States consider prepaid cell phone ID's

WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- Several U.S. states are considering bills requiring photo identification to buy prepaid cell phones, the National Conference of State Legislatures says.

The organization said bills have already been introduced in Michigan and Georgia and that legislators in a number of other states may follow suit, The Washington Times reported Monday.

Requiring photo identification would close a loophole since prepaid cell phones aren't traceable.

Chicago detective Timothy J. Murphy wrote a letter to state and federal lawmakers two years ago complaining that many of his homicide investigations were hindered by prepaid or pay-as-you-go phones.

"We've got 255 million wireless phones in circulation right now," said Joe Farren, a spokesman for the Wireless Association. "It's going to be terribly difficult to prove whether someone is providing false identification."

Larry Frankel of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington said the Michigan and Georgia legislation sets a precedent for lawmakers to require identification to purchase other products.