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Senator Tester Presents Airport Body-Scanner Bill

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Dec 20, 2010 at 12:13 AM MST

Story Updated: Dec 20, 2010 at 12:13 AM MST

While Americans are preparing for one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, Senator Jon Tester is introducing legislation to protect privacy rights at airport security.

Many travelers are concerned that new high-tech scanners produce revealing body images

On Thursday, Tester introduced a bill that would criminalize any misuse of airport body-scan images by federal employees.

“It’s incredibly important that people are safe when they’re flying and their privacy needs to be respected. That’s why we need to inject a little common sense into the screening process," said Tester.

The Transportation Security Administration forbids security screeners from saving or identifying body-scan images.

But Tester’s legislation would make it a federal crime to permanently photograph, record or distribute any image produced using a full-body scanner.

Federal employees who break the law would face up to one year in prison and a $100-thousand dollar fine under Tester’s legislation.



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Michael said on Monday, Dec 20 at 4:22 PM

I support this. Whether or not the screeners are effective is now a moot point with huge money already spent. All we can do is try to protect what little privacy remains.

Gary said on Monday, Dec 20 at 3:59 PM

If they can't save the images then what are they going to use for evidence for arresting someone in the unlikely event that these machines ever do find something?

Mike said on Monday, Dec 20 at 11:05 AM

this is ridiculous...Cmon Tester, why support useless, already obsolete, unhealthy, ineffective screening equipment and proceedure......are you trying to score political points or suck up to Chertoff

John said on Monday, Dec 20 at 4:37 AM

What's so ironic is that Democrats such as Senator Tester and Schumer want to keep the scanners..and yet Republicans such as Senator Mike Doherty and U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz are huge opponants of them! I also read that it was the Bush White House who fought for 4 years (except for Chertoff) against these scanners and now this administration is flooding our airports with them.

Mary said on Monday, Dec 20 at 4:03 AM

Sir: How about injecting A LOT of common sense into the screening process and get rid of these radiation scanners and hands-on pat downs?? Italy banned the scanners...newest research says they're ineffective...so why are there even any in the airports?

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