Bill would limit cellphone "stingrays"

The New Hampshire House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee has voted unanimously in favor of a bill to limit the use of cell site simulators such as "stingrays."

Those devices mimic cellphone towers, allowing a user to gather data from nearby cellphones.

New Hampshire already has a law that prevents law enforcement from obtaining a cellphone’s location without a warrant. However, the law does not specifically address stingrays. 

The new bill, HB 474, would require law enforcement to obtain a warrant to use a cell site simulator or stingray.  The House Committee is recommending an amendment to the bill that would also require law enforcement to delete any data gathered from someone not mentioned in the warrant. 

Bill supporters argue that cell site simulators are a notable threat to privacy because they gather data from all nearby cellphones indiscriminately. Without laws that require law enforcement to purge data, innocent bystanders may have their location and communications logged in a database indefinitely.

Bill opponents argue that New Hampshire's current law is sufficient to protect the privacy of New Hampshire citizens. There are also no confirmed reports of police using cell site simulators in New Hampshire.

Do you support limiting law enforcement use of cell site simulators? Share your opinion in the comments or on Facebook. We plan to present a summary of the comments received to legislators considering the bill related to this question, HB 474. Only responses from New Hampshire residents will be counted. Please indicate if you are a NH resident somewhere in your response.