Surveillance Legislation Gets Mixed Reviews

The head of the local drug unit tells the Charleston Daily Mail that he's less than satisfied with the special session bill addressing the wiring of informants that passed Tuesday.

But The Register-Herald of Beckley hears from law enforcement who welcome the Legislature's (and Gov. Joe Manchin's) response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that has required warrants before wired informants can enter a target's home.

But the Beckley newspaper reported earlier that some lawmakers believed the bill went too far by allowing magistrates to issue the necessary warrants. Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, for instance said he would prefer that just circuit judges have that power.

(As The Associated Press has noted, county magistrates already have the power to grant search and felony arrest warrants.)

That same article also quotes Sen. Mike Green, D-Raleigh and a former police officer, who echoes the drug unit chief in observing that no warrants were required before the Supreme Court decision.