Legislative proposal: Search warrants for digital evidence

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A state legislative committee has approved a proposal to require law enforcement officers to get search warrants before delving into private electronic communications. The Albuquerque Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2fdCawg) 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.