110 HR 6588 IH: Electronic Device Privacy Act of U.S. House of Representatives 2008-07-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6588 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 23, 2008 Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To preclude searches of laptop computers and similar devices based on the power as sovereign to search at the border or upon entry to the United States.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Electronic Device Privacy Act of 2008.

2.

Border searches of laptops

(a)

Generally prohibited

No person acting under the authority of the United States shall have any authority, derived from the power of a sovereign to search at borders or upon entry to the territory of that sovereign, to require that any person entering the United States submit to a search of the electronic contents of that person’s laptop computer or similar device. (b)

This section does not prohibit searches based on other lawful authority

Subsection (a) shall not be construed to in any way limit or affect any search based on lawful authority other than the power of a sovereign to search at borders or upon entry to the territory of that sovereign. (c)

Definition

As used in this Act, the term laptop computer or other similar device means a computer of the sort generally recognized as being a laptop computer, and includes any other electronic device normally used for electronic mail or messaging, or storing electronic data.