Privacy: electronic communications.
Summary
(1) Existing law generally makes it a crime to install or use a pen register or trap and trace device without court approval. Existing law allows a peace officer to make an application to a magistrate for an order authorizing or approving the installation and use of a pen register or trap and trace device and requires a provider of wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person, upon presentation of an order, to provide the peace officer with all information, facilities, and technical assistance necessary to accomplish the installation, as specified, if the assistance is directed by the order. Under existing law, an order or extension order authorizing or approving the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device is required to direct that the order be sealed until otherwise ordered by the magistrate who issued the order, or a judge of the superior court, and that the person owning or leasing the line to which the pen register or trap and trace device is attached, or who has been ordered by the court to provide assistance to the applicant, not disclose the existence of the pen register or trap and trace device or the existence of the investigation to the listed subscriber or to any other person, except as specified. This bill would instead require an order or extension order authorizing or approving the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device direct that the order be sealed until the order, including any extensions, expires, and would require that the order or extension direct that the person owning or leasing the line to which the pen register or trap and trace device is attached not disclose the existence of the pen register or trap and trace device or the existence of the investigation to the listed subscriber or to any other person. The bill would require a government entity that obtains information pursuant to an order for a pen register or trap and trace device to notify the identified targets of the order within 30 days after the termination of the period of the order that information about the recipient has been compelled or requested. The bill would allow a court to order a delay of this notification if it finds that there is reason to believe notification may have an adverse result, as defined, and to grant extensions of the delay, as provided. The bill would require the requesting peace officer's law enforcement agency to compensate a provider of a wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person who provides facilities or technical assistance pursuant to these provisions for the reasonable expenses incurred in providing the facilities and assistance. (2) Existing law authorizes a government entity to compel the production of, or access to, electronic communication from a service provider or access to electronic device information only pursuant to a warrant, wiretap order, order for electronic reader records, or subpoena. This bill would additionally authorize a government entity to compel production of the above communications and information pursuant to an order for a pen register or trap and trace device. (3) Existing law authorizes a government entity to access electronic device information by means of physical interaction or electronic communication with the device only in specified circumstances, including, among others, pursuant to a warrant or wiretap order, or with the specific consent of the authorized possessor of the device. This bill would additionally authorize a government entity to access electronic device information by means of physical interaction or electronic communication with the device pursuant to an order for a pen register or trap and trace device. (4) The California Constitution provides for the Right to Truth in Evidence, which requires a 23 vote of the Legislature to enact a statute that would exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding, as specified. This bill would authorize any person in a trial, hearing, or proceeding to move to suppress wire or electronic information obtained or retained in violation of the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution or of the pen register and trap and trace device provisions described above, as specified, and would authorize the Attorney General to commence a civil action to compel any government entity to comply with those provisions. The bill would also authorize an individual whose information is targeted by a warrant, order, or other legal process that is inconsistent with those provisions, the California Constitution, or the United States Constitution, or a service provider or any other recipient of the warrant, order, or other legal process to petition the issuing court to void or modify the warrant, order, or process, or to order the destruction of any information obtained in violation of those provisions, the California Constitution, or the United States Constitution. Because this bill would authorize the exclusion of relevant evidence obtained or retained in violation of those pen register and trap and trace device provisions in a criminal proceeding, it requires a 23 vote of the Legislature. (5) This bill would provide that the prohibition against a government entity compelling the production of or access to electronic communication information or electronic device information without a search warrant, wiretap order, order for electronic reader records, or subpoena does not limit the authority of the Public Utilities Commission or the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to obtain energy or water supply and consumption information pursuant to the powers granted to them under the Public Utilities Code or the Public Resources Code and other applicable state laws. (6) The bill would incorporate changes to Section 1546.1 of the Penal Code proposed by both this bill and SB 1121, which would become operative only if both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2017, and this bill is enacted after SB 1121. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2016
Committee Review
Aug 2016
Assembly Passage
May 2016
Senate Passage
Aug 2016
Signed into Law
Sep 2016
Introduced Feb 11, 2016
Signed Sep 23, 2016
Floor votes · Senate Aug 24, 2016 · Assembly May 27, 2016
How they voted
34–0
Passed
Total votes 34
Aug 24, 2016
D
Democratic24
100% Yea
R
Republican10
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
32
Key actions
9
Committee
11
Amendments
3
Sep 23, 2016
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor.
legislature
Aug 30, 2016
Lower · Passed
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 6437.).
lower
Aug 25, 2016
Introduced
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 28 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.
lower
Aug 24, 2016
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (34-0)
senate
Aug 1, 2016
Upper · Passed
From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
upper
Aug 1, 2016
Committee
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Jun 29, 2016
Committee
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Jun 9, 2016
Committee
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
upper
May 27, 2016
Assembly · Passed
Assembly Vote: pass (67-0-8)
assembly
May 4, 2016
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 20. Noes 0.) (May 4).
lower
Apr 20, 2016
Committee
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Apr 6, 2016
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
lower
Apr 5, 2016
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended.
lower
Apr 4, 2016
Introduced
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 29).
lower
Mar 15, 2016
Lower · Passed
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
lower
Feb 25, 2016
Committee
Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and P. & C.P.
lower
Feb 12, 2016
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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