http://www.aclu.org/privacy/feed.xml Visit ACLU.org to learn more and get involved. en-us 10 2009-05-13T08:54:17-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39572prs20090512.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (PUBPAT) filed a lawsuit today charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer stifle research that could lead to cures and limit women's options regarding their medical care. Mutations along the genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are responsible for most cases of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. The lawsuit argues that the patents on these genes are unconstitutional and invalid. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/39572prs20090512.html 2009-05-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39527prs20090506.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A report released today by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General found that the FBI’s terrorist watchlist may contain a 35 percent error rate. The audit revealed that large portions of the list are governed by no formal processes for updating or removing records. The audit confirms that the nation’s watchlist system is massively broken. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39527prs20090506.html 2009-05-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/39525prs20090506.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A state auditor’s report released Tuesday reveals that “dozens” of Massachusetts law enforcement officials used the state Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) to access information about “local celebrities and high profile citizens” hundreds of times without work-related justification. http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/39525prs20090506.html 2009-05-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39333prs20090406.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON -- A recently published “terrorism threat assessment” from a Virginia fusion center says the state’s universities and colleges are “nodes for radicalization” and encourages law enforcement to monitor First Amendment-protected activities of educational and religious foundations as terrorism threats. The document, which drew concern today from the American Civil Liberties Union over its constitutional implications, also characterizes the “diversity” surrounding a Virginia military base and the state’s “historically black” colleges as possible threats. The March 2009 document, which claims there are currently at least fifty active “terrorist and extremist” groups in Virginia, is posted on the website www.cryptome.com. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39333prs20090406.html 2009-04-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39259prs20090402.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA – Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has signed legislation prohibiting the state from complying with provisions of the federal REAL ID Act that compromise the privacy rights of the state's citizens. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39259prs20090402.html 2009-04-02T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39226prs20090401.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – As a Homeland Security Subcommittee in the House held a hearing on fusion centers today, the American Civil Liberties Union reiterated its vast concerns that these entities provide huge risks to Americans’ privacy rights. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39226prs20090401.html 2009-04-01T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39196prs20090327.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has asked for a review of the Department’s National Applications Office (NAO), a troubled program created to use satellite imagery from intelligence agencies for homeland security and law enforcement purposes. The review comes at the behest of House Homeland Security Committee members Jane Harman (D-CA) and Norman Dicks (D-WA). The move, disclosed in a March 25 letter to Representatives Harman and Dicks, follows criticism of this program by the American Civil Liberties Union, which testified on its opposition to the program before Congress in 2007. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39196prs20090327.html 2009-03-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/youth/39151prs20090325.html?s_src=RSS SCRANTON, PA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit today against the Wyoming County district attorney for threatening three high school girls with child pornography charges over digital photos in which they appear topless or in their underwear. The district attorney has demanded that in order to avoid the charges, the girls be placed on probation, participate in a five-week re-education program and be subject to random drug testing. The photos were among several discovered by Tunkhannock School District officials on students' cell phones. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/youth/39151prs20090325.html 2009-03-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39116prs20090324.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives passed legislation today that creates a privacy official for each division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If established by law, these new positions would be responsible for ensuring privacy laws and regulations are followed by DHS. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/39116prs20090324.html 2009-03-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/consumer/39149prs20090320.html?s_src=RSS Today, the Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation expressed its opposition to efforts by the federal government to terminate the Maine PUC's telephone customer investigation. The State of Maine, along with Missouri, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Vermont, are fighting to keep alive their authority to protect phone customer privacy through reasonable regulation. The Maine case stems from a complaint brought on May 8, 2006 by James D. Cowie and other Maine telephone customers asking the Maine Public Utilities Commission to investigate whether their privacy rights were violated by Verizon. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/consumer/39149prs20090320.html 2009-03-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38835prs20090225.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A Texas fusion center’s “Prevention Awareness Bulletin” made public last night is the latest example of inappropriate police intelligence operations targeting political, religious and social activists for investigation. The North Central Texas Fusion System bulletin states that it is “imperative for law enforcement officers to report” the activities of lobbying groups, Muslim civil rights organizations and anti-war protest groups in their areas. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38835prs20090225.html 2009-02-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38811prs20090224.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano is scheduled to testify tomorrow before the House Homeland Security Committee as part of the hearing titled, “DHS: The Path Forward.” The American Civil Liberties Union calls on the committee to inquire into the secretary’s views on key DHS policies, where the balance between security and civil liberties was often skewed under the Bush administration. Employment verification (E-Verify) and Real ID are both areas that need thorough revamping in order to respect the constitutional rights of all Americans. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38811prs20090224.html 2009-02-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/spying/39142prs20090218.html?s_src=RSS SALT LAKE CITY – This afternoon, Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank will announce a new Public Space Camera Policy, as well as a program that will place four surveillance cameras in Pioneer Park. Indeed, at the time of Chief Burbank's press conference, the surveillance cameras will already be operational in the park. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/spying/39142prs20090218.html 2009-02-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38747prs20090211.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA – Nearly identical bills prohibiting Virginia from complying with provisions of the federal REAL ID Act that compromise the privacy rights of Virginia's citizens passed the House and the Senate yesterday. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38747prs20090211.html 2009-02-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38653prs20090204.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill late last night establishing a process for innocent Americans to challenge their erroneous placement on government watch lists. The inaccurate and over-inclusive lists ensnare innocent travelers and waste resources that could be spent on effective counterterrorism efforts. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38653prs20090204.html 2009-02-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/spying/38649prs20090203.html?s_src=RSS BOSTON – In the first move of this kind in the state – and perhaps the nation – Cambridge City Council voted 9-0 on February 2, 2009, to oppose the installation in the city of eight surveillance cameras. The cameras were intended to form part of a network funded with a $4.6 million Department of Homeland Security grant linking Cambridge and eight other Greater Boston communities. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/spying/38649prs20090203.html 2009-02-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38492prs20090127.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Today, just an hour before the Senate Finance Committee meets to consider the economic stimulus package, the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing titled “Health IT: Protecting Americans’ Privacy in the Digital Age.” Health IT systems were included in the House of Representatives version of the stimulus and are likely to be a part of the Senate version. The American Civil Liberties Union applauds the Judiciary Committee for bringing this crucial topic up for discussion and calls on the Senate to adopt the privacy protections included in the House version of the package. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38492prs20090127.html 2009-01-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38376prs20090116.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union was pleased to see privacy protections as a part of the funding being provided for health IT implementation in the economic stimulus package introduced in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Following the incoming administration’s call for a transition to electronic health records and IT systems, Congress has earmarked $20 billion of the overall package to be used for beginning this transfer and adoption. The ACLU has reservations that without sufficient protections against the abuse of individual medical records, notably prohibiting the sale of private medical records, implementation should not move forward. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38376prs20090116.html 2009-01-16T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38343prs20090115.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – As the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions meets today for a hearing on implementing health IT systems, the American Civil Liberties Union cautions that failure to include privacy safeguards would keep the American public from adopting and participating in these systems. The full committee hearing, titled “Investing in Health IT: A Stimulus for a Healthier America,” seeks to examine the possibility that funds for implementing health IT systems be included in the economic stimulus package being proposed by the incoming administration and the new Congress. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38343prs20090115.html 2009-01-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38352prs20090115.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In her Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs confirmation hearing to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Governor Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) called the Real ID Act a fiscal burden on the states and committed to a reexamination of the DHS initiative. She also said the Bush administration did not collaborate enough with the states before moving forward with its implementation. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38352prs20090115.html 2009-01-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38324prs20090114.html?s_src=RSS Today, the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations belonging to the Coalition for Patient Privacy are holding a press conference calling on Congress to add much-needed privacy protections to any funding given to implement health IT systems in the proposed economic stimulus package. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/38324prs20090114.html 2009-01-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/genetic/38296prs20090112.html?s_src=RSS As a growing number of American localities turn towards video surveillance systems – often prompted by grants from the Department of Homeland Security – the American Civil Liberties Union today announced the launch of YouAreBeingWatched.us, a new web site dedicated to tracking the spread of government video surveillance systems throughout American cities. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/genetic/38296prs20090112.html 2009-01-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38158prs20081222.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – A privacy impact assessment issued by the Department of Homeland Security Privacy Office today officially validates concerns the ACLU raised last year about the dangers a network of intelligence “fusion centers” pose to privacy and civil liberties. An ACLU report entitled “What’s Wrong With Fusion Centers?” was published in November 2007 and updated earlier this year. The DHS privacy impact assessment released today echoes, sometimes word for word, the privacy concerns identified by the ACLU in these reports. The ACLU welcomes the findings of the assessment and hopes to assist the DHS privacy office improve privacy protections within these new institutions, which amount to nothing less than a full-fledged domestic intelligence system. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/38158prs20081222.html 2008-12-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37899prs20081119.html?s_src=RSS CLEVELAND- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio pointed to findings released today by Ohio's inspector general as evidence that Governor Ted Strickland must take immediate action to mandate state agencies implement privacy protections. The inspector general found that Ohio Department of Job & Family Services Director Helen Jones-Kelly had no reason to search the records of Joseph Wurzelbacher, also known as "Joe the Plumber. Ms. Jones Kelly also stated that such searches of those in news headlines were common protocol for the office. News reports indicated that nearly a half dozen other state agencies conducted searches on Mr. Wurzelbacher's information without due cause. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37899prs20081119.html 2008-11-19T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/37726prs20081107.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – In response to today’s news that the FBI is investigating an extortion letter threatening the release of millions of private medical records, the ACLU reiterates its demand for the protection of individual privacy for all electronic medical records. Express Scripts, a medical benefits management company, said it has been investigating the threat since October, when the extortion letter was received containing the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of approximately 75 clients. Express Scripts then notified the FBI, and has since ruled out the possibility of an internal breach. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/37726prs20081107.html 2008-11-07T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37306prs20081022.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The extraordinary powers of customs and border agents to invade the privacy of individuals at the U.S. border are spreading inland and creating what amounts to a “Constitution-free Zone” that covers fully two-thirds of the American population, the American Civil Liberties Union said today in a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37306prs20081022.html 2008-10-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37307prs20081022.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) improvements of the privacy protections in its Secure Flight program; however, the ACLU detailed significant problems that remain in the passenger prescreening program. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37307prs20081022.html 2008-10-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37251prs20081020.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union will host an event this Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at the National Press Club, to spotlight the fact that government is turning vast swaths of our country into a “Constitution-Free Zone” in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can exercise extraordinary authority that would not normally be permitted under the Constitution. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37251prs20081020.html 2008-10-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37168prs20081016.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union will host an event at the National Press Club next Wednesday, October 22, 2008, to spotlight the fact that government is turning vast swaths of our country into a “Constitution-Free Zone” in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can exercise extraordinary authority that would not normally be permitted under the Constitution. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37168prs20081016.html 2008-10-16T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37088prs20081008.html?s_src=RSS http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37088prs20081008.html 2008-10-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36951prs20080929.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union was pleased to see the Travelers’ Privacy Protection Act introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced S. 3612, with Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) signing on as original cosponsors, while Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced H.R. 7118. The proposed legislation is a response to the troubling stories that Americans reentering the United States have had their personal belongings, such as laptops, cell phones and digital cameras, confiscated and searched without probable cause. The Senate and House bills raise the privacy protections for travelers without sacrificing national security at our borders. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36951prs20080929.html 2008-09-29T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/internet/36934prs20080925.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The Senate Commerce Committee continued exploring the issue of Internet privacy and online marketing today with a hearing on Internet service providers’ (ISPs) use of deep packet inspection (DPI). Use of this technology allows ISPs to scrutinize Internet users’ e-mail and browsing activities, to monitor usage and communications traffic, and sell that information to advertisers or turn it over to government officials. The risks posed by this technology are significant and should not be underestimated. The ACLU urges members of the committee to zealously guard the privacy of the American people. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/internet/36934prs20080925.html 2008-09-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36692prs20080909.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – As the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection holds a hearing today on cleaning up the watch lists, the American Civil Liberties Union calls for congressional action to scrap the current approach to airline security in favor of systems that are far more effective, and, at the same time, protect innocent Americans from the immeasurable hassles and frustration of being swept up erroneously by the watch lists. Currently, the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) is charged with maintaining a series of lists that, in theory, contain names of suspected threats to American security. In July, the ACLU estimated that the watch lists grew to over 1 million records. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36692prs20080909.html 2008-09-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/biotech/36617prs20080828.html?s_src=RSS BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today welcomed the return of the DNA sample voluntarily provided by Keith Amato as part of the investigation into the 2002 murder of Christa Worthington. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/biotech/36617prs20080828.html 2008-08-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36548prs20080822.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – In response to today’s Wall Street Journal article on the flaws found in the terrorist watch lists by a preliminary congressional investigation, the American Civil Liberties Union calls on all presidential candidates, as well as current President Bush, to pledge to put a moratorium on the use of the lists unless major overhauls are made. The investigation found the current database system beleaguered with flaws and technological hurdles. Not only that, but the program being designed to replace the current database is facing similar systemic difficulties, while the contractors hired for its creation are struggling to move toward completion. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36548prs20080822.html 2008-08-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36491prs20080820.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – Once again the federal government is expanding its collection of data on innocent travelers, the American Civil Liberties Union said today, with the Department of Homeland Security creating dossiers of travelers who pass through U.S. border checkpoints, maintain these files for 15 years, and share this data broadly – including providing access to courts and attorneys in civil litigation like divorce proceedings. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36491prs20080820.html 2008-08-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/36185prs20080729.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The nation’s growing network of “fusion centers” is part of an incipient de facto domestic intelligence system, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Today the ACLU released a report detailing spying on Maryland peace demonstrators, a mysterious domestic-spying scandal at a California military base and other recent incidents, confirming that its warnings about fusion centers were coming true. http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/36185prs20080729.html 2008-07-29T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/36097prs20080723.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today urges the House Energy and Commerce Committee to require patient control of medical records and compensation for privacy breaches to be a part of the standards set for converting to electronic patient records. The ACLU cautions that H.R. 6357, the “Protecting Records, Optimizing Treatment, and Easing Communication through Healthcare Technology Act of 2008” or the PRO(TECH)T Act, has insufficient privacy provisions and leaves patients vulnerable to bad, lost, stolen or misused data. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/36097prs20080723.html 2008-07-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/internet/36058prs20080721.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – Today as part of the FCC field hearing at Carnegie Mellon University on broadband and the digital future, the American Civil Liberties Union will submit written comments about how Deep Packet Inspections (DPI) and other practices threaten Americans’ online privacy and a neutral Internet. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/internet/36058prs20080721.html 2008-07-21T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/36026prs20080717.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – Today, when Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union calls on the committee to exercise vigorous oversight of the many DHS programs that endanger U.S. citizens’ privacy and civil liberties without increasing security. DHS’s unchecked detention and deportation powers have resulted in abusive interrogations of families with children at checkpoints, creation of militarized zones within the U.S. and widespread fear in immigrant communities facing natural disasters. Collectively, these practices illustrate how DHS has mismanaged its authority and wasted resources. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/36026prs20080717.html 2008-07-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/internet/36021prs20080717.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – Americans’ online privacy was discussed today at a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The hearing, titled “What Your Broadband Provider Knows About Your Web Use: Deep Packet Inspection and Communications Laws and Policies,” was meant to shed light on the practice of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) by Internet service providers (ISPs). DPI allows ISPs to track users’ Internet browsing activities and can be data mined for targeted marketing purposes. The ACLU urges members of the committee to be wary of the privacy landmines inherent in DPI. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/internet/36021prs20080717.html 2008-07-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36040prs20080717.html?s_src=RSS RALEIGH – The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) today applauded the NC House of Representatives for taking an important stand against the controversial federal Real ID Act, a law imposing onerous new requirements for the issuance of drivers' licenses. House Bill 2136 passed overwhelmingly today with bipartisan support, by a vote of 69-45. Eleven (11) states have already passed legislation refusing to comply with Real ID, and if the NC Senate passes H. 2136 before the session adjourns this month, then North Carolina could become the twelfth (12th) state to block implementation of this law. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36040prs20080717.html 2008-07-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36034prs20080717.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND, ME - Leaders of the repeal REAL ID effort vowed today that they will press forward and ensure that Maine takes no further steps toward compliance. Their optimism is fueled by the stunning turn-out of 652 volunteers who gathered 24,125 signatures from 398 towns across the state in the grassroots effort to repeal Maine's REAL ID compliance law. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/36034prs20080717.html 2008-07-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/35968prs20080714.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – The nation's terrorist watch list has hit one million names, according to a tally maintained by the American Civil Liberties Union based upon the government's own reported numbers for the size of the list. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/35968prs20080714.html 2008-07-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37159prs20080710.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Today, as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing to discuss a State Department report on the breaches of passport files by government officials and staff, highlighting the need for privacy protections for all Americans, the American Civil Liberties Union reaffirms its belief that there must be limits on the government’s collection of and access to sensitive personal information. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37159prs20080710.html 2008-07-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/35990prs20080710.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The state of Louisiana recently enacted legislation that prohibits the state from complying with the Real ID Act of 2005, federal legislation that mandates to all states that they create a national ID card. The Department of Homeland Security has been trying to gain support for the Act, but has faced growing resistance from the states. Louisiana is the 11th state to pass a law barring compliance with Real ID, and the 21st state to formally express its displeasure with the federal mandate. The legislation was passed by a vote of 72-22 in the Louisiana House, and by a vote of 36-2 in the Senate before Governor Bobby Jindal signed the bill into law. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/35990prs20080710.html 2008-07-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/35886prs20080702.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union will mark the addition of the one millionth name to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) terrorist watch list in a July 14th Press Club event. The roll-over to one million confirms the warnings the ACLU has been making for years: the TSA is pinning American security on a system of watch lists that are bloated, inefficient, ineffective and unfair. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/35886prs20080702.html 2008-07-02T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/35883prs20080701.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND - Leaders of the drive to Repeal REAL ID announced Wednesday they will be "Defending the Fourth on the Fourth," by mobilizing hundreds of volunteers for a final push for signatures to repeal the state's REAL ID law, which violates the privacy rights guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/35883prs20080701.html 2008-07-01T12:00:00-05:00 CrownPeak CMS