Today the so-called Stupak-Pitts Amendment was offered on the House floor and passed 240-194. The amendment prohibits the "public option" plan from providing coverage for abortion. It further, provides that no federal funds can pay for abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, which has always been federal law. It also prohibits federal funds or credits for low-income consumers from being used to purchase a private plan that covers abortion. This jeopardizes the privacy of women.

It looks like the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 3962 the Affordable Health Care for America Act this weekend. Unfortunately, abortion has become a point of controversy in the debate around health care reform. Some Representatives still intend to run amendments limiting access to abortion health care for women even when the abortion will be paid for with private dollars.

It's time to call your Representative and tell him or her:

Check out the ACLU-NC's 2009 Legislative Scorecards and see how your elected representatives voted on civil liberties.

Recently, Senator Richard Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, introduced S. 1789, the Fair Sentencing Act of 2009 in an effort to end the unfair sentencing of crack and powder cocaine. For over two decades now federal drug laws have subjected a person who distributes or possesses as little as five grams of crack cocaine to a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years. Meanwhile, a person would have to posses or distribute 500 grams of powder cocaine to receive a mandatory minimum of 5 years. So what's the difference between the two that warrants a 100-to-1 disparity in sentencing?

Check out Sarah's op-ed in the Durham Herald Sun in which she explains some of the concerns with Automated License Plate Reader/Recognition technology.

The ACLU-NC's 2009 Legislative Report has been posted. Check out the many civil liberties issues the ACLU-NC lobbied on in the North Carolina General Assembly this year.

Congress is fast approaching an important deadline: On December 31, three provisions of the controversial Patriot Act will expire. It would be devastating to Americans’ privacy rights if Congress automatically reauthorized these overreaching spying powers without meaningful debate and reform. Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee discussed a reauthorization bill, but Congress should use this opportunity to not only reform the Patriot Act, but to bring in line with the Constitution many of the other overbroad surveillance laws passed in its wake.

What is the Patriot Act?

The Healthy Youth North Carolina Coalition has created a website that will be updated over the next year to help explain the new law which goes in to effect for the 2010-2011 school year. The website will be updated with information for parents, students, teachers, and school administrators to help everyone understand the requirements of the new law and ease the implementation of new programs at the local level. Check it out and be sure to keep checking back over the next year as more information is added!

Join the Western Chapter of the ACLU-NC in Asheville on Thursday, September 17th for a panel discussion on race in North Carolina.

Where: UNC-Asheville, Highsmith Center, One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28809
When: Thursday, September 17th at 7 p.m.
What: Panel presentation highlighting the problems of racial discrimination in North Carolina, and discussing recent legislative developments, including the new North Carolina Racial Justice Act and its historical, legal and local ramifications.

North Carolina's Attorney General (AG) Roy Cooper has recently made press announcing his intention to expand the taking of DNA samples for NC's DNA database. He would like DNA taken from any person accused, but not convicted of a violent misdemeanor or felony. This turns the basic tenet of our justice system, innocent until proven guilty, on its head. It also violates the Fourth Amendment which demands that probable cause be shown and a warrant secured before a person is searched.