Bill Text: NJ AR105 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to inform the public on telecommunications and Internet surveillance programs concerning national security.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-08 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee [AR105 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-AR105-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to inform the public on telecommunications and Internet surveillance programs concerning national security.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution respectfully urging Congress to inform the public on telecommunications and Internet surveillance programs concerning national security.
Whereas, The right to privacy from government intrusion and the protection from unreasonable searches and seizures have been, and continue to be, vital aspects of the American tradition; and
Whereas, With the current threat of global terrorism, it is important that the federal government be able to exercise the necessary and appropriate powers to deter and prevent acts of terrorism against the United States; and
Whereas, Congress has authorized federal agencies to collect certain telephone and Internet records, data, and metadata as part of surveillance programs concerning national security by enacting legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; and
Whereas, The metadata collected from telephone and Internet companies include the date, time, duration, and location of telephone calls, or the digital network information of Internet users; and
Whereas, Recent news reports regarding the collection of metadata by federal agencies has concerned the public; and
Whereas, To protect privacy rights guaranteed by the federal Constitution, information regarding the federal government's collection and use of records, data, and metadata from telecommunications and Internet companies under surveillance programs should be communicated to the public to the extent that this information does not compromise national security; and
Whereas, It is all together fitting and proper, and in the public interest, for this House to urge Congress to inform the citizens of this country of telecommunications and Internet surveillance programs concerning national security so that the American public may ensure that their privacy rights, guaranteed by the federal Constitution, are not infringed upon; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to inform the citizens of this country of telecommunications and Internet surveillance programs concerning national security so that the American public may ensure that their privacy rights, guaranteed by the federal Constitution, are not infringed upon.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Congress of the United States to inform the citizens of this country of telecommunications and Internet surveillance programs concerning national security so that the American public may ensure that their privacy rights, guaranteed by the federal Constitution, are not infringed upon.
The right to privacy from government intrusion and the protection from unreasonable searches and seizures have been, and continue to be, important aspects of the American legal tradition. With the current threat of global terrorism, it is important that the federal government be able to exercise the necessary and appropriate powers to deter and prevent acts of terrorism against the United States. Congress has authorized federal agencies to collect certain telephone and Internet records, data, and metadata as part of surveillance programs concerning national security by enacting legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The metadata collected from telephone and Internet companies include the date, time, duration, and location of telephone calls, or the digital network information of Internet users. Recent news reports regarding the collection of metadata by federal agencies has concerned many members of the public. To protect privacy rights guaranteed by the federal Constitution, information regarding the federal government's collection and use of records, data, and metadata from telecommunications and Internet companies under surveillance programs should be communicated to the public to the extent that this information does not compromise national security.
