ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Last week, the Florida House overwhelmingly passed the Consumer Choice Act of 2007 (HB 529) by a vote of 104-8. The legislation, which promises to provide Floridians choice in their cable television provider, is now being considered in the state Senate.

In a letter sent today, the Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF), on behalf of its more than 10,000 supporters and activists in the state, urged all Florida Senators to follow the House's lead and quickly act to approve the consumer-friendly legislation this session.

"For too long, most Floridians have been deprived of competitive choices when it comes to their cable television service," said CFIF President Jeffrey Mazzella. "The lack of competition has forced consumers across the state to endure ever-increasing cable rates and little or no access to new technologies and services.

The current regulatory maze of Florida's local video franchising requirements has made it difficult and often-times cost-prohibitive for potential competitors to efficiently bring new technologies to market. By reforming the outdated regulatory scheme, HB 529 balances the interests of consumers, who deserve choices in the market, and local governments, whose rights of way are used to deliver programming via cable, fiber or other means.

"If passed into law, the Consumer Choice Act of 2007 would reform the outdated regulatory scheme that has enabled cable companies in the state to operate as virtual monopolies," Mazzella said. "Consumers across the state will quickly reap enormous benefits from the resulting competition in the form of lower rates, better customer service, access to new technologies and more programming choices.

"Consumers are the clear beneficiaries of cable competition and it's important that state policymakers hear their voices," Mazzella said. "We urge the Senate to follow the House's lead and quickly pass HB 529 so it can be signed into law."

The Center for Individual Freedom (http://www.cfif.org/) is a non-profit constitutional and free-market advocacy organization with more than 250,000 supporters and activists nationwide, including more than 10,000 in Florida. CFIF opposes over-burdensome federal, state and local regulations and taxes that impede innovation.

CONTACT: Jeffrey Mazzella of the Center for Individual Freedom,
+1-703-535-5836

Web site: http://www.cfif.org/