Political Surveillance (H 5172, S 153)

ACLU-promoted legislation was reintroduced to restrict political surveillance and data collection by police. This is not an abstract problem in Rhode Island. For example, local police reported to federal authorities a planned peaceful demonstration outside the Army National Guard recruiting station in downtown Providence; information about the protest ended up in a Department of Defense “terrorism” database. And Woonsocket police were found to have run license plate numbers of cars that were in a parking lot where an event for a political candidate was being held. The bill died in committee.