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City staff urges amendments to bill limiting government access to historical location data
Summary
Aurora staff recommended an 'amend' position on a Senate bill that would restrict government access to historical location databases, citing conflicts with current procedures for obtaining probable cause, retention periods, and multi‑jurisdictional investigations; committee voted to pursue amendments and staff will work with sponsors.
City staff told the Pfizer advisory committee on Feb. 5 that a proposed state law to ban government access to historical location databases would disrupt investigative practices and create legal conflicts unless narrowed. The staff recommended an 'amend' position and asked to work with bill sponsors to clarify definitions and carve-outs for law enforcement usage.
Staff explained that historical location information is routinely used to establish probable cause and to support warrant applications, and that the bill’s four‑day retention rule and broad sharing prohibitions could create gaps for complex, multijurisdictional investigations such as homicide or human‑trafficking cases. Staff also said the bill’s inclusion of facial recognition in the database definition could conflict with existing state rules and cause legal uncertainty.
Council members pressed staff on likely operational impacts, asking whether the bill would curb real‑time camera systems and how it would affect investigations of stolen vehicles and shared ownership of devices. Staff said the bill primarily targets historical location information rather than real‑time camera feeds but acknowledged the concerns and recommended targeted amendments. The committee recorded its position as 'amend' and asked staff to seek changes with sponsors; the bill is scheduled for Senate Judiciary on Feb. 23.
Why it matters: restricting access to vendor‑held location data or imposing short retention requirements could limit investigative tools used by Aurora Police Department and other agencies operating in the Denver metro area, affecting responses to violent crimes and missing‑person cases.
Next steps: staff will draft amendment language, meet with bill sponsors, and report back to the committee before the Senate Judiciary hearing.
