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House makes possession or use of signal jammers a felony and adds devices to seizure list
Summary
House Bill 11-55, approved on third reading, makes possession or use of radio/signal-jamming devices a felony and adds such devices to property that may be seized; backers said the devices present law-enforcement safety risks and have no legitimate civilian use; the measure passed overwhelmingly.
The House approved House Bill 11-55 on third reading, creating a state-level criminal prohibition matching existing federal law for radio- or signal-jamming devices. The bill makes unlawful possession or use of such devices a level 6 felony (with harsher penalties if used to commit another crime) and permits seizure of the devices as contraband.
Representative Pierce described incidents during which criminals used signal jammers to interrupt officers' radios and other communications. Supporters—including law-enforcement witnesses cited in committee—said the devices have no legitimate civilian purpose and can create immediate danger by disabling officers' radios, surveillance, or communications used to summon backup.
Opponents questioned whether any noncriminal uses existed (for example, an instructor who might want to block phones in a classroom) but acknowledged the Federal Communications Commission broadly prohibits jammers because radio waves can interfere with safety-critical communications. Representative McNamara and Representative Gore emphasized federal prohibitions and said local prosecutors need state law to pursue cases promptly rather than rely solely on federal enforcement.
The House passed the bill on final vote 89 ayes, 2 nays. The bill adds jammers to the list of property subject to seizure and allows local prosecutors to pursue charges locally rather than wait for federal enforcement action, supporters said.
