US EditionMinnesota bill says warrants that let police sweep up data near a crime scene should be illegal
A bill would ban reverse location warrants except in emergencies and allow lawsuits, amid a 686% increase in their use in Minnesota from 2018 to 2020.
- Minnesota lawmakers, led by Sen. Erin Maye-Quade, are advancing legislation to ban reverse location warrants, which proponents argue violate the Fourth Amendment by gathering data on innocent individuals.
- Between 2018 and 2020, reverse location warrant usage in Minnesota rose from 22 to 173, a 686% increase, as police increasingly used "geofence" warrants to identify suspects near crime scenes.
- BCA Superintendent Drew Evans warns an outright ban would have a "major detrimental effect on public safety in Minnesota," noting that reverse location data has "saved lives, even just recently."
- Although Google ceased storing susceptible location history by July 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering the warrants' constitutionality, with oral arguments scheduled for April.
- Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee members debated the bill on March 9, with sponsors like Sen. Eric Lucero signaling willingness to negotiate safeguards while preserving investigative tools.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Minnesota bill would ban warrants allowing police to collect data from devices near a crime scene
A bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers has proposed a bill seeking to ban warrants allowing law enforcement to gather data revealing which cellphones and other devices that were near a crime scene at a specific time. Democrat state Sen. Erin Maye Quade introduced a Senate bill to ban those…
Associated Press News
Minnesota bill says warrants that let police sweep up data near a crime scene should be illegal
As the U.S. Supreme Court decides a case on the constitutionality of reverse location warrants, Minnesota lawmakers look to enact a ban.
Minnesota bill would ban warrants allowing police to collect data from devices near a crime scene – Democratic Accent
A bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers has proposed a bill seeking to ban warrants allowing law enforcement to gather data revealing which cellphones and other devices that were near a crime scene at a specific time. Democrat state Sen. Erin Maye Quade introduced a Senate bill to ban those warrants in most cases, with Sens. Omar Fateh, also a Democrat, and Eric Lucero, a Republican, joining as original sponsors. The bill would also allow anyo…
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