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Software Club 210: Light Red
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Club_Software_210_Light_Red_Micro_Star_1997.iso
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f416.sbe
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1997-01-01
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┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│WASHINGTON ELECTRONIC AUTHENTICATION ACT │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
In April, 1996, the Governor of Washington signed into
law Senate Bill 6423, known as the Washington Electronic
Authentication Act, which is intended to enhance domestic
and international trade in the State of Washington. This
new law makes it possible now for a business to complete a
transcontinental business agreement, including a valid
signature, all via a personal computer, through the use of
"digital signatures" in electronic transactions.
The Act makes possible a secure, convenient means for any
business to electronically transmit contracts, letters of
credit, payments and other formal documents which previously
required a written signature. It authorizes an organization
to obtain a special, unique code for use as its "signature"
in such electronic transactions. Private vendors are to be
licensed by the Washington Secretary of State's office to
verify these signature codes upon receipt of an electronic
document.
If such legislation spreads to other states, as seems likely,
it should greatly facilitate doing business of all kinds on
the Internet. For now, questions remain about the validity
of such a transaction that is done with a party in another
state or country, where the other jurisdiction does not yet
have a law authorizing digital signatures. However, it
should at least be safe now to rely on such signatures in a
case where both parties are based in the state of Washington.