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Panel advances bill letting account holders request limited phone data in missing-person cases
Summary
The subcommittee advanced S.745, the Help Find Missing Americans Act, after hearing from a father of a missing geologist who urged faster access to phone-location data via account-holder requests tied to missing-person reports.
A Senate subcommittee on Tuesday gave a favorable recommendation and moved S.745, the Help Find Missing Americans Act, to the full committee after public testimony.
Miss Baker summarized S.745 as a measure that would allow an account holder (for example, a family member who holds a phone account) to request limited information from wireless providers about a missing person’s device — including location data, call numbers and recent data usage — for the 12 hours before a disappearance through the date of the request. The request would require a verified missing-person report and provider verification; providers would disclose to both the account holder and law enforcement within 30 days unless law-enforcement needs delay disclosure. Records would be retained for three years; misuse could be a criminal offense, while providers acting in good faith would receive liability protection.
David Robinson, who identifies himself as a candidate for Congress and the father of missing geologist Daniel Kunez Robinson, urged the committee to move the bill, describing how delay in obtaining cell-phone pings hampered early search efforts after his son disappeared in the Sonoran Desert. "When there's a person missing, timing is crucial," Robinson said, recounting international and interstate hurdles to obtaining device location data.
Committee members noted an analogous bill in the House (S.114 referenced by the chair) and discussed options to move the measure quickly given the legislative calendar. A motion to give S.745 a favorable recommendation was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the bill will be placed on the full committee agenda.
What the bill would do (as described to the committee): account holders may request limited device information when there is an active missing-person report; providers verify and disclose data within 30 days unless law enforcement requests otherwise; records retained three years; civil and criminal liability protections for providers acting in good faith; misuse may be penalized.
Key quote
"If it's a real, legitimate police report ... the law enforcement should be able to go directly to that phone company without that warrant and just get that limited information that would save my son's life," David Robinson said.
Next steps: S.745 was advanced to the full committee for further consideration.
