News & Commentary

The Rhode Island ACLU, along with nine other organizations, submitted written testimony today to the Secretary of State’s Office, urging significant revisions to proposed rules dealing with procedures for the issuance of voter ID cards to people who do not have the requisite photo identification required to vote on Election Day under a new state law.  The testimony pointed out that the proposed rules do not adequately address the specific needs of some of the groups that will be most in need of voter ID cards, including the elderly, people with disabilities, the poor and the transient.

The RI ACLU submitted testimony today objecting to regulations proposed by the RI Public Transportation Authority that would require the elderly and patrons with disabilities to present photo identification in order to obtain a reduced-fare bus pass. Presently, individuals need to only provide written documentation of their age or disability status.

The Rhode Island ACLU and CVS/pharmacy announced today the voluntary settlement of a complaint that challenged the company’s use of a pre-hire questionnaire that the ACLU claimed could have a discriminatory impact on people with certain mental impairments or disorders.

Rhode Island ACLU executive director Steven Brown issued the following statement today in response to Governor Lincoln Chafee’s signing into law a bill requiring voters to present photo identification in order to vote at the polls:

A diverse array of more than twenty organizations – including civil rights groups, labor unions, open government and community organizations, disability rights agencies and others – held a news conference this afternoon to criticize the Senate Judiciary Committee’s passage last night of a bill that will impose a photo identification requirement on all Rhode Island voters.

Responding to a complaint filed by the Rhode Island ACLU at the end of 2009, the R.I. Commission for Human Rights has issued a finding that there is “probable cause” to believe that a job application form used by CVS Pharmacy, Inc. for various customer service positions violates state anti-discrimination laws that bar employers from eliciting information that pertain to job applicants’ mental or physical disabilities.

The Rhode Island ACLU has settled a federal lawsuit on behalf of former state Senator Michael Damiani against the City of East Providence, which in 2007 conditioned his appointment as an Assistant Harbormaster on passing a “vigorous” physical exam. The lawsuit, filed by ACLU volunteer attorney Carolyn A. Mannis, had argued that the requirement violated Damiani’s rights under various employment anti-discrimination laws. Under the settlement agreement announced today, the City has agreed to pay Damiani $7,000 in damages, as well as $15,000 in attorney’s fees.

Two months after the R.I. Commission for Human Rights found “probable cause” to believe that Senesco Marine, a large ship construction and repair facility in North Kingstown, had engaged in activities that violated state anti-discrimination laws, the company has settled the discrimination complaint filed against it by the R.I. ACLU.  Under the settlement agreement announced today, Senesco agreed to revise its employment application form to remove language that the ACLU claimed unlawfully discriminated against job applicants with disabilities.  In addition, the company agreed to pay $4,000 in attorneys’ fees.

Responding to a complaint filed by the R.I. ACLU in January, the R.I. Commission for Human Rights has found “probable cause” to believe that Senesco Marine, a large ship construction and repair facility in North Kingstown, has violated state anti-discrimination laws designed to prevent job bias against individuals with disabilities.