Democrats Hit Lack Of Internet Privacy

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Democrats are raising a stink that a measure to protect residents' internet privacy isn't part of the next budget.

A move in Congress earlier this year to loosen regulations allowing internet providers to sell customers' data sparked the issue in Minnesota.

The House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to ban that data collection last month.

But the measures were absent Monday from budget bills as the Legislature raced toward a midnight deadline. Democrats tried and failed to add it back in to several funding packages.

Rep. Paul Thissen of Minneapolis says it's unconscionable that a measure that won almost unanimous support would be removed.

Republicans who control the Legislature had previously said they were trying to strike a compromise on the language.

Democratic Party