California Bill Would Help End Unchecked Police Surveillance, Establish More Local Control

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Feb. 21, 2018) –  A bill introduced in the California Senate would increase oversight and transparency of law enforcement surveillance technology. Passage of the bill would take the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance technologies that violate basic privacy rights and feed into a broader national surveillance state. Sen. Jerry…

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Bill to End Unchecked Police Surveillance Dies in California Committee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Sept 5, 2017) –  Last week, a bill that would have required all law enforcement agencies in the state to get local government approval before acquiring or using surveillance technology died in a California Assembly committee. Passage of the bill would have taken the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance…

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Passing Laws Isn’t Enough; Communities Must Push for Compliance

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Aug. 31, 2017) – A recent Los Angeles Times review of documents relating to the use stingray devices submitted by California law enforcement agencies underscores that simply passing laws isn’t enough. Ensuring government agencies comply with legal requirements takes constant vigilance, pressure and activism. Cell site simulators, commonly known as “stingrays,” spoof…

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California Committee Advances Bill to End Unchecked Police Surveillance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 14, 2017) –  Earlier this week, a second California Assembly committee passed a bill that would require all law enforcement agencies in the state to get local government approval before acquiring or using surveillance technology. Passage of the bill would take the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance technologies…

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Now in Effect: Kentucky Right to Try Act Rejects Some FDA Restrictions on Terminal Patients

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 29, 2017) – Today, a Kentucky law went into effect that sets the foundation to nullify in practice some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that deny access to experimental treatments by terminally ill patients. A coalition of three Republicans sponsored Senate Bill 21 (SB21). The legislation gives terminally ill patients access…

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California Committee Approves Bill to End Unchecked Police Surveillance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (June 28, 2017) –  Yesterday, an important California Assembly committee passed a bill that would require all law enforcement agencies in the state to get local government approval before acquiring or using surveillance technology. Passage of the bill would take the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance technologies that violate…

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California Senate Passes Bill to End Unchecked Police Surveillance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 31, 2017) –  Today, the California Senate passed a bill that would require all law enforcement agencies in the state to get local government approval before acquiring or using surveillance technology. Passage of the bill would take the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance technologies that violate basic privacy…

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California Committee Passes Bill to Require Local Approval Before Police Can Obtain Surveillance Technology

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 2, 2017) –  Last week, a California Senate committee passed a bill that would require all law enforcement agencies in the state to get local government approval before acquiring surveillance technology. Passage of the bill would take the first step toward limiting the unchecked use of surveillance technologies that violate basic privacy…

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California Bill Would Require Local Approval Before Police Could Obtain Surveillance Technology

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Dec. 21, 2016) – A bill prefiled in the California Senate for the 2017 legislative session would require all law enforcement agencies in the state to submit a comprehensive Surveillance Use Policy and would prohibit the acquisition of new surveillance technology without local government approval. Passage would take the first step toward limiting…

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Virginia Governor Vetoes Bill Setting Foundation to Reject EPA Clean Power Plan

RICHMOND, Va. (Mar 28, 2016) – On Friday, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) vetoed a bill that would have taken a small, but important, first step in setting the foundation to reject federal some EPA rules and regulations in practice. House Bill 2 (HB2) would have required the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to prepare an extensive…

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