Group Proposes Data Privacy Amendment

A group of bipartisan lawmakers want Minnesota voters to decide whether the state's constitution should be amended to include data privacy protection for email, online posting, and other communications using technology. The "Data Privacy Amendment," if enacted into the constitution, would protect electronic information from unreasonable search and seizure. Senator Branden Peterson, R-Andover, led the State Capitol news conference Monday, February 16, advocating that the question be placed on the 2016 general election ballot.

According to Peterson, "We found that due to some loophole in federal law, and this is speaking to federal agencies, that emails and all forms of electronic communications, basically, that are over six months old can be accessed without a warrant."

Matt Elling, a supporter of the measure, stated, "We look at what's happened to federal case law the last couple of decades, and how it's impacted the search and seizure protocols at the federal level, the Minnesota level. You can really see that this kind of constitutional change is necessary in clarifying Minnesota law."

Supporters of S. F. 32 include Senator Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, who believes the bill is a fundamental right of all Minnesotans and pledged to engage more policy makers in the Senate to help move the legislation.