LINCOLN — The Legislature gave final approval Monday to a bill that would limit the State Patrol’s authority to look at Nebraskans’ phone records without first obtaining a court order.

State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha introduced Legislative Bill 952 after learning that the patrol used “administrative subpoenas” to obtain people’s phone and computer records in some criminal investigations.

The administrative subpoenas, unlike regular subpoenas, do not require a judge’s approval to be issued.

Passed 49-0, the measure would prevent the patrol from issuing administrative subpoenas on its own in criminal investigations. A county attorney or the state attorney general would have the authority to issue the subpoenas in some circumstances.

The bill goes to Gov. Dave Heineman to decide whether to sign it into law.

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