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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- S 0375 |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC001221 |
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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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DIGITAL ASSET KEYS-- |
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| 16 | 16 | | PROHIBITION OF PRODUCTION OF PRIVATE KEYS |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Bell, Burke, Gu, and Murray |
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| 18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Referred To: Senate Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Tech |
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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 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND 1 |
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| 24 | 24 | | GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 2 |
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| 25 | 25 | | CHAPTER 64.35 3 |
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| 26 | 26 | | DIGITAL ASSET KEYS -- PROHIBITION OF PRODUCTION OF PRIVATE KEYS 4 |
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| 27 | 27 | | 42-64.35-1. Short title. 5 |
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| 28 | 28 | | This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Digital Asset Keys -- Prohibition of 6 |
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| 29 | 29 | | Production of Private Keys." 7 |
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| 30 | 30 | | 42-64.35-2. Purpose. 8 |
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| 31 | 31 | | This chapter prohibits the compelled production of a private key that relates to a digital 9 |
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| 32 | 32 | | asset except as provided in ยง 42-64.35-4. 10 |
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| 33 | 33 | | 42-64.35-3. Definitions. 11 |
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| 34 | 34 | | As used in this chapter the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, 12 |
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| 35 | 35 | | unless the context otherwise requires: 13 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) "Private key" means a unique element of cryptographic data, or any substantially similar 14 |
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| 37 | 37 | | analogue, which is: 15 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (i) Held by a person; 16 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (ii) Paired with a unique, publicly available element of cryptographic data; and 17 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (iii) Associated with an algorithm that is necessary to carry out an encryption or decryption 18 |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | LC001221 - Page 2 of 3 |
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| 44 | 44 | | required to execute a transaction. 1 |
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| 45 | 45 | | 42-64.35-4. Public key exception. 2 |
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| 46 | 46 | | No person shall be compelled to produce a private key or make a private key known to any 3 |
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| 47 | 47 | | other person in any civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or other proceeding in this state that 4 |
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| 48 | 48 | | relates to a digital asset, digital identity or other interest or right to which the private key provides 5 |
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| 49 | 49 | | access unless a public key is unavailable or unable to disclose the requisite information with respect 6 |
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| 50 | 50 | | to the digital asset, digital identity or other interest or right. 7 |
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| 51 | 51 | | 42-64.35-5. No prohibition for lawful proceeding. 8 |
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| 52 | 52 | | This section shall not be interpreted to prohibit any lawful proceeding that compels a 9 |
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| 53 | 53 | | person to produce, sell, transfer, convey or disclose a digital asset, digital identity or other interest 10 |
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| 54 | 54 | | or right to which a private key provides access, or to disclose information about the digital asset, 11 |
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| 55 | 55 | | digital identity or other interest or right; provided that, the person is not required to produce or 12 |
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| 56 | 56 | | disclose the private key except as otherwise required in this section. 13 |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 14 |
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| 59 | 59 | | LC001221 |
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| 62 | 62 | | |
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| 63 | 63 | | LC001221 - Page 3 of 3 |
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| 64 | 64 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 65 | 65 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 66 | 66 | | OF |
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| 67 | 67 | | A N A C T |
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| 68 | 68 | | RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DIGITAL ASSET KEYS-- |
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| 69 | 69 | | PROHIBITION OF PRODUCTION OF PRIVATE KEYS |
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| 70 | 70 | | *** |
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| 71 | 71 | | This act would, with limited exception, prohibit the compelled production of a private key 1 |
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| 72 | 72 | | as it relates to a digital asset, digital identity or other interest or right. 2 |
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| 73 | 73 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 3 |
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