Cell phone bill passed

A state law  being proposed in Arizona could be the first in the nation to change that.

Republican state Sen. Rich Crandall has proposed a law to require cellphone companies to offer Arizona parents access to their minor children's texts.

"If I have a 13-year-old being harassed via text, I can't call and get those texts," Crandall said. "This bill will allow me to at least pay to see the text messages for my children." Under the bill, phone companies could charge a fee for that service.

The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 13, and awaits a vote in the full Senate. There is no companion bill in the House.

No other state appears to have such a requirement for cellphone companies..It remains unclear whether the state has the authority to require companies to give access to texts.

Some questioned the need for such a bill, including Republican state Sen. Judy Burges, who voted against it in committee. "Why don't you take a flashlight and go in the closet and read the texts?" she asked.

Lisa Douglas, author of the parenting blog, Crazy Adventures in Parenting, said that in her online bill she can only see the phone numbers her daughter sends and receives messages from.

"What if someone is threatening her, or harassing her, and she's too afraid to say anything?" she said.

Paula Goldberg, executive director of PACER Center, a non-profit organization which provides resources for bullying victims, said trust and communication are the best tools against bullying.This is a good site to look at if your child is getting bullied by other kids over text messages

"The issue is that parents should have good communication with their children," Goldberg said.

The wireless industry has spoken out against the bill, saying it is impractical.

Lobbyist John Kelly, who represents Verizon Wireless, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the law would require cellphone companies to create special procedures for Arizona customers.

"We are very sympathetic to the intent, but it is a burden on the company," he said.

Jamie Hastings, of the CTIA-The Wireless Association, said that even if the law passes, service providers would likely still need to obtain consent from the child under federal law.