Senate Committee OKs Copyright-Reform Bill

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a controversial copyright-reform bill that bans devices aimed at electronically circumventing copy-protection technology. The measure, which also shields online service providers from broad liability for carrying stolen material on their networks, is expected to be taken up by the full Senate later this spring and reconciled with a companion reform measure pending before the full House of Representatives. Proponents say passage of copyright reform will jump-start online music and software sales because creators of such products will have greater legal protection.