RI S2154

Law enforcement agencies must obtain a search warrant based on probable cause to access location information, stored data, transmitted data from electronic devices, or data held by remote computing service providers for criminal investigations

Warrant exceptions include stolen device reports, owner consent, judicially recognized exceptions, publicly disclosed information, and emergency situations involving imminent risk of death, serious injury, sexual abuse, kidnapping, or human trafficking

Law enforcement must notify device/data owners within 14 days of executing a warrant, with courts able to grant delays of up to 30 days (extendable in 30-day increments) if notification could endanger safety, cause flight, destroy evidence, or jeopardize investigations

Electronic data collected outside the scope of a warrant must be destroyed in an unrecoverable manner, and law enforcement cannot use, copy, or disclose non-warrant-related information

Evidence obtained in violation of these requirements is subject to exclusion under Fourth Amendment and Rhode Island Constitution standards, treating violations the same as unconstitutional searches