* as published in the Montgomery Bar Association Sidebar, Spring 2000 edition
In a bold move for Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Ridge signed the Electronic Transactions Act into law on December 16, 1999. The enactment makes Pennsylvania the third state, behind only California and Colorado, to have enacted legislation specifically designed to advance e-commerce. The Act is a nearly pure version of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.
The Act acknowledges that electronic commerce is rapidly expanding and is a vehicle for economic growth within the Commonwealth. The main thrust of the Act is to validate electronic signatures, contracts and retention of records. The Act requires consent - the parties to an electronic transaction must have agreed to conduct their transaction via electronic means.
