A bill that would require investigators to obtain a warrant to search consumers’ DNA databases like 23 and Me or Ancestry.com is drawing criticism from law enforcement representatives who say it would make it hard to solve cold cases. Austin Amestoy from the University of Montana Legislative News Service reports that Republican Representative Mallerie Stromswold of Billings is sponsoring House Bill 602 and says it’s critical to preserving Montanans’ privacy in the digital age. Patrick Webb of the Libertarian group Americans for Prosperity spoke in support of the bill at a Senate committee hearing Friday.
Mark Murphy representing the Montana Association of Chiefs of Police though said establishing probable cause to obtain a warrant to search a DNA database would be difficult.
