Legislative Memo: Open Meetings Law (2006)

NYCLU supports legislation that would increase public access to the processes and procedures of governance and increase the accountability of public officials.... Read More

Legislative Memo: Cyber-café Restrictions (2006)

This bill would institute a regime of regulation for internet cafes. While the intent of the bill is to prevent violence in these businesses and to provide an avenue for addressing problem businesses, many provisions in the bill would do nothing to further that objective, but would instead unconstitutionally limit minors' access to these establishments.... Read More

Legislative Memo: Family Health Care Decisions Act (2006)

The NYCLU supports legislation that would permit an individual's family members, domestic partner, or close friends to make health care decisions when that individual is incapacitated.... Read More

Legislative Memo: Dignity for All Students Act (2005)

This bill, the Dignity for All Students Act, has as its legislative intent to provide students in public elementary and secondary schools an educational environment free of discrimination and harassment. The bill would specifically prohibit discrimination and harassment, including "verbal threats intimidation or abuse," based upon a person's race, color, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex." ... Read More

Legislative Memo: Reporting Of Underage Sexual Activity (2005)

This bill was initially introduced in response to widespread reports of child abuse committed by members of the clergy. Existing law requires the reporting only of suspected abuse against a minor by a family member. The current law does not address allegations of child abuse by clergy persons or the failure of religious institutions to respond to such allegations.... Read More

Legislative Memo: Elimination of Search Protections (2005)

This bill proposes several amendments to the criminal procedure law, two of which would significantly diminish the legal constraints upon law enforcement officials when interacting with civilians and when conducting searches and seizures.... Read More

Legislative Memo: Bias-Related Violence - Civil Remedy (2005)

This bill would provide the missing legal mechanism for victims of bias-related violence or intimidation to initiate a civil action against the perpetrator. It would also provide for the reimbursement of reasonable attorney's fees.... Read More

Legislative Memo: The Healthy Teens Act (2005)

This bill, the Healthy Teens Act, would award funding for school districts, boards of cooperative education services and community-based organizations to provide comprehensive sex education programs for young people. The NYCLU strongly supports this legislation.... Read More

Legislative Memo: "John Doe" Indictments (2005)

This bill allows prosecutors to indict a person whose identity is unknown, based on DNA testing of evidence. Its purpose is to permit an indictment to be filed even if law enforcement has been unable to discover the identity of the suspect within the time period defined in the statute of limitations. With a "fictitious name indictment" the statute of limitations would cease to run and a suspect could be arrested at any time thereafter.... Read More

Legislative Memo: Child Sexual Performance (2005)

The purpose of this bill is to outlaw sexual conduct of children in any play, exhibition, or motion picture and to criminalize possession of such material where nudity or sexual conduct of a child is depicted.... Read More