Earlier tonight, a few of us Beth (in ghost), Brad and I proposed to the Los Angeles General Assembly the Endorse CA Location Privacy Act. The proposal has been copied below:

Endorse CA Location Privacy Act

What

Endorse the ”California Location Privacy Act of 2012 ( SB 1434 ). The bill has passed the California Senate (30 to 6) and Assembly ( 63-11 ) and is headed to Governor Brown’s desk for him to sign and make into law.

Why

1. Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts has requested information from mobile providers, and has revealed that last year there have been 1.3 million requests for subscriber information like text messages, location data and calling records.
2. This bill, SB 1434, will require law enforcement to get a search warrant to be able to obtain location information from any electronic device, unless in an emergency or requested by the owner of the device.
3. It has been sponsored by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. Governer Brown vetoed a privacy bill, SB 914, which would have required police to obtain a search warrant before searching the contents of an arrested person’s cell phone, and we need to make sure this bill doesn’t find the same fate.
4. A Freedom of Information Request has revealed that the Occupy movement has been under surveillance and monitored by the Department of Homeland Security, and we can assume that people we know are being targeted to have their locations tracked without a warrent to apply unjust police pressure.

Issue a press release on the Los Angeles General Assembly website at losangelesga.net about the offical endorsement from the Los Angeles General Assembly, and tell a friend about the consensus. It would read as follows:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Los Angeles General Assembly on Wednesday, August 29th,
at Pershing Square at [time], with an attendence of [attendence],
has consented to the ”California Location Privacy Act of
2012 ( SB 1434 )”, and urges Governor Brown to sign this bill
into law.

The bill will require law enforcement to get a search
warrant to be able to obtain location information from any
electronic device, unless in an emergency or requested by
the owner of the device.

The General Assembly made statements in support of
the bill: [insert statements]

A few raised concerns about the bill: [insert statements]

Notes from the Response of the Los Angeles General Assembly

Support

1. Privacy has been compromised in other countries by authorities. And privacy is important to a political movement.
2. They can get location information by “writing their own warrant”, and that can be abused by law enforcement without oversight.
3. It’s a chance to stand by something that we support, we need to support our freedom, and it isn’t supporting electoral politics but the issues.
4. Occupy is already under a microscope, and this would help alleviate unwanted attention.
5. It’s important to use all tactics, and to sway the law.

Concerns

1. Feels that releasing a press release won’t be enough, and that more action should be taken to encouraging contacting the governor by phone, email and mail.
2. People have been arrested and have already had their phones searched and wiped. And that releasing a press release won’t be enough of a statement.
3. Doesn’t believe in the system or electoral politics and won’t support the bill.

The proposal didn’t reach a consensus, as there were a few hardblocks.