The US Senate Commerce Committee has pulled the plug on a bill designed to safeguard phone subscriber records. The Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act was removed from consideration this morning along with an issued statement:
[The committee was] concerned that because of a series of stacked votes on the Senate floor, it would be too difficult for members to fully debate and vote on amendments that a number of committee members, both Republicans and Democrats, intended to offer to the phone-records bill.
States were upset with the proposed legislation because it removed much of their power to stop privacy violations (by giving the power to the federal government). Discussion of wireless record privacy erupted after several data brokers that sold potentially sensitive information were highlighted by national media outlets. Carriers themselves took action, but there was enough public outcry to spur legislation.
The Senate Judiciary Committee and House Commerce Committee have each passed similar privacy bills. A bill may make it to the President's desk within a few months.
[via PhoneScoop]