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Legislative Update
The Illinois General Assembly was is session this week. The Senate deadline for bills to gain committee approval was last Friday, March 22 and the House Committee Deadline was today. Legislation that did not pass out of committees by the deadlines will not progress through the legislative process unless the bill's sponsor is successful in receiving a deadline extension for their particular bill.
The Illinois House returns to Springfield for session next week, April 2-4 and the Illinois Senate is scheduled to be in session next week April 3-5.
Data Transparency and Privacy Act
House Bill 3358 was amended to combine a number of data privacy initiatives. The amendment establishes the Data Transparency and Privacy Act. It applies to any private entity with gross annual earnings in excess of $25 million; that annually buys, sells, receives or shares for commercial purposes the personal information of 50,000 or more consumers; or derives 50% or more of its annual revenue from selling consumers' personal information. The legislation establishes specific requirements for operators under the categories of right to transparency, right to know, and right to opt out:
Right to transparency: An operator that collects personal information through the use of its website or online service shall:
- Identify all categories of information the operator processes though its website
- Identify all categories of third parties with whom the operator may disclose personal information
- Disclose whether a third party may collect personal information about a consumer's personal information when the consumer uses the operator's website
- Disclose the process by which a consumer may review and request changes to inaccurate personal information collected by the operator as a result of the consumer's use of the operator's website
- Provide a description of the consumer's rights required by the legislation and the process by which the operator notifies consumers to material changes to the required notice
Right to know: An operator that discloses personal information to a third party shall make the following information available to a consumer upon request:
- The categories of personal information that were disclosed and the names of third parties that received the consumer's information
- All categories of personal information that were disclosed and the name or names of all third parties that received any consumer's personal information third parties with whom the operator may disclose personal information
Right to opt out: An operator that sells the personal information of a consumer collected through the consumer's use of the operator's website or online service post a link that enables the consumer to opt out of the sale of the consumer's personal information.
The House Executive Committee approved the legislation to allow the sponsor to pass the bill out of committee by the deadline so he could continue negotiations on the legislation. The current version of the legislation does not apply to Internet, wireless or telecommunication service providers.
Data Breach Reports to Attorney General
Senate Bill 1624 requires that any data collector that has had a data security breach affecting more than 100 Illinois residents to notify the Attorney General within 14 business days of the discovery of the breach. Senate Amendment 1 to SB 1624 was filed this week to increase the threshold for notice from 100 Illinois residents affected to 500 Illinois residents affected. It also changes the timeframe for notifying the Attorney General from 14 days to "the most expedient time possible and without delay," which is the same standard in current law for data breach notification to the affected consumers. The amendment changes the ITA's position on the legislation from Oppose to Neutral.
Data Center Investment Program
Senate Bill 1591 was passed out of the Senate Revenue Committee this week. The legislation seeks to create a growth environment for data center development in Illinois by providing tax exemptions used in the construction or operations of new and exiting data centers.
Criminal Damage to Critical Infrastructure
House Bill 1633 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee this week. The legislation would impose stricter criminal penalties on a person who intentionally damages critical infrastructure such as pipelines, electric transmission facilities and telecommunications networks among many other critical infrastructure facilities. The ITA supported HB 1633.
Security of Connected Devices Act
The House Cybersecurity, Data Analytics & IT Committee passed House Bill 3391 this week. The legislation creates the Security of Connected Devices Act and would require manufacturers of connected devices to equip the devices with security features that are designed to protect the device and any information the device contains from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification or disclosure. The ITA took a Neutral position on the bill.
Underground Facilities Damage Protection
The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee approved Senate Bill 1570 this week. The legislation is a comprehensive rewrite of the Underground Utility Facilities Damage Protection Act. JULIE, Inc. has a fact sheet explaining the proposed changes. The ITA took a Neutral position on the legislation.
Regulatory Update
Governor JB Pritzker appointed Carrie Zalewski as a Member of the Illinois Commerce Commission on March 29. Acting Commissioner Zalewski, a former Member of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, fills one of two vacant Commissioner seats at the ICC.
Register for the 2019 Annual Convention
The telecommunications industry continues to change and offer new opportunities. Recent updates to federal regulatory policy have added a measure of certainty in the industry and new federal programs have provided additional opportunities for broadband providers.
At the Illinois Telecommunications Association’s Annual Convention, you will have the opportunity to find out what changes are on the horizon in Illinois from a legislative, political and regulatory landscape that will help you navigate the waters as new products and technologies emerge.
Join us in Osage Beach, MO at the new Margaritaville Lake Resort (formerly Tan-Tar-A Resort) June 9-11, 2019!! There you can network with friends and colleagues throughout the industry to learn more about the latest changes in state and federal policies as well as what opportunities the newest technology can provide to your company.
Register Today!!
USDA Rural Development ReConnect & DLT Grant Workshop
Chris Collins, with the USDA Rural Development is offering a Grant Workshop April 11, 2019 in Champaign, IL. The workshop will cover the following information:
- Program compliance & Documents
- Application Requirements
- Program Resources
- Application Process Examples
- Guidance towards submitting a complete application
The deadline to register for this workshop is April 9th. For more information or to register for workshop, click here
ITA Annual Convention Sponsorship Opportunities
Don't miss the opportunity to get your company front and center at our 114th Annual Convention. We have four different sponsorship levels this year:
ADMIRAL SPONSORSHIP $1,500
- Two company representatives’ conference registrations
- Posting with company name/ logo on our website (pre and post conference publicity)
- On-site recognition with company name listed on signage at registration booth
- Company logo projected prior to the general session and throughout breaks during the event
- Company name listed in Convention Program
- Sponsorship ribbon on each company representative’s name badge
CAPTAIN SPONSORSHIP $1,000
- One company representatives’ conference registrations
- Posting with company name/ logo on our website (pre and post conference publicity)
- On-site recognition with company name listed on signage at registration booth
- Company name listed in the Convention Program
- Sponsorship ribbon on each company representative’s name badge
FIRST MATE SPONSORSHIP $500
- Posting with company name/ logo on our website (pre and post conference publicity)
- Company name listed in the Convention Program
- On-site recognition with company name listed on signage at registration booth
- Sponsorship ribbon on each company representative’s name badge
SAILOR SPONSORSHIP $250
- Company name listed in the Convention Program
- On-site recognition with company name listed on signage at registration booth
- Sponsorship ribbon on each company representative’s name badge
Become a Sponsor
Telecom Headlines
Verizon adds free 'Call Filter' feature in bid to fight robocalls (USA Today)
Connected Home Research: Parks finds more than 10 connected devices in Broadband homes (telecompetitor)
T-Mobile Sprint merger faces possible lawsuit by states (BNN Bloomberg)
C Spire calls into question T-Mobile's rural broadband plans (FierceWireless)
NTCT Broadband Solution - Access program eyes master network transport agreements for rural broadband providers (telecompetitor)
2019 ITA Annual Partners
Gigabit Partners
 
Megabit Partner
For more information or to become an ITA Partner click here
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