Senate seeks to bar state from aiding federal data mining

California agencies would be prohibited from helping the federal government in collecting residents’ phone and Internet data without warrants under a bill given final legislative approval Thursday by the state Senate.

The measure, which next goes to Gov. Jerry Brown for consideration, was introduced by Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) in response to recent revelations of mass data collections without warrants by federal intelligence agencies.

“This bill is necessary because we know through investigations that the NSA and other agencies have been violating the constitutional rights of all Californians,” Lieu told his colleagues.

“The National Security Agency’s massive and indiscriminate collecting of phone data on all Americans, including more than 38 million Californians, is a threat to our liberty and freedom,” Lieu said.

SB 828 would ban the state from giving any material support, participation or assistance to any federal agency to collect electronic or metadata of any person, unless there has been a warrant issued that specifically describes the person, place and thing to be searched or seized, he said.

Lieu said he is concerned about reports that the NSA has not only collected phone records, but also emails and text messages.

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