EHB 2789 -
By Committee on Law & Justice
NOT ADOPTED 03/07/2014
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that technological
advances have provided new, unique equipment that may be utilized for
surveillance purposes. These technological advances often outpace
statutory protections and can lead to inconsistent or contradictory
interpretations between jurisdictions. The legislature finds that
regardless of application or size, the use of these extraordinary
surveillance technologies, without public debate or clear legal
authority, creates uncertainty for citizens and agencies throughout
Washington state. The legislature finds that extraordinary
surveillance technologies do present a substantial privacy risk
potentially contrary to the strong privacy protections enshrined in
Article I, section 7 of the Washington state Constitution that reads
"No person shall be disturbed in his private affairs, or his home
invaded, without authority of law." The legislature further finds that
the lack of clear statutory authority for the use of extraordinary
surveillance technologies may increase liability to state and local
jurisdictions. It is the intent of the legislature to provide clear
standards for the lawful use of extraordinary surveillance technologies
by state and local jurisdictions.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this subchapter unless the context clearly requires
otherwise.
(1)(a) "Agency" means the state of Washington, its agencies, and
political subdivisions, except the Washington national guard in Title
32 U.S.C. status.
(b) "Agency" also includes any entity or individual, whether public
or private, with which any of the entities identified in (a) of this
subsection has entered into a contractual relationship or any other
type of relationship, with or without consideration, for the operation
of an extraordinary sensing device that acquires, collects, or indexes
personal information to accomplish an agency function.
(2) "Court of competent jurisdiction" means any district court of
the United States, or a court of general jurisdiction authorized by the
state of Washington to issue search warrants.
(3) "Extraordinary sensing device" means a sensing device attached
to an unmanned aircraft system.
(4) "Governing body" means the council, commission, board, or other
controlling body of an agency in which legislative powers are vested,
except that for a state agency for which there is no governing body
other than the state legislature, "governing body" means the chief
executive officer responsible for the governance of the agency.
(5) "Personal information" means all information that:
(a) Describes, locates, or indexes anything about a person
including, but not limited to:
(i) His or her social security number, driver's license number,
agency-issued identification number, student identification number,
real or personal property holdings derived from tax returns, and the
person's education, financial transactions, medical history, ancestry,
religion, political ideology, or criminal or employment record; or
(ii) Intellectual property, trade secrets, proprietary information,
or operational information;
(b) Affords a basis for inferring personal characteristics, such as
finger and voice prints, photographs, or things done by or to such
person; and the record of the person's presence, registration, or
membership in an organization or activity, or admission to an
institution; or
(c) Indexes anything about a person including, but not limited to,
his or her activities, behaviors, pursuits, conduct, interests,
movements, occupations, or associations.
(6)(a) "Sensing device" means a device capable of remotely
acquiring personal information from its surroundings, using any
frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum, or a sound detecting system.
(b) "Sensing device" does not include equipment whose sole function
is to provide information directly necessary for safe air navigation or
operation of a vehicle.
(7) "Unmanned aircraft system" means an aircraft that is operated
without the possibility of human intervention from within or on the
aircraft, together with associated elements, including communication
links and components that control the unmanned aircraft that are
required for the pilot in command to operate safely and efficiently in
the national airspace system.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 Except as otherwise specifically authorized
in this subchapter, it is unlawful for an agency to operate an
extraordinary sensing device or disclose personal information about any
person acquired through the operation of an extraordinary sensing
device.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 (1) No state agency or organization having
jurisdiction over criminal law enforcement or regulatory violations
including, but not limited to, the Washington state patrol, shall
procure an extraordinary sensing device without the explicit approval
of the legislature, given for that specific extraordinary sensing
device to be used for a specific purpose.
(2) No local agency having jurisdiction over criminal law
enforcement or regulatory violations shall procure an extraordinary
sensing device without the explicit approval of the governing body of
such locality, given for that specific extraordinary sensing device to
be used for a specific purpose.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 The governing body for each agency must
develop and make publicly available, including on the agency web site,
written policies and procedures for the use of any extraordinary
sensing device procured, and provide notice and opportunity for public
comment prior to adoption of the written policies and procedures.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 All operations of an extraordinary sensing
device, by an agency, or disclosure of personal information about any
person acquired through the operation of an extraordinary sensing
device, by an agency, must be conducted in such a way as to minimize
the collection and disclosure of personal information not authorized
under this subchapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 (1) An extraordinary sensing device may be
operated and personal information from such operation disclosed, if the
operation and collection of personal information is pursuant to a
search warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction as provided
in this section, and the operation, collection, and disclosure are
compliant with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) Each petition for a search warrant from a judicial officer to
permit the use of an extraordinary sensing device and personal
information collected from such operation must be made in writing, upon
oath or affirmation, to a judicial officer in a court of competent
jurisdiction for the geographic area in which an extraordinary sensing
device is to be operated or where there is probable cause to believe
the offense for which the extraordinary sensing device is sought has
been committed, is being committed, or will be committed.
(3) The law enforcement officer shall submit an affidavit that
includes:
(a) The identity of the applicant and the identity of the agency
conducting the investigation;
(b) The identity of the individual, if known, and area for which
use of the extraordinary sensing device is being sought;
(c) Specific and articulable facts demonstrating probable cause to
believe that there has been, is, or will be criminal activity and that
the operation of the extraordinary sensing device will uncover evidence
of such activity or facts to support the finding that there is probable
cause for issuance of a search warrant pursuant to applicable
requirements; and
(d) A statement that other methods of data collection have been
investigated and found to be either cost-prohibitive or pose an
unacceptable safety risk to a law enforcement officer or to the public.
(4) If the judicial officer finds, based on the affidavit
submitted, there is probable cause to believe a crime has been
committed, is being committed, or will be committed and there is
probable cause to believe the personal information likely to be
obtained from the use of the extraordinary sensing device will be
evidence of the commission of such offense, the judicial officer may
issue a search warrant authorizing the use of the extraordinary sensing
device. The search warrant must authorize the collection of personal
information contained in or obtained from the extraordinary sensing
device.
(5) Warrants may not be issued for a period greater than ten days.
Extensions may be granted, but no longer than the authorizing judicial
officer deems necessary to achieve the purposes for which it was
granted and in no event for longer than thirty days.
(6) Within ten days of the execution of a search warrant, the
officer executing the warrant must serve a copy of the warrant upon the
target of the warrant, except if notice is delayed pursuant to section
8 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 (1) A governmental entity acting under this
section may, when a warrant is sought, include in the petition a
request, which the court shall grant, for an order delaying the
notification required under section 7(6) of this act for a period not
to exceed ninety days if the court determines that there is a reason to
believe that notification of the existence of the warrant may have an
adverse result.
(2) An adverse result for the purposes of this section is:
(a) Placing the life or physical safety of an individual in danger;
(b) Causing a person to flee from prosecution;
(c) Causing the destruction of or tampering with evidence;
(d) Causing the intimidation of potential witnesses; or
(e) Jeopardizing an investigation or unduly delaying a trial.
(3) The governmental entity shall maintain a copy of certification.
(4) Extension of the delay of notification of up to ninety days
each may be granted by the court upon application or by certification
by a governmental entity.
(5) Upon expiration of the period of delay of notification under
subsection (2) or (4) of this section, the governmental entity shall
serve a copy of the warrant upon, or deliver it by registered or first-class mail to, the target of the warrant, together with notice that:
(a) States with reasonable specificity the nature of the law
enforcement inquiry; and
(b) Informs the target of the warrant: (i) That notification was
delayed; (ii) what governmental entity or court made the certification
or determination pursuant to which that delay was made; and (iii) which
provision of this section allowed such delay.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9 (1) It is lawful under this section for any
law enforcement officer or other public official to operate an
extraordinary sensing device and disclose personal information from
such operation if the officer reasonably determines that an emergency
situation exists that involves criminal activity and presents immediate
danger of death or serious physical injury to any person and:
(a) Requires operation of an extraordinary sensing device before a
warrant authorizing such interception can, with due diligence, be
obtained;
(b) There are grounds upon which such a warrant could be entered to
authorize such operation; and
(c) An application for a warrant providing for such operation is
made within forty-eight hours after the operation has occurred or
begins to occur.
(2) In the absence of a warrant, an operation of an extraordinary
sensing device carried out under this section must immediately
terminate when the personal information sought is obtained or when the
application for the warrant is denied, whichever is earlier.
(3) In the event such application for approval is denied, the
personal information obtained from the operation of a device must be
treated as having been obtained in violation of this subchapter, except
for purposes of section 15 of this act, and an inventory must be served
on the person named in the application.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 (1) It is lawful under this section for a
law enforcement officer, agency employee, or authorized agent to
operate an extraordinary sensing device and disclose personal
information from such operation if:
(a) An officer, employee, or agent reasonably determines that an
emergency situation exists that:
(i) Does not involve criminal activity;
(ii) Presents immediate danger of death or serious physical injury
to any person; and
(iii) Has characteristics such that operation of an extraordinary
sensing device can reasonably reduce the danger of death or serious
physical injury;
(b) An officer, employee, or agent reasonably determines that the
operation does not intend to collect personal information and is
unlikely to accidentally collect personal information, and such
operation is not for purposes of regulatory enforcement. Allowable
uses are limited to:
(i) Monitoring to discover, locate, observe, and prevent forest
fires;
(ii) Monitoring an environmental or weather-related catastrophe or
damage from such an event;
(iii) Surveying for wildlife management, habitat preservation, or
environmental damage; and
(iv) Surveying for the assessment and evaluation of environmental
or weather-related damage, erosion, flood, or contamination;
(c) The operation is part of a training exercise conducted on a
military base and the extraordinary sensing device does not collect
personal information on persons located outside the military base;
(d) The operation is for training, testing, or research purposes by
an agency and does not collect personal information without specific
written consent of any individual whose personal information is
collected; or
(e) The operation is part of the response to an emergency or
disaster for which the governor has proclaimed a state of emergency
under RCW 43.06.010(12).
(2) Upon completion of the operation of an extraordinary sensing
device pursuant to this section, any personal information obtained must
be treated as information collected on an individual other than a
target for purposes of section 14 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 Operation of an extraordinary sensing
device by an agency is prohibited unless the agency has affixed a
unique identifier registration number assigned by the agency.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12 Whenever any personal information from an
extraordinary sensing device has been acquired, no part of such
personal information and no evidence derived therefrom may be received
in evidence in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding in or before any
court, grand jury, department, officer, agency, regulatory body,
legislative committee, or other authority of the state or a political
subdivision thereof if the collection or disclosure of that personal
information would be in violation of this subchapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 13 Personal information collected during the
operation of an extraordinary sensing device authorized by and
consistent with this subchapter may not be used, copied, or disclosed
for any purpose after conclusion of the operation, unless there is
probable cause that the personal information is evidence of criminal
activity. Personal information must be deleted as soon as possible
after there is no longer probable cause that the personal information
is evidence of criminal activity; this must be within thirty days if
the personal information was collected on the target of a warrant
authorizing the operation of the extraordinary sensing device, and
within ten days for other personal information collected incidentally
to the operation of an extraordinary sensing device otherwise
authorized by and consistent with this subchapter. There is a
presumption that personal information is not evidence of criminal
activity if that personal information is not used in a criminal
prosecution within one year of collection.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 14 Any person who knowingly violates this
subchapter is subject to legal action for damages, to be brought by any
other person claiming that a violation of this subchapter has injured
his or her business, his or her person, or his or her reputation. A
person so injured is entitled to actual damages. In addition, the
individual is entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs of
litigation.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 15 Any use of an extraordinary sensing device
must fully comply with all federal aviation administration requirements
and guidelines. Compliance with the terms of this subchapter is
mandatory and supplemental to compliance with federal aviation
administration requirements and guidelines. Nothing in this chapter
shall be construed to limit the state's ability to establish and
operate a test range for the integration of unmanned aviation vehicles
into the national airspace.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 16 (1) For a state agency having jurisdiction
over criminal law enforcement including, but not limited to, the
Washington state patrol, the agency must maintain records of each use
of an extraordinary sensing device and, for any calendar year in which
an agency has used an extraordinary sensing device, prepare an annual
report including, at a minimum, the following:
(a) The number of uses of an extraordinary sensing device organized
by types of incidents and types of justification for use;
(b) The number of crime investigations aided by the use and how the
use was helpful to the investigation;
(c) The number of uses of an extraordinary sensing device for
reasons other than criminal investigations and how the use was helpful;
(d) The frequency and type of data collected for individuals or
areas other than targets;
(e) The total cost of the extraordinary sensing device;
(f) The dates when personal information and other data was deleted
or destroyed in compliance with the act;
(g) The number of warrants requested, issued, and extended; and
(h) Additional information and analysis the governing body deems
useful.
(2) For a state agency other than that in subsection (1) of this
section, the agency must maintain records of each use of an
extraordinary sensing device and, for any calendar year in which an
agency has used an extraordinary sensing device, prepare an annual
report including, at a minimum, the following:
(a) The types of extraordinary sensing devices used, the purposes
for which each type of extraordinary sensing device was used, the
circumstances under which use was authorized, and the name of the
officer or official who authorized the use;
(b) Whether deployment of the device was imperceptible to the
public;
(c) The specific kinds of personal information that the
extraordinary sensing device collected about individuals;
(d) The length of time for which any personal information collected
by the extraordinary sensing device was retained;
(e) The specific steps taken to mitigate the impact on an
individual's privacy, including protections against unauthorized use
and disclosure and a data minimization protocol; and
(f) An individual point of contact for citizen complaints and
concerns.
(3) For a local agency having jurisdiction over criminal law
enforcement or regulatory violations, the agency must maintain records
of each use of an extraordinary sensing device including, at a minimum,
the following:
(a) The number of uses of an extraordinary sensing device organized
by types of incidents and types of justification for use;
(b) The number of investigations aided by the use and how the use
was helpful to the investigation;
(c) The number of uses of an extraordinary sensing device for
reasons other than criminal investigations and how the use was helpful;
(d) The frequency and type of data collected for individuals or
areas other than targets;
(e) The total cost of the extraordinary sensing device;
(f) The dates when personal information and other data was deleted
or destroyed in compliance with the act;
(g) The number of warrants requested, issued, and extended; and
(h) Additional information and analysis the governing body deems
useful.
(4) The annual reports required pursuant to subsections (1) and (2)
of this section must be filed electronically to the office of financial
management, who must compile the results and submit them electronically
to the relevant committees of the legislature by September 1st of each
year, beginning in 2015.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 17 Sections 2 through 16 of this act are each
added to chapter
NEW SECTION. Sec. 18 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected."
EHB 2789 -
By Committee on Law & Justice
NOT ADOPTED 03/07/2014
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "surveillance;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "adding new sections to chapter 9.73 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties."
EFFECT: (1) "Biometric identification system" is not defined.
"Extraordinary sensing device" means a sensing device attached to an
unmanned system, not the unmanned aircraft system itself and includes
sound sensing devices. "Agency" excludes the Washington national
guard.
(2) Allows agencies with criminal and regulatory enforcement
jurisdiction to obtain authority to procure drones.
(3) The search warrant may authorize the use of a biometric
identification system.
(4) It is lawful for law enforcement or an agency to operate an
extraordinary sensing device and disclose personal information if it is
reasonably determined that an emergency situation exists that has
characteristics such that it would reduce the danger of death or
serious injury or the operation is for training or research purposes
that does not collect personal information without written consent.
(5) No legislation is required before a drone may be used for
investigation or regulatory enforcement.
(6) The identifier registration number does not have to be viewable
by the public while the device is in use.
(7) The law is not to be construed to limit the state's ability to
establish and operate a test range for integration of drones into
national airspace.
(8) Publication of policies must be posted on the agency web site.
(9) Damages are limited to actual damages, not liquidated damages.