Proposed New Hampshire bill would categorize TSA naked body scans, pat downs as sexual assault

Friday, March 04, 2011 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: TSA, sexual assault, health news

(NaturalNews) A new proposal before New Hampshire lawmakers would make it a crime for US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents to grope travelers as part of "enhanced" security pat downs or send them through naked body scanners. If passed, House Bill 628-FN would classify such activity as sexual assault, punishable in the same way as other offenses in this serious category.

Cosponsored from both sides of the political aisle, HB628-FN specifically "makes the touching or viewing with a technological device of a person's breasts or genitals by a government security agent without probable cause a sexual assault." It goes on to specify that those convicted of such offense will be classified as "tier III offenders under the criminal offenders registry."

The bill has garnered support from both legislators and the public who say that random security screenings of such a highly-invasive nature must be reserved only for those exhibiting suspicious behavior. Without probable cause, which does not constitute the simple act of traveling through an airport, federal officials have no legal warrant to pat down or naked body scan travelers.

"Let's put their name on the sex offender registry, and maybe that will tell them New Hampshire means business," stated cosponsor Rep. Andrew Manuse (D-Derry) concerning the proposition. Cosponsor Rep. George Lambert (R-Litchfield) agrees, having stated that "we should charge (agents) every single time" they assault passengers with a pat down or naked body scan.

According to a WMUR report, TSA officials have not responded to the proposed legislation. The agency claims that security checkpoints are within federal jurisdiction. However a demonstration from back in November proves that TSA procedures are wholly unconstitutional to begin with, and that informed citizens are technically under no obligation to comply with them (http://www.prisonplanet.com/man-proves-tsa-p...).

Sources for this story include:

http://www.wmur.com/r/27035604/detail.html