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Washington State Bill Would Limit Surveillance

Would require a warrant for use of "extraordinary sensing devices."

In the wake of NSA spying revelations, a number of states have moved to enhance privacy.

This week Washington State Rep. Jeff Morris, D-Mount Vernon -- chair of the Technology, Energy and Economic Development Committee. -- filed House Bill 2179, which essentially rules out government surveillance of an individual without a legal order.

"It is the intent of the Legislature to restore this delicate balance," the bill states, "by ensuring that the gathering of personal information by the state is restricted to that which is reasonably necessary to meet legitimate societal objectives, and by establishing an expectation that certain forms of government surveillance using extraordinary sensing devices may not be conducted, from any vantage point, without the supervision of a court, through a court-ordered warrant."

Wayne E. Hanson served as a writer and editor with e.Republic from 1989 to 2013, having worked for several business units including Government Technology magazine, the Center for Digital Government, Governing, and Digital Communities. Hanson was a juror from 1999 to 2004 with the Stockholm Challenge and Global Junior Challenge competitions in information technology and education.