Legislation

The ACLU opposed to the voter ID law remain concerned with the severe disenfranchisement the new photo ID requirement will impose on the poor, the elderly, racial minorities and other vulnerable groups that are least likely to have identification or the documents necessary to obtain ID.

Legislation was considered to overhaul the state’s prohibition on cyberstalking and cyberharassment. However, under this new legislation, one act online that is used by others to justify harassment would be criminal, whether or not the individual was aware of harassment that subsequently took place.

In June, the House and Senate approved disturbing legislation allowing for the collection of DNA from people arrested – but not yet put on trial – for a number of offenses.

Following a series of unpopular decisions by the Parole Board, the General Assembly weighed a number of changes to existing parole laws for individuals convicted of murder.

In March, the ACLU testified before the House and Senate Judiciary committees in opposition to legislation addressing the electronic dissemination of sexually explicit material, often referred to as “revenge porn.”

The ACLU of Rhode Island testified in March before the House Labor committee in support of legislation expressly keeping participation in the E-Verify program voluntary.

In March, the ACLU of RI testified before the House Judiciary committee in favor of legislation to formally repeal a long-invalid law requiring a physician to notify a woman’s husband in order to terminate a pregnancy.

The ACLU testified in support of legislation repealing two laws that attempted to impose unnecessary and undue burdens on women by limiting insurance coverage of abortion, but were also struck down by the courts.

Part of a comprehensive package of legislation by the ACLU aimed at protecting privacy, this legislation would have barred law enforcement from obtaining cell phone location information from telecommunications companies without a warrant, except in certain emergency situations.