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Cell Phone Tracking Bill Appeases Civil Libertarians, Worries
Law Enforcement 05/24/2013   Reported By: Patty B. Wight  As
Congress considers legislation addressing when and how law
enforcement can track cell phone data, lawmakers in Maine are
taking steps at the state level towards tightening restrictions.
Last night, the Maine Senate approved a bill that requires law
enforcement to get a warrant before tracking cell phone data.
But what's being hailed as a victory for civil rights is seen as
a defeat for public safety by opponents of the bill. They said
if the bill is enacted, police will lose access to a valuable
crime-solving tool.  Solving a crime is like a puzzle. Police
gather bits of information that, when put together, tell a story
about what happened. Using cell phone data to know the historic
location of a suspect can be one of those key pieces of the
puzzle. Take this case Democratic Senator Linda Valentino told
her fellow senators the