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Legislative proposal: Search warrants for digital evidence

A state legislative committee has approved a proposal to require law enforcement officers to get search warrants before delving into private electronic communications.

The committee's bipartisan sponsors plan to introduce the bill in the 60-day session that begins in January.

It would be the first time the New Mexico Legislature would tackle the issue.

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act would be an extension of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2014.

The high court unanimously held that the warrantless search and seizure of the digital contents of a cellphone during an arrest was unconstitutional.

Search warrants or a suspect's permission are typically required to search cars, houses, or other physical property where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com

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