A fragment of a license plate number. A fuzzy description of a vehicle's make and color. When a child abduction or another high-profile crime has taken place, law enforcement authorities may have mere scraps of information to work with and precious minutes ticking away to track down a perpetrator and possibly save a life.
In these pressure-filled situations, investigators understandably often turn to a potent tool of the modern age — comprehensive, user-friendly databases that can scan a nation's worth of vehicle and driver's license data, as well as other relevant info, to quickly make connections and narrow an investigation's focus.
One of the main database services, called CLEAR, is run by Thomson Reuters, which has major operations in Eagan. Services like it are a mainstay for law enforcement and fraud investigators. Insurers and the car industry rely on the information to quickly notify vehicle owners of safety recalls. News organizations, including the Star Tribune, also rely on the data for watchdog journalism.
That's why it's so disturbing that the state Department of Public Safety is rapidly moving forward with an untested policy that would hinder timely access to the data for organizations with public-minded uses deemed permissible under the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act.
Citing privacy concerns, the agency on May 12 will begin a process to end most bulk transfers of driver's license information to authorized users, while also putting new restrictions on motor vehicle data. While it sounds benign, the plan would compromise the databases' value and the missions of those relying on them, which ought to alarm all Minnesotans.
Lawmakers have sensibly proposed legislation that would hit the pause button to allow careful study of the consequences. If the new policy is adopted, Minnesota could have some of the most sweeping restrictions on this public data in the nation. Moving with caution is key.
Unfortunately, the Senate bill is stalled because of an ill-considered vote against it by the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St Louis Park. The bill's lead author is Sen. Susan Kent, DFL-Woodbury. Companion legislation in the House is carried by respected data privacy expert Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville.
On March 28, the eight-member Senate Judiciary Committee listened to Thomson Reuters, the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association and the Minnesota Newspaper Association argue persuasively about the need to take a breath and understand the change's ramifications.