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4 | 4 | | |
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5 | 5 | | 2025 -- S 0061 |
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6 | 6 | | ======== |
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7 | 7 | | LC000335 |
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8 | 8 | | ======== |
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9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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13 | 13 | | |
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14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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15 | 15 | | RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AND DATA |
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16 | 16 | | PRIVACY ACT |
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17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Senators de la Cruz, Burke, Raptakis, and Rogers |
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18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: January 23, 2025 |
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19 | 19 | | Referred To: Senate Judiciary |
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20 | 20 | | |
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21 | 21 | | |
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22 | 22 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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23 | 23 | | SECTION 1. Title 12 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE" is hereby 1 |
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24 | 24 | | amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 2 |
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25 | 25 | | CHAPTER 34 3 |
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26 | 26 | | ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AND DATA PRIVACY ACT 4 |
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27 | 27 | | 12-34-1. Short title. 5 |
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28 | 28 | | This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Electronic Information and Data 6 |
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29 | 29 | | Privacy Act". 7 |
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30 | 30 | | 12-34-2. Definitions. 8 |
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31 | 31 | | As used in this chapter: 9 |
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32 | 32 | | (1) "Electronic communication service" means a service that provides to users of the 10 |
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33 | 33 | | service the ability to send or receive wire or electronic communications. 11 |
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34 | 34 | | (2) "Electronic device" means a device that enables access to or use of an electronic 12 |
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35 | 35 | | communication service, remote computing service, or location information service. 13 |
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36 | 36 | | (3) "Electronic information or data" means information or data including a sign, signal, 14 |
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37 | 37 | | writing, image, sound or intelligence of any nature transmitted or stored in whole or in part by a 15 |
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38 | 38 | | wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo-electronic, or photo-optical system: 16 |
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39 | 39 | | (i) "Electronic information or data" includes the location information, stored data, or 17 |
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40 | 40 | | transmitted data of an electronic device; 18 |
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41 | 41 | | |
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42 | 42 | | |
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43 | 43 | | LC000335 - Page 2 of 8 |
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44 | 44 | | (ii) "Electronic information or data" does not include: 1 |
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45 | 45 | | (A) A wire or oral communication; 2 |
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46 | 46 | | (B) A communication made through a tone-only paging device; or 3 |
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47 | 47 | | (C) Electronic funds transfer information stored by a financial institution in a 4 |
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48 | 48 | | communications system used for the electronic storage and transfer of money. 5 |
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49 | 49 | | (4) "Law enforcement agency" means an entity of the state or a political subdivision of the 6 |
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50 | 50 | | state including any municipality within the state, or any agency acting on their behalf, that exists 7 |
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51 | 51 | | primarily to prevent, detect, or prosecute crime and enforce criminal statutes or ordinances. 8 |
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52 | 52 | | (5) "Location information" means information obtained by means of a tracking device, 9 |
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53 | 53 | | concerning the location of an electronic device that, in whole or in part, is generated or derived 10 |
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54 | 54 | | from or obtained from the operation of an electronic device. 11 |
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55 | 55 | | (6) "Location information service" means the provision of a global positioning service or 12 |
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56 | 56 | | other mapping, location, or directional information service. 13 |
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57 | 57 | | (7) "Oral communication" means any oral communication uttered by a person exhibiting 14 |
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58 | 58 | | an expectation that the communication is not subject to interception under circumstances justifying 15 |
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59 | 59 | | that expectation. 16 |
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60 | 60 | | (8) "Remote computing service" means the provision to the public of computer storage or 17 |
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61 | 61 | | processing services by means of an electronic communication system. 18 |
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62 | 62 | | (9) "Transmitted data" means electronic information or data that is transmitted wirelessly 19 |
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63 | 63 | | from: 20 |
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64 | 64 | | (i) An electronic device to another electronic device without the use of an intermediate 21 |
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65 | 65 | | connection or relay; or 22 |
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66 | 66 | | (ii) An electronic device to a nearby antenna. 23 |
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67 | 67 | | (10) "Wire communications" means any aural transfer made in whole or in part through 24 |
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68 | 68 | | the use of facilities for the transmission of communications by the aid of wire, cable, or other like 25 |
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69 | 69 | | connection between the point of origin and the point of reception, (including the use of the 26 |
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70 | 70 | | connection in a switching station) furnished or operated by any person engaged in providing or 27 |
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71 | 71 | | operating the facilities for the transmission of communications. The term includes any electronic 28 |
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72 | 72 | | storage of the communication. 29 |
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73 | 73 | | 12-34-3. Electronic information or data privacy-Warrant required for disclosure. 30 |
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74 | 74 | | (a) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, for a criminal investigation or 31 |
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75 | 75 | | prosecution, a law enforcement agency may not obtain, without a search warrant issued by a court 32 |
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76 | 76 | | upon a finding of probable cause: 33 |
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77 | 77 | | (1) The location information, stored data, or transmitted data of an electronic device; or 34 |
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78 | 78 | | |
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79 | 79 | | |
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80 | 80 | | LC000335 - Page 3 of 8 |
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81 | 81 | | (2) Electronic information or data transmitted by the owner of the electronic information 1 |
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82 | 82 | | or data to a remote computing service provider. 2 |
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83 | 83 | | (b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a law enforcement agency may not 3 |
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84 | 84 | | use, copy, or disclose, for any purpose, the location information, stored data, transmitted data of an 4 |
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85 | 85 | | electronic device, or electronic information or data provided by a remote computing service 5 |
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86 | 86 | | provider, that: 6 |
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87 | 87 | | (1) Is not the subject of the warrant; and 7 |
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88 | 88 | | (2) Is collected as part of an effort to obtain the location information, stored data, 8 |
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89 | 89 | | transmitted data of an electronic device, or electronic information or data provided by a remote 9 |
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90 | 90 | | computing service provider that is the subject of the warrant described in subsection (a) of this 10 |
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91 | 91 | | section. 11 |
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92 | 92 | | (c) A law enforcement agency may use, copy, or disclose the transmitted data of an 12 |
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93 | 93 | | electronic device used to communicate with the electronic device that is the subject of the warrant 13 |
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94 | 94 | | if the law enforcement agency reasonably believes that the transmitted data is necessary to achieve 14 |
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95 | 95 | | the objective of the warrant. 15 |
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96 | 96 | | (d) The electronic information or data described in subsection (b) of this section shall be 16 |
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97 | 97 | | destroyed in an unrecoverable manner by the law enforcement agency as soon as reasonably 17 |
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98 | 98 | | possible after the electronic information is collected. 18 |
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99 | 99 | | (e) A law enforcement agency may obtain location information without a warrant for an 19 |
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100 | 100 | | electronic device: 20 |
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101 | 101 | | (1) If the device is reported stolen by the owner; 21 |
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102 | 102 | | (2) With the informed, affirmative consent of the owner or user of the electronic device; 22 |
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103 | 103 | | (3) In accordance with a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement; 23 |
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104 | 104 | | (4) If the owner has voluntarily and publicly disclosed the location information; or 24 |
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105 | 105 | | (5) From the remote computing service provider if the remote computing service provider 25 |
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106 | 106 | | voluntarily discloses the location information: 26 |
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107 | 107 | | (i) Under a belief that an emergency exists involving an imminent risk to an individual of 27 |
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108 | 108 | | death, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, live-streamed sexual exploitation, kidnapping, or 28 |
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109 | 109 | | human trafficking; or 29 |
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110 | 110 | | (ii) That is inadvertently discovered by the remote computing service provider and appears 30 |
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111 | 111 | | to pertain to the commission of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual 31 |
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112 | 112 | | abuse, or dishonesty. 32 |
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113 | 113 | | (f) A law enforcement agency may obtain stored or transmitted data from an electronic 33 |
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114 | 114 | | device, or electronic information or data transmitted by the owner of the electronic information or 34 |
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115 | 115 | | |
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116 | 116 | | |
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117 | 117 | | LC000335 - Page 4 of 8 |
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118 | 118 | | data to a remote computing service provider, without a warrant: 1 |
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119 | 119 | | (1) With the informed consent of the owner of the electronic device or electronic 2 |
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120 | 120 | | information or data; 3 |
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121 | 121 | | (2) In accordance with a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement; 4 |
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122 | 122 | | (3) In connection with a report forwarded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited 5 |
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123 | 123 | | Children under 18 U.S.C. § 2258(A); or 6 |
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124 | 124 | | (4) From the remote computing service provider if the remote computing service provider 7 |
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125 | 125 | | voluntarily discloses the location information: 8 |
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126 | 126 | | (i) Under a belief that an emergency exists involving an imminent risk to an individual of 9 |
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127 | 127 | | death, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, live-streamed sexual exploitation, kidnapping, or 10 |
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128 | 128 | | human trafficking; or 11 |
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129 | 129 | | (ii) That is inadvertently discovered by the remote computing service provider and appears 12 |
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130 | 130 | | to pertain to the commission of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual 13 |
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131 | 131 | | abuse, or dishonesty. 14 |
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132 | 132 | | (g) A prosecutor, may obtain a judicial order based on a finding of probable cause, 15 |
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133 | 133 | | consistent with 18 U.S.C. § 2702 and 18 U.S.C. § 2703, to the electronic communications system 16 |
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134 | 134 | | or service or remote computing service provider that owns or controls the Internet protocol address, 17 |
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135 | 135 | | websites, email address, or service to a specific telephone number, requiring the production of the 18 |
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136 | 136 | | following information, if available, upon providing in the court order the Internet protocol address, 19 |
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137 | 137 | | email address, telephone number, or other identifier, and the dates and times the address, telephone 20 |
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138 | 138 | | number, or other identifier suspected of being used in the commission of the offense; 21 |
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139 | 139 | | (1) Names of subscribers, service customers, and users; 22 |
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140 | 140 | | (2) Addresses of subscribers, service customers, and users; 23 |
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141 | 141 | | (3) Records of session times and durations; 24 |
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142 | 142 | | (4) Length of service, including the start date and types of service utilized; and 25 |
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143 | 143 | | (5) Telephone or other instrument subscriber numbers or other subscriber identifiers, 26 |
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144 | 144 | | including any temporarily assigned network address. 27 |
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145 | 145 | | (h) An electronic communication service provider or remote computing service provider, 28 |
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146 | 146 | | their officers, agents, employees or other specified individuals acting pursuant to and in accordance 29 |
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147 | 147 | | with the provisions of this chapter, may not be held liable for providing information, facilities, or 30 |
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148 | 148 | | assistance in good faith reliance on the terms of the warrant or without a warrant in accordance 31 |
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149 | 149 | | with subsections (e) and (f) of this section. 32 |
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150 | 150 | | (i) Nothing in this chapter affects the provisions of chapter 2 of title 38, (access to public 33 |
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151 | 151 | | records act,) or limits or affects the rights of an employer to voluntarily provide location 34 |
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152 | 152 | | |
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153 | 153 | | |
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154 | 154 | | LC000335 - Page 5 of 8 |
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155 | 155 | | information, stored or transmitted data from an electronic device, or electronic information or data 1 |
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156 | 156 | | transmitted by an employee utilizing an electronic device owned by the employer. 2 |
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157 | 157 | | 12-34-4. Notification required - Delayed notification. 3 |
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158 | 158 | | (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a law enforcement agency that 4 |
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159 | 159 | | executes a warrant pursuant to this chapter, shall, within fourteen (14) days after the day on which 5 |
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160 | 160 | | the electronic information or data that is the subject of the warrant is obtained by the law 6 |
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161 | 161 | | enforcement agency, issue a notification to the owner of the electronic device or electronic 7 |
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162 | 162 | | information or data specified in the warrant that includes the following information: 8 |
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163 | 163 | | (1) That a warrant was applied for and granted; 9 |
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164 | 164 | | (2) The kind of warrant issued; 10 |
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165 | 165 | | (3) The period of time during which the collection of the electronic information or data was 11 |
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166 | 166 | | authorized; 12 |
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167 | 167 | | (4) The offense specified in the application for the warrant; 13 |
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168 | 168 | | (5) The identity of the law enforcement agency that filed the application; and 14 |
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169 | 169 | | (6) The identity of the judge or magistrate who issued the warrant. 15 |
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170 | 170 | | (b) The notification requirement of subsection (a) of this section, shall not be triggered 16 |
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171 | 171 | | until the owner of the electronic device or electronic information or data specified in the warrant is 17 |
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172 | 172 | | known, or could reasonably be identified, by the law enforcement agency. 18 |
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173 | 173 | | (c) A law enforcement agency seeking a warrant pursuant to this chapter may submit a 19 |
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174 | 174 | | request, and the court may grant permission, to delay notification required by subsection (a) of this 20 |
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175 | 175 | | section for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, if the court determines that there is reasonable 21 |
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176 | 176 | | cause to believe that the notification may: 22 |
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177 | 177 | | (1) Endanger the life or physical safety of an individual; 23 |
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178 | 178 | | (2) Cause a person to flee from prosecution; 24 |
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179 | 179 | | (3) Lead to the destruction of evidence; 25 |
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180 | 180 | | (4) Intimidate a potential witness; or 26 |
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181 | 181 | | (5) Otherwise seriously jeopardize an investigation or unduly delay a trial. 27 |
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182 | 182 | | (d) When a delay of notification is granted under subsection (c) of this section and upon 28 |
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183 | 183 | | application by the law enforcement agency, the court may grant additional extensions of up to thirty 29 |
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184 | 184 | | (30) days each. 30 |
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185 | 185 | | (e) Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section, when a delay of notification is granted 31 |
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186 | 186 | | under subsection (c) of this section, and upon application by a law enforcement agency, the court 32 |
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187 | 187 | | may grant an additional extension of up to sixty (60) days if the court determines that a delayed 33 |
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188 | 188 | | notification is justified because the investigation involving the warrant: 34 |
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189 | 189 | | |
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190 | 190 | | |
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191 | 191 | | LC000335 - Page 6 of 8 |
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192 | 192 | | (1) Is interstate in nature and sufficiently complex; or 1 |
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193 | 193 | | (2) Is likely to extend up to or beyond an additional sixty (60) days. 2 |
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194 | 194 | | (f) Upon expiration of the period of delayed notification granted under subsections (c) or 3 |
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195 | 195 | | (d) of this section, the law enforcement agency shall serve upon or deliver by first-class mail, or by 4 |
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196 | 196 | | other means if delivery is impracticable, to the owner of the electronic device or electronic 5 |
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197 | 197 | | information or data a copy of the warrant together with notice that: 6 |
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198 | 198 | | (1) States with reasonable specificity the nature of the law enforcement inquiry including: 7 |
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199 | 199 | | (i) The information described in subsection (a) of this section; 8 |
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200 | 200 | | (ii) A statement that notification of the search was delayed; 9 |
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201 | 201 | | (iii) The name of the court that authorized the delay of notification; and 10 |
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202 | 202 | | (iv) A reference to the provision of this chapter that allowed the delay of notification. 11 |
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203 | 203 | | (g) A law enforcement agency is not required to notify the owner of the electronic device 12 |
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204 | 204 | | or electronic information or data if the owner is located outside of the United States. 13 |
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205 | 205 | | 12-34-5. Third-party electronic information or data. 14 |
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206 | 206 | | (a) As used in this section, "subscriber record" means a record or information of a provider 15 |
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207 | 207 | | of an electronic communication service or remote computing service that reveals the subscriber's 16 |
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208 | 208 | | or customer's: 17 |
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209 | 209 | | (1) Name; 18 |
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210 | 210 | | (2) Address; 19 |
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211 | 211 | | (3) Local and long distance telephone connection record, or record of session time and 20 |
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212 | 212 | | duration; 21 |
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213 | 213 | | (4) Length of service, including the start date; 22 |
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214 | 214 | | (5) Type of service used; 23 |
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215 | 215 | | (6) Telephone number, instrument number, or other subscriber or customer number or 24 |
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216 | 216 | | identification, including a temporarily assigned network address; and 25 |
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217 | 217 | | (7) Means and source of payment for the service, including credit card or bank account 26 |
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218 | 218 | | numbers. 27 |
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219 | 219 | | (b) Except for purposes of grand jury testimony or use at trial after indictment, a law 28 |
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220 | 220 | | enforcement agency may not obtain, use, copy or disclose a subscriber record. 29 |
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221 | 221 | | (c) A law enforcement agency may not obtain, use, copy or disclose, for a criminal 30 |
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222 | 222 | | investigation or prosecution, any record or information, other than a subscriber record, of a provider 31 |
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223 | 223 | | of an electronic communication service or remote computing service related to a subscriber or 32 |
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224 | 224 | | customer without a warrant. 33 |
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225 | 225 | | (d) Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a law enforcement agency may 34 |
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226 | 226 | | |
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227 | 227 | | |
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228 | 228 | | LC000335 - Page 7 of 8 |
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229 | 229 | | obtain, use, copy or disclose a subscriber record, or other record or information related to a 1 |
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230 | 230 | | subscriber or customer, without a warrant: 2 |
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231 | 231 | | (1) With the informed, affirmed consent of the subscriber or customer; 3 |
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232 | 232 | | (2) In accordance with a judicially recognized exception to warrant requirements; 4 |
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233 | 233 | | (3) If the subscriber or customer voluntarily discloses the record in a manner that is publicly 5 |
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234 | 234 | | accessible; or 6 |
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235 | 235 | | (4) If the provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service 7 |
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236 | 236 | | voluntarily discloses the record: 8 |
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237 | 237 | | (i) Under a belief that an emergency exists involving the imminent risk to an individual of: 9 |
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238 | 238 | | (A) Death; 10 |
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239 | 239 | | (B) Serious physical injury; 11 |
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240 | 240 | | (C) Sexual abuse; 12 |
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241 | 241 | | (D) Live-streamed sexual exploitation; 13 |
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242 | 242 | | (E) Kidnapping; or 14 |
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243 | 243 | | (F) Human trafficking; 15 |
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244 | 244 | | (ii) That is inadvertently discovered by the provider, if the record appears to pertain to the 16 |
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245 | 245 | | commission of: 17 |
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246 | 246 | | (A) A felony; or 18 |
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247 | 247 | | (B) A misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual abuse or dishonesty; or 19 |
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248 | 248 | | (iii) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, as otherwise permitted under 18 U.S.C. § 20 |
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249 | 249 | | 2702. 21 |
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250 | 250 | | (e) A provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service, or the 22 |
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251 | 251 | | provider's officers, agents, or other specified persons may not be held liable for providing 23 |
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252 | 252 | | information facilities, or assistance in good faith reliance on the terms of a warrant issued under 24 |
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253 | 253 | | this section, or without a warrant in accordance with subsection (d) of this section. 25 |
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254 | 254 | | 12-34-6. Exclusion of records. 26 |
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255 | 255 | | All electronic information or data and records of a provider of an electronic communication 27 |
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256 | 256 | | service or remote computing service pertaining to a subscriber or customer that are obtained in 28 |
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257 | 257 | | violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the rules governing exclusion as if the 29 |
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258 | 258 | | records were obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and 30 |
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259 | 259 | | Article 1, Section 6 of the Rhode Island Constitution. 31 |
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260 | 260 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 32 |
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261 | 261 | | ======== |
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262 | 262 | | LC000335 |
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264 | 264 | | |
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265 | 265 | | |
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266 | 266 | | LC000335 - Page 8 of 8 |
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267 | 267 | | EXPLANATION |
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268 | 268 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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269 | 269 | | OF |
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270 | 270 | | A N A C T |
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271 | 271 | | RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AND DATA |
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272 | 272 | | PRIVACY ACT |
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273 | 273 | | *** |
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274 | 274 | | This act would require law enforcement agencies to obtain search warrants for electronic 1 |
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275 | 275 | | information, data, location information and other identifying information of subscribers and 2 |
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276 | 276 | | customers, except in specified circumstances. 3 |
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277 | 277 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 4 |
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278 | 278 | | ======== |
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279 | 279 | | LC000335 |
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