3.__Choice.__The extent to which the user has a choice of whether to provide personal information via the publicly accessible site on the Internet and the consequences of refusing to give that information;

4.__Procedures for access and correction. The procedures, if any, by which the user may request access to that user's personal information and request correction of that information; and

5.__Security.__The steps taken to protect personal information from misuse or unauthorized access.

PART B

Sec. B-1. Commission established. The Blue Ribbon Commission to Review Internet and Information Policy, referred to in this Part as the "commission," is established.

Sec. B-2. Commission membership. The commission consists of 12 voting members and 7 nonvoting members.

1. The 12 voting members are appointed as follows:

A. Three Senators, one from the Joint Standing Committee on Business and Economic Development, appointed by the President of the Senate;

B. Two House members, one from the Joint Standing Committee on Business and Economic Development, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

C. One representative of the Internet service provider industry, appointed by the President of the Senate;

D. One representative of a Maine-based company providing commercial services over the Internet, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

E. One representative of the Maine Software Developers Association, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

F. One representative of the telecommunications industry, appointed by the President of the Senate;

G. One representative of the cable television industry, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

H. One representative of the Maine Bar Association, appointed by the President of the Senate; and

I. One representative of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

2. The 7 nonvoting members are as follows:

A. One representative of the University of Maine System, appointed by the Chancellor of the University of Maine System;

B. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the commissioner's designee;

C. The Chief Information Officer, Department of Administrative and Financial Services, or the chief information officer's designee;

D. The Secretary of State or the secretary's designee;

E. The State Librarian or the State Librarian's designee;

F. One representative of the Public Utilities Commission, appointed by the Governor; and

G. One representative of the Office of the Public Advocate, appointed by the Governor.

Sec. B-3. Chairs. The first named Senate member is the Senate chair. The first named House member is the House chair.

Sec. B-4. Appointments; convening meetings. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this Part. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council upon making their appointments. When the appointment of all members is complete, the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission.

Sec. B-5. Duties. The commission shall study issues relating to the Internet and information policy, including the following:

1. Internet users' concerns about privacy of information collected on the Internet by commercial and governmental publicly accessible sites on the Internet;

2. Development of comprehensive information practices governing collection and management of personal information by state and local governmental entities;

3. Coordination of the State's Internet policy-making structures;

4. The possibility of using the Internet to assist in the election process; and

5. Other issues described in the charge to the Blue Ribbon Commission to Establish a Comprehensive Internet Policy, created by Resolve 1999, chapter 89 and amended by Public Law 1999, chapter 762.

Sec. B-6. Staff assistance. Upon approval of the Legislative Council, the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide necessary staffing services to the commission.

Sec. B-7. Compensation. Legislators who are members of the commission are entitled to receive legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2 and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses for attendance at meetings of the commission.

Sec. B-8. Report. The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any recommended legislation, to the Second Regular Session of the 120th Legislature by December 1, 2001. If the commission requires an extension of time to make its report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant the extension.

SUMMARY

Part A of this bill requires state and local entities that have publicly accessible site on the Internet to develop policies regarding personal information practices and to post notice of those policies on their publicly accessible site on the Internet.

Part B creates a commission to study Internet and information policy issues, including privacy, use of the Internet in the election process such as use for registration or voting, development of comprehensive information practices and other issues.