State AGs speak out against federal pre-emption in telecom-reform bill

STATE AGs SPEAK OUT AGAINST FEDERAL PRE-EMPTION IN TELECOM-REFORM BILL
[SOURCE: RCRWirelessNews, AUTHOR: Jeffrey Silva]
Forty one state attorneys general asked Congress to strip from telecom-reform legislation provisions that would pre-empt state regulation of wireless and Voice over Internet Protocol services, pointing to mounting complaints and lack of enforcement muscle at the Federal Communications Commission. "This unwarranted action pre-empts states from taking proactive action to prevent industry practices which have caused substantial harm to our citizens, and with no effective federal protection to fill the void that will be created via this pre-emption," stated officials who signed onto a Sept. 14 National Association of Attorneys General letter to Congress. The state AGs said telecom act pre-emption could hinder efforts—such as the 2004 settlement agreements among 32 state attorneys general and three national wireless carriers and California’s $12 million fine against Cingular Wireless L.L.C.—to safeguard consumers and punish abuses.
http://rcrnews.com/news.cms?newsId=27324

See the letter:
http://www.naag.org/news/pdf/20060915.WirelessPreemption.pdf