Here’s where it stands: The sunsets for the three expiring sections of the USA PATRIOT Act, including Section 215 (business records, a.k.a. the library provision) were extended in both the House and Senate until May 27, 2011. Amendment 524, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, sought to prohibit use of funds for making application under FISA for an order requiring the production of library circulation records, library patron lists, book sales records, or book customer lists. This was defeated. ALA states that “While it is a disappointing loss, the changes proposed in Amendment #524 can be re-introduced as the debate moves forward on the PATRIOT Act.”
(FYI, none of these three provisions address the much debated National Security Letters or NSLs)
Stay tuned for more exciting updates.
Yours in Intellectual Freedom,
Diane Lynch
Sources: ALA District Dispatch http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?paged=2