May 3, 2004 Media Contact: Jenn Meale Phone: (850) 245-0150

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TALLAHASSEE – Attorney General Charlie Crist today praised the Florida Legislature following passage of a bill targeting the undesirable form of email known as spam. If signed by Governor Bush, the bill would provide the Attorney General's Office with authority to prosecute companies that send unsolicited, deceitful commercial email to unsuspecting Floridians.

"Spam is an annoying, intrusive form of email that almost all of us receive but few of us want. Much of it is just clutter, but some of it can be downright offensive," said Crist. "This legislation would give the state an effective tool to protect Floridians and, most importantly, children from a flood of unwanted and inappropriate email messages."

The bill would authorize the Attorney General to seek fines for as much as $500 for each piece of spam email a company sends. The bill allows the Attorney General to use Florida's "long-arm jurisdiction" to prosecute out-of-state companies that are found to have sent spam to Florida residents. This legislation was sought by Crist in response to citizen complaints.

Crist praised and thanked the bill's sponsors, Senator Rudy Garcia and Representative Holly Benson, for their support of the bill, as well as Senate President King and House Speaker Byrd.