HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FINAL BILL ANALYSIS SUMMARY ANALYSIS

Transcription

1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FINAL BILL ANALYSIS BILL #: CS/CS/HB 197 FINAL HOUSE FLOOR ACTION: SPONSOR(S): COMPANION BILLS: Judiciary Cmmittee; Criminal Justice Subcmmittee; Metz and thers 113 Y s 0 N s CS/CS/SB 282 GOVERNOR S ACTION: Apprved SUMMARY ANALYSIS CS/CS/HB 197 passed the Huse n April 16, 2015, and subsequently passed the Senate n April 24, Chapter 934, F.S., gverns the security f electrnic and telephnic cmmunicatins and the prcedural requirements fr searching and mnitring such cmmunicatins. Flrida law des nt currently prhibit a persn frm installing a tracking device r tracking applicatin n anther persn s prperty withut the ther persn s cnsent. The bill prhibits a persn frm installing a tracking device r tracking applicatin n anther persn s prperty withut the ther persn s cnsent. A vilatin f this prhibitin is a secnd degree misdemeanr. This prhibitin des nt apply t: A law enfrcement fficer r law enfrcement agency that lawfully installs a tracking device r tracking applicatin n anther persn s prperty as part f a criminal investigatin; A parent r legal guardian f a minr child that installs a tracking device r tracking applicatin n the minr child s prperty if: The parents r legal guardians are lawfully married t each ther and are nt separated r therwise living apart, and either parent r legal guardian cnsents t the installatin f the tracking device r tracking applicatin; The parent r legal guardian is the sle surviving parent r legal guardian f the minr child; The parent r legal guardian has sle custdy f the minr child; r The parents r legal guardians are divrced, separated, r therwise living apart and bth cnsent t the installatin f the tracking device r tracking applicatin; A caregiver f an elderly persn r disabled adult, if the elderly persn r disabled adult s treating physician certifies that such installatin is necessary t ensure the safety f the elderly persn r disabled adult; A persn wh is nt engaged in private investigatin, and is acting in gd faith n behalf f a business entity fr a legitimate business purpse; r An wner r lessee f a mtr vehicle, in specified circumstances. The bill prvides fr administrative disciplinary actin against persns engaged in private investigatin, security, r repssessin, wh install tracking devices r tracking applicatins in vilatin f the prvisins f the bill. The bill creates a new secnd degree misdemeanr, which is punishable by up t 60 days in cunty jail and a $500 fine. This may have a negative jail bed impact. The bill was apprved by the Gvernr n June 11, 2015, ch , L.O.F., and will becme effective n Octber 1, This dcument des nt reflect the intent r fficial psitin f the bill spnsr r Huse f Representatives. STORAGE NAME: h0197z1.crjs

2 I. SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION A. EFFECT OF CHANGES: Current Situatin Cellular Phne Tracking Any time a cellular phne is n, it will peridically send a signal t the lcal base statin 1 t verify the strength f the phne s cnnectin t the prvider netwrk. 2 Cellular phnes als cmmunicate back and frth with base statins during phne calls. 3 Prviders divide their service area up amng base statins in the area, and the cellular phne cmmunicates with different nearby base statins as the user mves arund the service area. 4 Prviders keep clse track f which base statins a phne cmmunicates with s the prvider knws which base statins t send phne calls t. 5 The electrnic recrd created by a cellular phne cmmunicating with a base statin is ften referred t as cell site lcatin infrmatin (hereinafter CSLI ). 6 CSLI is als used by cellular prviders t transmit lcatin data fr cellular phnes that dial The Federal Cmmunicatins Cmmissin (hereinafter FCC ) develped the Enhanced 911 prgram (hereinafter E911 ) t ensure that wireless carriers prvide lcatin infrmatin t 911 dispatchers when a 911 call is placed frm a cellular phne. 8 Over time the FCC has created mre stringent requirements fr cellular prviders that currently require specific lcatin data such as latitude and lngitude f the 911 caller. 9 In similar frm t the FCC requirements, Flrida law requires the establishment f a statewide E911 prgram requiring prviders t rute 911 calls t the crrect public safety answering pints. 10 This is accmplished by selective ruting based n the gegraphical lcatin frm which the call riginated, and requiring prviders t create autmatic number identificatin and autmatic lcatin-identificatin features. 11 GPS Tracking The Glbal Psitining System (hereinafter GPS ) is a system f twenty-fur perating satellites that rbit the earth and transmit radi signals. 12 The GPS system is perated by the United States Air Frce, 13 and is used fr civilian applicatins as well as natinal security and military peratins. 14 GPS can be used fr tracking and lcating cellular phnes that are equipped with hardware that can receive radi signals frm GPS satellites. 15 GPS technlgy can usually identify the lcatin f a cellular phne 1 The base statin is the device r cmmunicatins twer that transmits cellular radi signals s a telephne call can be made wirelessly. These twers are als referred t as cellular twers. See IEEE Glbal Histry Netwrk, Base Statins, (last visited April 30, 2015). 2 ECPA Refrm and the Revlutin in Lcatin Based Techs. & Servs. befre the Subcmm. n the Cnstitutin, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, 111th Cng (testimny f Matt Blaze, Assc. Prf., Univ. Pa.). 3 Id. at Id. at Id. at In re Applicatin f U.S. fr an Order Directing a Prvider f Elec. Cmmc n Serv. t Disclse Recrds t the Gv t, 620 F.3d 304 (3d Cir. 2010). 7 Federal Cmmc ns Cmm n, Enhanced Wireless Services, 8 Federal Cmmc ns Cmm n, Guide: 911 Wireless Services, (last visited April 27, 2015). 9 Federal Cmmc ns Cmm n, Enhanced Wireless Services, 10 s (3)(h), F.S. 11 Id. 12 GPS.Gv, Space Segment, 13 Schriever Air Frce Base, GPS, 14 GPS.Gv, GPS Applicatins, 15 ECPA Refrm and the Revlutin in Lcatin Based Techs. & Servs. befre the Subcmm. n the Cnstitutin, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, 111th Cng (statement f Matt Blaze, Assc. Prf., Univ. Pa.). STORAGE NAME: h0197z1.crjs PAGE: 2

3 within a distance f ten meters; 16 hwever, mre recent cellular phne mdels are the nly mdels equipped with the prper hardware t utilize this technlgy. 17 Tracking Sftware Tracking sftware can be dwnladed nt phnes and ther electrnic devices and used t track the lcatin f the device fr mapping applicatins r ther purpses. 18 Sme types f tracking sftware can mnitr messages, s, websites that are visited, and cntacts that are saved, in additin t tracking a device s lcatin. 19 Flrida Law Chapter 934, F.S., gverns the security f electrnic and telephnic cmmunicatins and the prcedural requirements fr searching and mnitring such cmmunicatins. The law cvers a number f different investigative and mnitring prcedures, including wiretapping, btaining service prvider recrds, and mbile tracking devices. Hwever, many f the chapter s prvisins nly apply t law enfrcement entities (e.g., s , F.S., authrizes a law enfrcement fficer t apply t a judge f cmpetent jurisdictin fr an rder authrizing r apprving the installatin and use f a mbile tracking device). 20 Sectin , F.S., which applies t all persns, makes it a third degree felny 21 fr a persn t intentinally use the cntents f an electrnic cmmunicatin, knwing r having reasn t knw that the infrmatin was btained thrugh the unlawful interceptin f the electrnic cmmunicatin (i.e., withut the cnsent f bth parties). The term electrnic cmmunicatin is defined as any transfer f signs, signals, writing, images, sunds, data, r intelligence f any nature transmitted in whle r in part by a wire, radi, electrmagnetic, phtelectrnic, r phtptical system that affects intrastate, interstate, r freign cmmerce. 22 Hwever, the definitin specifically excludes any cmmunicatin frm an electrnic r mechanical device which permits the tracking f the mvement f a persn r an bject. 23 Flrida law des nt currently prhibit a private individual frm installing a tracking device r tracking applicatin n anther persn s prperty withut the ther persn s cnsent. 16 Id. 17 Id. at ECPA Refrm and the Revlutin in Lcatin Based Techs. & Servs. befre the Subcmm. n the Cnstitutin, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, 111th Cng (statement f Matt Blaze, Assc. Prf., Univ. Pa.). 19 CBS DFW, Stalkers Using Cell Phnes t Track Victims, (last visited April 27, 2015); Christine Pitawanich, Virtually Invisible Cell Phne Apps Used t Track and Spy n Victims, NBC News, Nv. 25, 2014, 20 Sectin , F.S., defines tracking device as an electrnic r mechanical device which permits the tracking f the mvement f a persn r bject. 21 A third degree felny is punishable by up t five years imprisnment and a $5,000 fine. ss and , F.S. 22 s (12), F.S. 23 Id. STORAGE NAME: h0197z1.crjs PAGE: 3

4 Effect f the Bill The bill creates a new secnd degree misdemeanr 24 fr a persn t install a tracking device r tracking applicatin n anther persn s prperty withut the ther persn s cnsent. This prhibitin des nt apply t: A law enfrcement fficer as defined in s , F.S., r any lcal, state, federal, r military law enfrcement agency, that lawfully installs a tracking device r tracking applicatin n anther persn s prperty as part f a criminal investigatin; A parent r legal guardian f a minr child that installs a tracking device r tracking applicatin n the minr child s prperty if: The parents r legal guardians are lawfully married t each ther and are nt separated r therwise living apart, and either parent r legal guardian cnsents t the installatin f the tracking device r tracking applicatin; The parent r legal guardian is the sle surviving parent r legal guardian f the minr child; The parent r legal guardian has sle custdy f the minr child; r The parents r legal guardians are divrced, separated, r therwise living apart and bth cnsent t the installatin f the tracking device r tracking applicatin; A caregiver f an elderly persn r disabled adult, as thse terms are defined in s , F.S., if the elderly persn r disabled adult s treating physician certifies that the installatin f a tracking device r tracking applicatin nt the elderly persn r disabled adult s prperty is necessary t ensure the safety f the elderly persn r disabled adult; A persn acting in gd faith n behalf f a business entity fr a legitimate business purpse, except fr persns engaged in private investigatin, as defined in s , F.S; r An wner r lessee f a mtr vehicle that installs, r directs the installatin f, a tracking device r tracking applicatin n such vehicle during the perid f wnership r lease, prvided that: The tracking device r tracking applicatin is remved befre the vehicle s title is transferred r the vehicle s lease expires; The new wner r lessr f the vehicle cnsents in writing fr the tracking device r tracking applicatin t remain installed; r The wner f the vehicle at the time f the installatin f the tracking device r tracking applicatin was the riginal manufacturer f the vehicle. The bill permits the Department f Agriculture and Cnsumer Services t take disciplinary actin against persns engaged in private investigatin, security, r repssessin services, wh install a tracking device r tracking applicatin in vilatin f the prvisins f the bill. The bill specifies that a persn s cnsent t be tracked is presumed t be revked in the fllwing circumstances: The cnsenting persn and the persn t whm cnsent was given are lawfully married and ne persn files a petitin fr disslutin f marriage frm the ther; r The cnsenting persn r the persn t whm cnsent was given files an injunctin fr prtectin against the ther persn pursuant t ss , , , r , F.S. The bill creates the fllwing definitins: Business entity means any frm f crpratin, partnership, assciatin, cperative, jint venture, business trust, r sle prprietrship that cnducts business in this state. "Tracking applicatin" means any sftware prgram whse primary purpse is t track r identify the lcatin r mvement f an individual. "Tracking device" means any device whse primary purpse is t reveal its lcatin r mvement by the transmissin f electrnic signals. Persn means an individual and des nt include a business entity. 24 A secnd degree misdemeanr is punishable by up t 60 days in cunty jail and a $500 fine. ss and , F.S. STORAGE NAME: h0197z1.crjs PAGE: 4

5 II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT: 1. Revenues: The bill des nt appear t have any impact n state revenues. 2. Expenditures: The bill des nt appear t have any impact n state expenditures. B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: 1. Revenues: The bill des nt appear t have any impact n lcal gvernment revenues. 2. Expenditures: The bill creates a new secnd degree misdemeanr, which is punishable by up t 60 days in cunty jail and a $500 fine. This may have a negative jail bed impact. C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR: Nne. D. FISCAL COMMENTS: Nne. STORAGE NAME: h0197z1.crjs PAGE: 5