News

US State privacy declines on numerous fronts with Republican backing

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