Despite the overall awareness that imposing laws restricting Internet business is detrimental to the medium's growth, U.S. Congress continues to attempt laying down the law in cyber space. The House of Representatives continued the trend Tuesday by passing a bill that restricts online, cross-state alcohol sales.
House Resolution 2031, the 21st Amendment Enforcement Act, gives state attorneys the legal authority to prosecute direct liquor retailers who distribute alcohol across state lines into dry jurisdictions. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.) and William Delahunt (D-Mass.), passed by a vote of 310-112.
Several amendments were attached to the bill, including one by Virginia Representative Robert Goodlatte, who is one of Congress's most active members when it comes to Internet policy. Goodlatte's amendment keeps Internet service providers from being held liable. If he maintains the philosophy that ISPs are not responsible for illegal transactions over the Internet, it should be interesting to see what he has to say about Arizona Senator Jon Kyl's Internet Gambling Prohibition Act if and when it escapes the Senate. The Kyl Bill has been heavily criticized for placing the burden of enforcement on ISPs.
Goodlatte introduced a bill similar to Kyl's bill in '97, but it never made it out of the House.
HR 2031 was read twice in the Senate Wednesday and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.