N.Y. Gov. George Pataki (R) proposed including in new state budge...

local govts. that plan is supposed to help. Localities said that with state fee collections increasing due to more wireless phones, state should give local govts. cut of state’s collections instead of authorizing new local levy. In other state legislation, Cal. Senate Energy, Utilities & Communications Committee passed SB-500, which would require telephone, energy and cable companies to tell customers calling for installations or repairs that they could request specific 4-hour time window for service visit. In other new bills, Hawaii’s HB-1873 would establish informal public-private information technology development working group to encourage hi-tech firms to locate in state. Another Hawaii bill (HB-1741) would prohibit school bus drivers from using mobile phones except to report emergency. Two Utah bills (HB 67 and HB 194) would establish secondary motor vehicle offense of “inattentive driving” caused by using car phone, other electronic device, eating, grooming and other distractions; bills differ in fine that would be imposed. Utah telephone tax bill (SB-59) would clarify state law by making clear that state phone taxes applied to municipally owned as well as privately owned telecom providers. In Ill., HB-3938 would repeal state’s ban on student possession of cellphones or pagers in public schools. Another Ill. bill (HB-3937) would require local exchange providers to supply adaptive telecom equipment to any disabled person, not just those with hearing or speech disabilities. Bill in Ariz. (SB-1080) would require that all information technology equipment and software used in state government by employees, program participants or general public could be used by people who were blind, deaf or otherwise disabled. S.D. bill (HB-1227) would make it misdemeanor to send unsolicited fax and e-mail ads without toll-free number or e-mail address that recipients could use to be removed from future solicitations.