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Bill restricting police use of cell phone tracking passes Illinois House, Senate

The bill unanimously cleared the House Wednesday. It had already passed the Senate, so the next step is the governor’s desk.
Cell phone tower image from ThinkStock

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois lawmakers have approved a bill that restricts how law enforcement agencies use devices that mimic cell towers to track phone locations in criminal investigations.

The measure would require that police get a warrant before using cell-site simulators, also known as Stingrays. The bill would also require law enforcement to delete data from people who are not subject to an investigation.

The bill unanimously cleared the House Wednesday. It had already passed the Senate, so the next step is the governor’s desk.

A cell-site simulator gathers data from a neighborhood by tricking phones into believing it’s a cell tower. Several states have considered legislation that addresses the new technology.

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