Latest From ACLU of Washington

In an order signed by Chief Justice Barbara Durham on May 12th, the Washington Supreme Court has decided not to review a 1997 Court of Appeals ruling that found unconstitutional the Bellingham juvenile curfew ordinance enacted in 1992.

Today legislation was introduced in the House and the Senate to ensure the privacy of cable television subscribers. Senate Bill 5868 and House Bill 1842 prohibit a cable company from revealing to any third party which cable services an individual subscriber receives, or the extent or nature of the subscriber’s viewing or use of other cable services.

The ACLU has asked the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to investigate reports that telephone companies have regularly shared consumer telephone records with the National Security Agency without lawful authority.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Justice (CFJ) have reached an agreement with the Spokane Transit Authority to protect freedom of speech at the Plaza in downtown Spokane. The agreement settles a lawsuit challenging restrictions on free speech at Plaza sidewalks that the groups filed on behalf of Donald Ausderau, a Christian minister, and the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Spokane in June 2003.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington today hailed the passage of Initiative 75, a ballot measure making enforcement of marijuana laws relating to adult personal use the lowest enforcement priority for the Seattle Police Department and City Attorney.

The ACLU has made some progress in bringing accountability to the so-called No-Fly list. In April 2004 in Seattle, the ACLU mounted the first nationwide, class-action lawsuit challenging the No-Fly list. In response to a separate lawsuit, the Justice Department released 300 pages of documents that revealed confusion, inter-agency squabbling, and subjective criteria in placing thousands of names on the list.