JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters have decided to bolster legal protection of electronic communications through a state constitutional amendment on digital privacy.
Amendment 9 was approved as voters went to the polls Tuesday. The electronic privacy measure was one of five proposed state constitutional amendments on the ballot.
The amendment requires police to obtain warrants before searching or seizing “electronic communications and data,” such as cellphones, emails and computer flash drives.
Supporters say the broader legal definition will help guard against excessive government intrusion such as the recent National Security Agency eavesdropping scandal.
Earlier this year, Missouri lawmakers easily approved a resolution to place the measure on the ballot. The amendment faced no organized opposition, with groups representing police and prosecutors remaining largely quiet during a brief election campaign.