| Marriage Protection Act Proposed |
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| As civil rights advocates voiced their disapproval of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and similar state measures, supporters of such laws realized that challenges to the constitutionality of the laws were inevitable. Hoping to avoid these challenges, some federal legislators wrote a bill called the Marriage Protection Act of 2004. In July 2004, the United States House of Representative passed the Marriage Protection Act. As of November 2004, the bill had not yet been passed in the Senate. It is anticipated that proponents of the bill will likely face an uphill battle in the Senate. Civil rights advocates say that if the Marriage Protection Act does become law, it would be the first time that Congress has completely "stripped" all federal courts from considering a federal law. More... |
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| Enforcement of Voting Rights |
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| Certain jurisdictions, including some states and counties, are expressly "covered" by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These political jurisdictions are comprised of a certain percentage or number of minority voters. Pursuant to the Voting Rights Act, federal courts and the United States Attorney General may "certify" states and counties as needing federal examiners and federal observers to monitor voter registration and voting practices. More... |
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| Spyware and Proposed Anti-Spyware Legislation |
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| Spyware is a term used to describe a wide variety of computer software that can be installed on a personal computer without the consent or knowledge of the user or owner of the computer. Spyware can--and usually does--record whatever the user types while online, thus stealing personal information. As of October 2004, several anti-Spyware bills are pending in Congress. More... |
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| The Freedom of Religion in Prisons |
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| The federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) says in part that no government shall impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise of anyone confined to a federally-funded government institution, including prisons and jails. RLUIPA requires prisons to accommodate the religions practiced by inmates. The law allows governmental authorities to interfere with religious practices only if they can show a "compelling governmental interest." Often, prison security and discipline have been found to be sufficient reasons to restrict inmates' religious practices.
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| Racial Discrimination in Education |
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| The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal for federally funded schools to discriminate in programs or activities against students based on race, color, national origin, or religion. Federal regulations have been promulgated pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibit discriminatory actions by schools that receive federal funding. More... |
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