March 18, 2013
House of Delegates passes cellphone-tracking measure
Advertiser

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A 2007 abduction and murder has West Virginia lawmakers proposing that wireless service providers help law enforcement track a person's cellphone.

The House of Delegates voted 96-1 Monday to pass West Virginia's version of the Kelsey Smith Act.

Several states have considered such legislation since the murder of Kansas 18-year-old Kelsey Smith. Cellphone signals helped lead police to her body four days after she was abducted from a Target store parking lot.

Smith's parents have sought such laws following a delay in getting their daughter's cellphone provider to cooperate with police. Monday's bill would call on wireless telecommunications companies to provide information without requiring a judge's order. It would apply to emergency situations involving a risk of death or serious physical harm.

The bill heads to the Senate.

Recommended Stories

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Popular Videos
The Gazette now offers Facebook Comments on its stories. You must be logged into your Facebook account to add comments. If you do not want your comment to post to your personal page, uncheck the box below the comment. Comments deemed offensive by the moderators will be removed, and commenters who persist may be banned from commenting on the site.
Advertisement - Your ad here
Get Daily Headlines by E-Mail
Sign up for the latest news delivered to your inbox each morning.
Advertisement - Your ad here
News Videos
Advertisement - Your ad here
Advertisement - Your ad here