LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL H.B. 553
6 Approved for Filing: J. Rogers 6
6 02-15-24 8:08 AM 6
1 REVERSE-KEYWORD INFORMATION PROHIBITION
2 2024 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Ryan D. Wilcox
5 Senate Sponsor: ____________
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill prohibits access to and use of reverse-keyword information.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 < defines terms;
13 < prohibits the seeking or granting of a reverse-keyword court order;
14 < prohibits the request of reverse-keyword information;
15 < prohibits the use of evidence derived from reverse-keyword information;
16 < includes a five-year repeal; and
17 < makes technical and conforming changes.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 None
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 63I-2-277, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 382
25 ENACTS:
H.B. 553
26 77-23g-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
27 77-23g-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
*HB0553*
 H.B. 553 02-15-24 8:08 AM
28 77-23g-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
29 77-23g-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
30 77-23g-105, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31 77-23g-106, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32
33 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
34 Section 1. Section 63I-2-277 is amended to read:
35 63I-2-277. Repeal dates: Title 77.
36 (1) Subsections 77-23f-102(2)(a)(ii) and 77-23f-103(2)(a)(ii), which require a notice
37 for certain reverse-location search warrant applications, are repealed January 1, 2033.
38 (2) Title 77, Chapter 23g, Prohibition on Reverse-keyword Information, is repealed
39 July 1, 2029.
40 Section 2. Section 77-23g-101 is enacted to read:
41 CHAPTER 23g. PROHIBITION ON REVERSE-KEYWORD INFORMATION
42 77-23g-101. Definitions.
43 (1) "Law enforcement agency" means the same as that term is defined in Section
44 77-23c-101.2.
45 (2) "Reverse-keyword court order" means a court order, including a search warrant,
46 that compels the disclosure of reverse-keyword information.
47 (3) (a) "Reverse-keyword information" means information that:
48 (i) identifies an unnamed person, by name or other unique identifier, who:
49 (A) electronically searched for a particular word, phrase, character string, or website;
50 or
51 (B) visited a particular website through a link generated by an electronic search for a
52 particular word, phrase, character string, or website; and
53 (ii) is or is not limited to a specific geographic area or time frame.
54 (b) "Reverse-keyword information" does not include keyword information concerning
55 a known person or a specified electronic device that may be obtained pursuant to Chapter 23c,
56 Electronic Information Privacy Act.
57 (4) "Reverse-keyword request" means a request by a law enforcement agency, in the
58 absence of a court order, that seeks the voluntary provision of reverse-keyword information.
-2-
 02-15-24 8:08 AM H.B. 553
59 Section 3. Section 77-23g-102 is enacted to read:
60 77-23g-102. Prohibition on reverse-keyword court orders.
61 (1) A law enforcement agency may not seek, from any court, a reverse-keyword court
62 order.
63 (2) A court subject to the laws of this state may not issue a reverse-keyword court
64 order.
65 (3) A law enforcement agency may not seek, secure, obtain, borrow, purchase, or
66 review any information obtained through a reverse-keyword court order.
67 Section 4. Section 77-23g-103 is enacted to read:
68 77-23g-103. Prohibition on reverse-keyword requests.
69 (1) A law enforcement agency may not make a reverse-keyword request.
70 (2) A law enforcement agency may not seek, secure, obtain, borrow, purchase, or
71 review any information obtained through a reverse-keyword request.
72 Section 5. Section 77-23g-104 is enacted to read:
73 77-23g-104. Assistance prohibited.
74 A law enforcement agency may not seek the assistance of another individual or entity to
75 obtain reverse-keyword information, including any information obtained from a
76 reverse-keyword court order or a reverse-keyword request.
77 Section 6. Section 77-23g-105 is enacted to read:
78 77-23g-105. Exceptions to reverse-keyword prohibitions.
79 (1) Nothing in this chapter:
80 (a) limits or affects the disclosure of public records under Title 63G, Chapter 2,
81 Government Records Access and Management Act;
82 (b) affects the rights of an employer under Subsection 34-48-202(1)(e) or an
83 administrative rule adopted under Section 63A-16-205; or
84 (c) limits the ability of a law enforcement agency to receive or use information from
85 the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2258A.
86 Section 7. Section 77-23g-106 is enacted to read:
87 77-23g-106. Exclusion of reverse-keyword information.
88 Reverse-keyword information obtained in violation of the provisions of this chapter
89 shall be subject to the rules governing exclusion as if the information was obtained in violation
-3-
 H.B. 553 02-15-24 8:08 AM
90 of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Utah Constitution, Article I,
91 Section 14.
92 Section 8. Effective date.
93 This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.
-4-


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 63I-2-277