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Michigan Votes to Require Warrants for Police to Seize and Search Digital Devices

Runaway1956 writes in with an IRC submission:

Michigan votes to require warrants for police to seize and search digital devices:

Voters in the US state of Michigan have decided that searches of laptop, phones, and associated electronic data will require a search warrant going forward.

Michigan Proposal 20-2 to require a search warrant to access a person's electronic data and electronic communications passed overwhelmingly, with 88.7 percent (nearly four million people) voting "yes," and only 11.3 percent voting "no."

At the same time, the proposal amends the Michigan Constitution to bring the existing protections from unlawful and unreasonable searches of homes, documents, and other personal possessions up to date, and include electronic data and communications on people's devices.

The goal of Proposal 2 was to make sure the new rules explicitly state a private citizen's electronic data is equally protected, thus removing any vagueness and various interpretations. Currently, law enforcement must have a warrant before searching a home and somebody's personal belongings, including papers and other items, but electronic versions of these stored on devices like phones and laptops are not mentioned in the language of the legal solutions that far predate the technological transformation of society.

Massachusetts Voters Approve Ballot Expanding Open Repair Data in Blow to Auto Industry

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for soycow9642:

Massachusetts voters approve ballot expanding open repair data in blow to auto industry:

(Reuters) - Voters in Massachusetts on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a ballot measure forcing automakers to provide expanded access to mechanical and electronic repair data and allow independent shops to repair increasingly sophisticated technology.

The decision delivers the first significant win in a fight over who will control the $390 billion U.S. auto data aftermarket in the digital age.

[...] "This referendum...means that despite advances in technology, owners will be able to have their repair data shared directly with their trusted independent shops," Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association said in a statement, adding the group worked with cybersecurity experts to ensure privacy during data transfers.

Under the state's ballot measure, approved by 75% of voters, on-board diagnostic and mechanical data will have to be made available via an open-platform app for 2022 vehicle models and beyond.

Four states vote to legalize marijuana.

jasassin writes:

Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota and Montana all passed legislation Tuesday permitting the possession of weed by adults, which means 15 states have legalized recreational weed or voted to legalize it.

See more on the story here.

As a life long resident of the red state of South Dakota, I'm glad to see people who need this for medical purposes can have access and the police can spend their time on serious crimes instead of wasting it on recreational marijuana users.

Original Submission #1  Original Submission #2  Original Submission #3