Newsletters
Criminal Civil Rights Violations
A criminal violation requires the use of force or a threat of force. The alleged perpetrator can be prosecuted under various federal criminal civil rights statutes, such as those laws that prohibit hate crimes, bias crimes, and human trafficking. Usually, just one or a few people are charged with a violation.
"Defense of Marriage" Laws
About 38 states enacted "Defense of Marriage" laws after the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) became law in 1996. The federal DOMA defines marriage only as a union of a man and a woman. Some of the state Defense of Marriage laws explicitly refuse to recognize a civil union or same sex marriage entered into in another state or country. Some state laws go even further by making no legal recognition of same sex couples. Currently, only Massachusetts permits same sex marriage. Vermont law provides for civil unions.
Terrorist Screening
The Terrorist Screening Center is a multi-agency center that was established to consolidate and integrate various terrorist "watch lists" and to provide constant operational support for federal screeners. When the Terrorist Screening Database is fully functional, federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration should be able to access it online, in real time. Plans include making the Terrorist Screening Database capable of storing "biometric" information such as fingerprints. Private companies will be able to submit names of individuals for screening for any connection to terrorism.
Children's Internet Protection Act
The Children's Internet Protection Act requires a public library to use "filtering" or "blocking" software on computers that are available to the public. A library that fails to do so would lose certain federal funds.
College "Speech Codes" and the First Amendment
"Speech codes" on some college campuses have created debate about the freedom of speech. Opponents of speech codes contend that the policies actually violate students' right to free speech by limiting what students can say, and sometimes where they can say it. A federal court has determined that a university could not enforce those parts of a code of conduct that had the effect of limiting students' First Amendment rights.
