<section number="77-23c-102"><effdate>5/6/2026</effdate><histories><history>Amended by Chapter <modchap sess="2026GS">338</modchap>, 2026 General Session</history><modyear>2026</modyear></histories><catchline>Electronic information privacy -- Warrant required for disclosure.</catchline><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)"><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(a)">Except as provided in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(2)" start="0">(2)</xref>, <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(4)" start="0">(4)</xref>, or Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-23c-104.1">77-23c-104.1</xref>, and subject to Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-23c-105">77-23c-105</xref>, for a criminal investigation or prosecution, a law enforcement agency may not obtain, copy, or use the following information or data except through the use of a search warrant issued by a court upon probable cause:<subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(a)(i)">the location information, stored data, or transmitted data of an electronic device; or</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(a)(ii)">electronic information transmitted by the owner of the electronic information:<subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(a)(ii)(A)">to a provider of a remote computing service; or</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(a)(ii)(B)">through a provider of an electronic communication service.</subsection></subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(b)"><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(b)(i)">Except as provided in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(b)(ii)">(1)(b)(ii)</xref> and subject to Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(c)">(1)(c)</xref>, if a law enforcement agency, in response to a warrant obtained under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(a)">(1)(a)</xref>, obtains information or data described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(a)(i)">(1)(a)(i)</xref> or <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(ii)">(ii)</xref>, the law enforcement agency may not use, copy, or disclose, for any purpose, any information or data described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(a)(i)">(1)(a)(i)</xref> or <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(ii)">(ii)</xref> that:<subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(b)(i)(A)">is not the subject of the warrant obtained under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(a)">(1)(a)</xref>; and</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(b)(i)(B)">is collected as part of an effort to obtain the information or data described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(a)(i)">(1)(a)(i)</xref> or <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(ii)">(ii)</xref> that is the subject of the warrant obtained under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(a)" start="0">(1)(a)</xref>.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(b)(ii)">A law enforcement agency may use, copy, or disclose the transmitted data of an electronic device used to communicate with the electronic device that is the subject of the warrant if the law enforcement agency reasonably believes that the transmitted data is necessary to achieve the objective of the warrant.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(1)(c)">The electronic information described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(1)(b)" start="0">(1)(b)</xref> shall be destroyed in an unrecoverable manner by the law enforcement agency as soon as reasonably possible after the electronic information is collected.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)"><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)">Except as provided in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(2)(c)">(2)(c)</xref> or Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-23c-104.1">77-23c-104.1</xref> and subject to Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-23c-105">77-23c-105</xref>, a law enforcement agency may obtain location information without a warrant for an electronic device only:<subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(i)">in accordance with Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53-10-104.5" start="0">53-10-104.5</xref>;</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(ii)">if the device is reported stolen by the owner;</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(iii)">with the informed, affirmative consent of the owner or user of the electronic device;</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(iv)">except for the automobile exception to the warrant requirement, in accordance with a judicially recognized exception to warrant requirements;</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(v)">if the owner has voluntarily and publicly disclosed the location information; or</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(vi)">from a provider of a remote computing service or an electronic communications service if the provider voluntarily discloses the location information:<subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(vi)(A)">under a belief that an emergency exists involving an imminent risk to an individual of death, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, live-streamed sexual exploitation, kidnapping, or human trafficking; or</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(a)(vi)(B)">that is inadvertently discovered by the provider and appears to pertain to the commission of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving physical violence, sexual abuse, or dishonesty.</subsection></subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(b)">Except as provided in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(2)(c)">(2)(c)</xref> or Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-23c-104.1">77-23c-104.1</xref> and subject to Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-23c-105">77-23c-105</xref>, a law enforcement agency may obtain stored data or transmitted data from an electronic device or electronic information transmitted by the owner of the electronic information to a provider of a remote computing service or through a provider of an electronic communication service, without a warrant, only:<subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(b)(i)">with the informed consent of the owner of the electronic device or electronic information;</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(b)(ii)">except for the automobile exception to the warrant requirement, in accordance with a judicially recognized exception to warrant requirements; or</subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(b)(iii)">subject to Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-23c-102(2)(a)(vi)(B)" start="0">(2)(a)(vi)(B)</xref>, from a provider of a remote computing service or an electronic communication service if the provider voluntarily discloses the stored or transmitted data as otherwise permitted under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2702.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(2)(c)">A prosecutor may obtain a judicial order as described in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-22-2.5" start="0">77-22-2.5</xref> for the purposes described in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-22-2.5" start="0">77-22-2.5</xref>.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-23c-102(3)">A provider of an electronic communication service or a remote computing service, the provider's officers, employees, or agents, or other specified persons may not be held liable for information, facilities, or assistance provided in good faith reliance under this section.</subsection></section>