Several stories this week demonstrate how far some politicians are prepared to go to undercut individual privacy and to undermine individual autonomy. This reflects a disturbing pattern and a distraction from efforts to pass federal privacy legislation.

#1 – A growing number of Republican-led states, so far including Texas, Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, WV, Missouri, Louisiana, and Alabama are opting out of participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a bipartisan organization that for more than a decade has helped red and blue states maintain clean voter rolls (a Republican priority) and to encourage voter registration (a priority for Democrats). Read More

#2 – In Michigan, a proposed law, Bill 4546, being shepherded by Republicans through the State House would not stop transgender children from participating in a sport, but it would not allow them to be credited for their achievements in the same way as their teammates. So, for example, a transgender female swimmer’s score would be listed with male team swimmer scores, due instead to the birth sex. Read More

#3 – And, in the ongoing wave of State abortion restrictions, South Carolina’s governor signed a law, Senate Bill 474, that bans most abortions around six weeks of pregnancy. Similar legislation is pending in North Carolina and Florida. Read More