HB150: Prohibiting Support for the NSA in Utah

This bill was not considered by the legislature.

Libertas Institute supports this bill.

Last year, Representative Marc Roberts sponsored legislation to prohibit political subdivisions in Utah (cities, counties, etc.) from providing assistance to the National Security Agency (NSA). That bill was heard in committee and referred for interim study, where it was again presented to a legislative committee for discussion.

Despite recent opposition from the Governor, who expressed support for the agency’s operations in the state, Rep. Roberts has again introduced his bill in hopes of withdrawing support for federal agencies that engage in widespread surveillance of innocent Americans.

House Bill 150 would require that the water being supplied to the NSA’s data center in Bluffdale be shut off as soon as the city’s $3 million bond is paid off.

Under the bill, political subdivisions may not:

• provide material support or assistance in any form to any federal data collection and surveillance agency;
• use any assets, state funds, or funds allocated by the state or a local entity, in whole or in part, to engage in any activity that aids a federal data collection and surveillance agency;
• provide services or assist in any way with the provision of services to a federal data collection and surveillance agency; or
• use any information in a criminal investigation or prosecution provided by a federal data collection and surveillance agency.

For penalties and enforcement, the bill empowers any Utah citizen to bring an action in court to enforce its provisions. A political subdivision found to be in violation of this law would be denied any state funds until it is once again compliant with the law.