"The fight in Texas is heating up over municipal wireless. Texas House Bill 789, under consideration in Texas, would impose one of the most extreme bans on municipal involvement in any form of communications--free or otherwise (the bill could ban free library access)."

Leave it to the state of Texas to try to slip through the worst offending bill to date….

Our Allies:

http://www.effaustin.org/

http://www.muniwireless.com/archives/000582.html

http://savemuniwireless.org/ Chip Rosenthal’s blog to keep us up to date on the happening in Austin and Texas regarding muni-wifi…join his mailing list for the latest information!

http://savemuniwireless.org/MuniWireless.pdf Nice primer on why muni-wifi isn’t as bad as proponents make it out to be…

Email from the Austin Group:

Austin Wireless and Consumer Union and EFF are working to modify HB789.

I've attached a legal review from the City of Austin.

We're looking for constituencies from the districts of the 7 committee members headed by Phil King of Decatur TX to submit written testimony on Tuesday. Chambers and businesses are probably our best opportunities if they'll listen

Is SalsaNet able/want to support this effort? You guys live in the backyard of SBC & they're the 800lb gorilla.

Let me know and I'll get you hooked up to the wiki, lists, etc.

This is becoming relatively sophisticated effort in a short period of time.

This is hitting SlashDot as you know.

Our talking points include this is unfair (inequitable) to rural Texas were there are no broadband local loops; this is bad for Texas economic development, jobs and innovation, & "why add regulation?".

Monday Rich McKinnon and I will be walking the Capitol and stopping in at the 7 members offices
Tues will be testimony: written and oral.
Thursday we (Austin Wireless) is trying to get an informational taco breakfast together for the staffers of these legislators. We want these staffers to see wireless devices running and show them what can be done to help save their rural districts and towns.

Now you know ...the rest of the story....