NewsForge: Alabama Latest State to Present Open Source Software Bill

[ Thanks to Jason Greenwood for this link. ]

"Alabama, with Senate Bill 276, is the latest state to introduce a bill concerning the use of open source software in the public sector.

"SB 276, written and submitted by State Sen. Quinton Ross, last week passed its first challenge with a 7-1-1 vote in the Governmental Affairs Committee where it originated. It will now go to the state senate floor for debate, probably within the next few months. If it passes the senate vote, it goes to the full legislature. A win there sends it to the governor's desk to be signed into law or vetoed.

"The process may be deliberative and time-consuming, but one-page bill itself is simple in concept and in language. The synopsis: 'This bill would expressly allow any state entity to use open source software in lieu of proprietary software whenever feasible...'"

Complete Story

Related Stories:

• NewsForge: Lessons from Oregon's Open Source Bill(Nov 25, 2003)
• NewsForge: Second Oregon Open Source Bill: A Report(Aug 22, 2003)
• Oregon Open Source Bill Pushes Forward(Aug 20, 2003)
• Linux Journal: Linux Access in State and Local Government, Part II(Jun 20, 2003)