SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) announced the unanimous passage of legislation that would require faster response times from telecommunications companies subject to law enforcement warrants.
HB 4138 would require a telecommunications company served with a warrant to respond to law enforcement within 7 business days of being served.
Rep. Windhorst says the change is necessary due to long delays experienced by law enforcement when seeking information from telecommunications companies.
“When a law enforcement entity obtains a warrant, they are often able to enter a business or residence and physically take the items listed in the warrant as evidence. With telecommunications records, it doesn’t work that way,” Windhorst said. “When law enforcement serves a warrant on a telecommunications company, they rely on that company to provide the requested information. The reason for the proposed change in my bill is that telecommunications companies are currently taking weeks and sometimes months to respond. My bill would require phone companies to return the requested information within 7 business days so that police investigations can move more quickly and efficiently.”