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By CARRIE JOHNSON
Published April 13, 2005
Melanie Dodson specializes in love but worries about safety.
As an Internet dating consultant, Dodson helps people find their soulmate using commercial dating services such as www.Match.com or Yahoo personals. More and more, she's getting questions about who may be lurking on the other end of the modem. Could a potential Mr. Right be hiding a criminal history?
"It comes up all the time," said Dodson, 32, who lives in St. Petersburg. "It's a really big concern for a lot of my clients."
Now two Tampa-area lawmakers have introduced a bill aimed at making the Internet dating world safer by requiring online matchmaking services to disclose whether they conduct background checks.
But critics say the legislation is just a marketing ploy by www.True.com a service that offers criminal and marital checks.
"I call it a solution searching for a problem," said Kristin Kelly, senior director of public relations for Match.com, a True.com competitor that has 15-million members and does not offer the checks.
Under the Florida bill, sponsored by Tampa Republicans Kevin Ambler in the House and Victor Crist in the Senate, dating services would have to perform a criminal background check on its subscribers or disclose that the checks aren't done. The law would only apply to Florida users of the services.
Ambler said the idea for the bill was brought to him by a lobbyist for True.com. But he thought the concept had merit.
The committee opted to put the bill on hold until more questions were answered.
Slow pokes targeted: The Senate tentatively approved a bill to make it illegal to drive in the left-hand lane on freeways except to pass. A companion bill has already passed the House. It is intended to cut down on road rage by forcing slower drivers to keep to the right. Those who fail to comply face a $60 traffic fine. Critics say it could mean traffic tickets for people who are obeying the speed limit.
Merlot to go: State senators last week passed a bill close to their hearts: the Merlot To Go bill. Supported by the state's restaurant industry, the bill allows diners to take home an unfinished bottle of wine. Too many diners feel compelled to finish a bottle, even if it means drinking too much before driving home. Under the bill, bottles could be resealed in special plastic bags and taken home.
-- Carrie Johnson cjohnson@tampabay.com and staff reports
[Last modified April 13, 2005, 15:40:46]
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