Hartford — Voicing concerns about “Big Brother” surveillance, members of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee on Friday voted down legislation for a study of radio-frequency identification technology to monitor compliance with vehicle registration laws.
The bill failed on a 18-25 vote. Several legislators, including Sen. Rob Kane, R-Watertown, said they felt uneasy about the Orwellian potential: “This whole Big Brother idea and government intrusion.”
http://liarcatchers.com/electronic_surveillance.html
With radio-frequency ID, a small transmitter device is embedded in a person’s vehicle that could alert law enforcement once the vehicle’s registration, insurance or emissions compliance expires. The bill, introduced in the Transportation Committee last month by Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, would have required the Department of Motor Vehicles to study the technology. The study was estimated to cost $300,000 to $500,000.
