a separate statement, New York State Police Lt. Col. Daniel Cooney backed streamlined information sharing between state and federal governments, and clear guidelines on who should be called when a local government or private entity suffers a cyberattack. Chairman Dan Donovan of the Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communication Subcommittee said he didn’t understand why many states lag on cybersecurity. “I’m left scratching my head when I see for the fourth year in a row, the National Preparedness Report, released by FEMA, indicates that states continue to report cybersecurity as the lowest core capability,” the New York Republican said in prepared remarks. He acknowledged the need to improve information sharing. “I have heard that while sharing cyber information is becoming more prevalent, there is still confusion on who states should talk to when an incident occurs and the sharing of cyber related information with the emergency management and first responder communities is ad hoc at best.”
A group of 50 Republicans and 108 Democrats sank the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889) Monday when it advanced for a House floor vote under suspension of the rules. Suspension requires a two-thirds approval of those present, which would have been 258 of those voting in the 229-158 vote. Nineteen Republicans and 27 Democrats didn’t vote.
A group of 50 Republicans and 108 Democrats sank the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889) Monday when it advanced for a House floor vote under suspension of the rules. Suspension requires a two-thirds approval of those present, which would have been 258 of those voting in the 229-158 vote. Nineteen Republicans and 27 Democrats didn’t vote.
BURLINGAME, Calif. – Technology has evolved to meet once-futuristic projections for the home of the future, but working business models, slow consumer adoption and lack of interoperability among competing platforms are standing in the way of growth in the residential IoT market, said panelists at Parks Associates Connections conference at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Tuesday.
House lawmakers were poised to pass several telecom measures under suspension of the rules on the floor at our deadline Monday -- the Kari’s Law Act (HR-4167); the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act (HR-3998); HR-2589, which would require the FCC to post online any changes to commission rules within 24 hours of receipt of dissenting statements; and the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889). But Democrats objected to the Kelsey Smith Act, citing its loss of privacy protections, and demanded a roll call vote set for Monday evening.
House lawmakers were poised to pass several telecom measures under suspension of the rules on the floor at our deadline Monday -- the Kari’s Law Act (HR-4167); the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act (HR-3998); HR-2589, which would require the FCC to post online any changes to commission rules within 24 hours of receipt of dissenting statements; and the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889). But Democrats objected to the Kelsey Smith Act, citing its loss of privacy protections, and demanded a roll call vote set for Monday evening.
Stakeholders in the planned FCC local number portability administrator (LNPA) transition from Neustar to Telcordia/iconectiv are invited to two outreach and education events scheduled by PwC, the transition oversight manager, said a Wireline Bureau notice in docket 09-109 listed in Friday's Daily Digest. PwC will hold an interactive webinar Wednesday 3-4 p.m. and will be available to meet with parties June 13 and 14 at the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown hotel adjacent to where a National Emergency Number Association meeting is being held. Parties should register for the webinar here. Parties don't have to register or schedule appointments for the in-person meetings but can express a time preference or ask questions here.
Stakeholders in the planned FCC local number portability administrator (LNPA) transition from Neustar to Telcordia/iconectiv are invited to two outreach and education events scheduled by PwC, the transition oversight manager, said a Wireline Bureau notice in docket 09-109 listed in Friday's Daily Digest. PwC will hold an interactive webinar Wednesday 3-4 p.m. and will be available to meet with parties June 13 and 14 at the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown hotel adjacent to where a National Emergency Number Association meeting is being held. Parties should register for the webinar here. Parties don't have to register or schedule appointments for the in-person meetings but can express a time preference or ask questions here.