Lawmakers Debate Search And Seizure

Tuesday, April 10th 2007, 6:37 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Visitors to the Oklahoma House receive an unexpected lesson in constitutional law as state House members debate two measures that opponents say infringe on the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The first measure would extend law enforcement's ability to install tracking devices on a suspect's vehicle.

It would authorize judges to issue search warrants for police to enter private property, like a garage, to attach the devices and reveal where the vehicles travel for up to 60 days.

The second would expand authority to take D-N-A samples for law enforcement identification by authorizing police to take samples from anyone arrested for a felony offense in the state.

In 2005, lawmakers required anyone convicted of a felony to provide a DNA sample to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Previously, only those convicted of violent crimes or sex offenses had to provide the samples.