2023 -- H 5296

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LC000478

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AND DATA

PRIVACY ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Place, Rea, and Nardone

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 12 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 34

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ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AND DATA PRIVACY ACT

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     12-34-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Electronic Information and Data

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Privacy Act".

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     12-34-2. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Electronic communication service" means a service that provides to users of the

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service the ability to send or receive wire or electronic communications.

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     (2) "Electronic device" means a device that enables access to or use of an electronic

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communication service, remote computing service, or location information service.

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     (3) "Electronic information or data" means information or data including a sign, signal,

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writing, image, sound or intelligence of any nature transmitted or stored in whole or in part by a

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wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo-electronic, or photo-optical system:

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     (i) "Electronic information or data" includes the location information, stored data, or

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transmitted data of an electronic device;

 

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     (ii) "Electronic information or data" does not include:

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     (A) A wire or oral communication;

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     (B) A communication made through a tone-only paging device; or

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     (C) Electronic funds transfer information stored by a financial institution in a

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communications system used for the electronic storage and transfer of money.

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     (4) "Law enforcement agency" means an entity of the state or a political subdivision of the

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state including any municipality within the state, or any agency acting on their behalf, that exists

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primarily to prevent, detect, or prosecute crime and enforce criminal statutes or ordinances.

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     (5) "Location information" means information obtained by means of a tracking device,

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concerning the location of an electronic device that, in whole or in part, is generated or derived

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from or obtained from the operation of an electronic device.

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     (6) "Location information service" means the provision of a global positioning service or

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other mapping, location, or directional information service.

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     (7) "Oral communication" means any oral communication uttered by a person exhibiting

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an expectation that the communication is not subject to interception under circumstances justifying

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that expectation.

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     (8) "Remote computing service" means the provision to the public of computer storage or

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processing services by means of an electronic communication system.

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     (9) "Transmitted data" means electronic information or data that is transmitted wirelessly

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from:

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     (i) An electronic device to another electronic device without the use of an intermediate

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connection or relay; or

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     (ii) An electronic device to a nearby antenna.

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     (10) "Wire communications" means any aural transfer made in whole or in part through

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the use of facilities for the transmission of communications by the aid of wire, cable, or other like

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connection between the point of origin and the point of reception, (including the use of the

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connection in a switching station) furnished or operated by any person engaged in providing or

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operating the facilities for the transmission of communications. The term includes any electronic

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storage of the communication.

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     12-34-3. Electronic information or data privacy-Warrant required for disclosure.

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     (a) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, for a criminal investigation or

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prosecution, a law enforcement agency shall not obtain the following electronic information or

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data, without a search warrant issued by a court upon a finding of probable cause:

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     (1) The location information, stored data, or transmitted data of an electronic device; or

 

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     (2) Electronic information or data transmitted by the owner of the electronic information

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or data to a remote computing service provider.

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     (b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a law enforcement agency shall not

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use, copy, or disclose, for any purpose, the location information, stored data, transmitted data of an

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electronic device, or electronic information or data provided by a remote computing service

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provider, that:

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     (1) Is not the subject of the warrant; and

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     (2) Is collected as part of an effort to obtain the location information, stored data,

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transmitted data of an electronic device, or electronic information or data provided by a remote

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computing service provider that is the subject of the warrant described in subsection (a) of this

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section.

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     (c) A law enforcement agency may use, copy, or disclose the transmitted data of an

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electronic device used to communicate with the electronic device that is the subject of the warrant,

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if the law enforcement agency reasonably believes that the transmitted data is necessary to achieve

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the objective of the warrant.

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     (d) The electronic information or data described in subsection (b) of this section shall be

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destroyed in an unrecoverable manner by the law enforcement agency as soon as reasonably

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possible after the electronic information is collected.

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     (e) A law enforcement agency may obtain location information without a warrant for an

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electronic device:

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     (1) If the device is reported stolen by the owner;

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     (2) With the informed, affirmative consent of the owner or user of the electronic device;

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     (3) In accordance with a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement;

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     (4) If the owner has voluntarily and publicly disclosed the location information; or

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     (5) From the remote computing service provider, if the remote computing service provider

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voluntarily discloses the location information:

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     (i) Under a belief that an emergency exists involving an imminent risk to an individual of

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death, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, live-streamed sexual exploitation, kidnapping, or

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human trafficking; or

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     (ii) That is inadvertently discovered by the remote computing service provider and appears

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to pertain to the commission of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual

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abuse, or dishonesty.

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     (f) A law enforcement agency may obtain stored or transmitted data from an electronic

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device, or electronic information or data transmitted by the owner of the electronic information or

 

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data to a remote computing service provider, without a warrant:

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     (1) With the informed consent of the owner of the electronic device or electronic

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information or data;

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     (2) In accordance with a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement;

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     (3) In connection with a report forwarded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited

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Children under 18 U.S.C. § 2258A; or

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     (4) From the remote computing service provider, if the remote computing service provider

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voluntarily discloses the location information:

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     (i) Under a belief that an emergency exists involving an imminent risk to an individual of

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death, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, live-streamed sexual exploitation, kidnapping, or

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human trafficking; or

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     (ii) That is inadvertently discovered by the remote computing service provider and appears

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to pertain to the commission of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual

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abuse, or dishonesty.

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     (g) A prosecutor may obtain a judicial order based on a finding of probable cause,

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consistent with 18 U.S.C. §§ 2703 and 2702(b) and (c), to the electronic communications system

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or service or remote computing service provider that owns or controls the Internet protocol address,

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websites, email address, or service to a specific telephone number, requiring the production of the

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following information, if available, upon providing in the court order the Internet protocol address,

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email address, telephone number, or other identifier, and the dates and times the address, telephone

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number, or other identifier suspected of being used in the commission of the offense;

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     (1) Names of subscribers, service customers, and users;

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     (2) Addresses of subscribers, service customers, and users;

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     (3) Records of session times and durations;

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     (4) Length of service, including the start date and types of service utilized; and

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     (5) Telephone or other instrument subscriber numbers or other subscriber identifiers,

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including any temporarily assigned network address.

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     (h) An electronic communication service provider or remote computing service provider,

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their officers, agents, employees or other specified individuals acting pursuant to and in accordance

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with the provisions of this chapter, may not be held liable for providing information, facilities, or

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assistance in good faith reliance on the terms of the warrant or without a warrant in accordance

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with subsections (e) and (f) of this section.

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     (i) Nothing in this chapter affects the provisions of chapter 2 of title 38, (access to public

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records act,) or limits or affects the rights of an employer to voluntarily provide location

 

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information, stored or transmitted data from an electronic device, or electronic information or data

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transmitted by an employee utilizing an electronic device owned by the employer.

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     12-34-4. Notification required - Delayed notification.

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     (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a law enforcement agency that

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executes a warrant pursuant to this chapter shall, within fourteen (14) days after the day on which

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the electronic information or data that is the subject of the warrant is obtained by the law

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enforcement agency, issue a notification to the owner of the electronic device or electronic

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information or data specified in the warrant that includes the following information:

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     (1) That a warrant was applied for and granted;

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     (2) The kind of warrant issued;

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     (3) The period of time during which the collection of the electronic information or data was

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authorized;

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     (4) The offense specified in the application for the warrant;

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     (5) The identity of the law enforcement agency that filed the application; and

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     (6) The identity of the judge or magistrate who issued the warrant.

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     (b) The notification requirement of subsection (a) of this section, shall not be triggered

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until the owner of the electronic device or electronic information or data specified in the warrant is

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known, or could reasonably be identified, by the law enforcement agency.

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     (c) A law enforcement agency seeking a warrant pursuant to this chapter may submit a

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request, and the court may grant permission, to delay notification required by subsection (a) of this

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section for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, if the court determines that there is reasonable

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cause to believe that the notification may:

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     (1) Endanger the life or physical safety of an individual;

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     (2) Cause a person to flee from prosecution;

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     (3) Lead to the destruction of evidence;

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     (4) Intimidate a potential witness; or

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     (5) Otherwise seriously jeopardize an investigation or unduly delay a trial.

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     (d) When a delay of notification is granted under subsection (c) of this section and upon

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application by the law enforcement agency, the court may grant additional extensions of up to thirty

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(30) days each.

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     (e) Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section, when a delay of notification is granted

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under subsection (c) of this section, and upon application by a law enforcement agency, the court

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may grant an additional extension of up to sixty (60) days if the court determines that a delayed

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notification is justified because the investigation involving the warrant:

 

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     (1) Is interstate in nature and sufficiently complex; or

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     (2) Is likely to extend up to or beyond an additional sixty (60) days.

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     (f) Upon expiration of the period of delayed notification granted under subsections (c) or

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(d) of this section, the law enforcement agency shall serve upon or deliver by first-class mail, or by

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other means if delivery is impracticable, to the owner of the electronic device or electronic

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information or data a copy of the warrant together with notice that:

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     (1) States with reasonable specificity the nature of the law enforcement inquiry including:

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     (i) The information described in subsection (a) of this section;

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     (ii) A statement that notification of the search was delayed;

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     (iii) The name of the court that authorized the delay of notification; and

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     (iv) A reference to the provision of this chapter that allowed the delay of notification.

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     (g) A law enforcement agency is not required to notify the owner of the electronic device

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or electronic information or data if the owner is located outside of the United States.

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     12-34-5. Third-party electronic information or data.

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     (a) As used in this section, "subscriber record" means a record or information of a provider

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of an electronic communication service or remote computing service that reveals the subscriber's

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or customer's:

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     (1) Name;

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     (2) Address;

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     (3) Local and long distance telephone connection record, or record of session time and

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duration;

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     (4) Length of service, including the start date;

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     (5) Type of service used;

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     (6) Telephone number, instrument number, or other subscriber or customer number or

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identification, including a temporarily assigned network address; and

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     (7) Means and source of payment for the service, including credit card or bank account

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numbers.

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     (b) Except for purposes of grand jury testimony or use at trial after indictment, a law

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enforcement agency shall not obtain, use, copy or disclose a subscriber record.

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     (c) A law enforcement agency shall not obtain, use, copy or disclose, for a criminal

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investigation or prosecution, any record or information, other than a subscriber record, of a provider

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of an electronic communication service or remote computing service related to a subscriber or

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customer without a warrant.

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     (d) Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a law enforcement agency may

 

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obtain, use, copy or disclose a subscriber record, or other record or information related to a

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subscriber or customer, without a warrant:

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     (1) With the informed, affirmed consent of the subscriber or customer;

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     (2) In accordance with a judicially recognized exception to warrant requirements;

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     (3) If the subscriber or customer voluntarily discloses the record in a manner that is publicly

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accessible; or

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     (4) If the provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service

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voluntarily discloses the record:

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     (i) Under a belief that an emergency exists involving the imminent risk to an individual of:

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     (A) Death;

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     (B) Serious physical injury;

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     (C) Sexual abuse;

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     (D) Live-streamed sexual exploitation;

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     (E) Kidnapping; or

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     (F) Human trafficking;

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     (ii) That is inadvertently discovered by the provider, if the record appears to pertain to the

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commission of:

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     (A) A felony; or

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     (B) A misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual abuse or dishonesty; or

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     (iii) Subject to subsection (d) of this section, as otherwise permitted under 18 U.S.C. §

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2702.

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     (e) A provider of an electronic communication service or remote computing service, or the

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provider's officers, agents, or other specified persons shall not be held liable for providing

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information facilities, or assistance in good faith reliance on the terms of a warrant issued under

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this section, or without a warrant in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.

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     12-34-6. Exclusion of records.

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     All electronic information or data and records of a provider of an electronic communication

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service or remote computing service pertaining to a subscriber or customer that are obtained in

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violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the rules governing exclusion as if the

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records were obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and

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Article 1, Section 6 of the Rhode Island Constitution.

 

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC000478

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AND DATA

PRIVACY ACT

***

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     This act would require law enforcement agencies to obtain search warrants for electronic

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information, data, location information and other identifying information of subscribers and

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customers, except in specified circumstances.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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