Open Government,March (Anti-Choice) Madness, GPS Tracking, and DOMA

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

Government Transparency:
Today, the ACLU and others told the Maine Legislature’s Transportation Committee that the public has a right to know about public-private transportation projects. Currently, information about public-private partnership projects are kept secret. A proposed law would change that. Read more here.
 
March Anti-Choice Madness:
Mother Jones had a bracket you probably won't see around the office: An anti-choice March Madness bracket. Underdog North Dakota worked hard to become this year’s anti-choice champions. One bill banned abortions as early as 6 weeks, before many women would know that they’re pregnant. Click here to see the Anti-Choice March Madness bracket.  Click here to read the USA Today story.

Same-sex marriage:
Nationwide support for same-sex marriage jumped to an all-time high of 58%, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. And next week, the Supreme Court will hear two cases on marriage equality. One of those is Edie Windsor’s challenge to DOMA - click here to hear the story by Nina Totenberg. Some think the marriage cases could define this Supreme Court’s legacy.

GPS Location Tracking Bill:
Yesterday, the Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee heard testimony on a bill that would require law enforcement to obtain a warrant before getting access to an individual’s present or historical location information. Said Shenna Bellows, “It’s no longer acceptable to say 'if you want to protect your privacy, don’t use the technology.' Cell phones and GPS devices are unavoidable necessities of modern life for most people, and using them should not make us subject to unchecked monitoring by the police.” Read more about that here.