Internet Privacy Effort in Flux at Minnesota Legislature

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) --  Minnesota lawmakers' attempts to safeguard residents'
internet privacy are in limbo.

That's because a measure meant to counteract Congressional moves that could
allow internet providers to sell customers' data was removed from a budget bill
this week. The House and Senate had previously voted overwhelmingly to bar that
data collection unless a customer opts in.

That provision was stripped in a compromise budget bill released this week. Sen. David Osmek, a top Senate Republican involved with drafting the bill, said Tuesday the privacy language is in the works and could still be finalized.

But Democrats like Sen. Ron Latz are still concerned. The St. Louis Park
lawmaker says removing the measure shows Republicans are ``thumbing their nose''
at people worried about their internet privacy.