The California Assembly Public Safety Committee approved a bill Tuesday that would turn off all forms of support — including water and electricity — to any federal agency engaged in the “illegal and unconstitutional collection of electronic or metadata” without expressed consent or a warrant.
The bipartisan bill, aimed at illegal mass surveillance programs, passed the committee with a 7-0 vote. Senate Bill 828, known colloquially as the 4th Amendment Protection Act, passed the State Senate in May with only a single nay vote. It faces two more votes before being sent to Gov. Jerry Brown to sign into law.
Bill proponents want it passed ahead of any NSA plans to open data centers and facilities in California as it has in other states. In addition to cutting water and electricity, the bill would curb university research partnerships, and sharing of warrantless data.
