O'Malley, Mikulski back phone-jamming act

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Two top Maryland officials said Thursday they support a proposed federal act that would allow the jamming of cell phone signals at U.S. prisons.

U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said in a release they hope the U.S. Senate passes the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009, which would allow U.S. states to take steps to block cell phone use in prisons.

"We must give law enforcement quick access to every technological tool available -- including cell phone jamming -- to combat illegal cell phone use on the inside and protect our neighbors and families on the outside," the two Maryland officials said in a joint statement.

The federal measure has received approval from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Under the act, state officials would be allowed to ask the Federal Communications Commission for permission to jam cell phone signals at prisons to limit inmates' contact with the outside world.

The U.S. Senate could discuss the measure as early as this fall.