Selective screening of rail passengers is unpopular, but San Jose State's Mineta Transportation Institute argues it is the only way to secure the nation's mass transportation systems with the least impact on civil rights and the economy.

First responder communications in four states and 11 localities were reviewed by the GAO to assess how well homeland security grant money is being spent.

Mayors, governors, and civil libertarians gave Congress an earful about the REAL ID Act, saying that it is costly, impractical, and will put private data at risk. They are pushing for a revised law.

A Canadian not-for-profit takes an outsider's look at the response to Hurricane Katrina, identifying factors that led to the collapse of good governance and lessons learned.

What are the challenges protecting to energy assets and infrastructure? Energy Business Reports explains with security recommendations to counter the risk.

Chemical facilities at a high risk for terrorism must do more to protect their infrastructure. A final interim rule from DHS lays down requirements.

Take a look at the new counterintelligence strategy to thwart threats to U.S. national security, recently signed by the President.

A former employee of an Atlantic City hotel must prove his discrimination charge was made in good faith and show it wasn't just a way to set up a retaliation charge when he was fired.

Read why a hotel is not responsible for the rape of one guest by another, according to a federal appeals court.

Get up to code with Web application security standards and learn how to plug up your cybersecurity holes before a hacker attacks here, here, and here.

The FCC orders telecoms to implement more stringent safeguards to protect consumer data. Safeguards include password verification before providing records by phone.

A recent RAND Corp. report ranks the effectiveness of mall security measures against terrorist attacks relative to cost, while a national servey co-sponsored by the ASIS International Foundation assesses security preparedness at malls across the U.S.

Offers an updated and revised report, 'Energy Infrastructure Security 2007, Protecting staff, assets and operations from sabotage and potential terrorist threat.' It explores modeling infrastructure security risk and provides information on security measures to combat it, with case studies of actual and potential energy sector terrorism.

Last fall, Global Energy Infrastructure Security 2006 was held in the United Arab Emirates, and, in January, the Security for Energy Infrastructure 2007 Global Summit built on the previous conference. Eminent speakers from around the world talked about prediction, prevention, and response to terrorist threats, among other topics.

Courthouse security. A bill (S. 378) to increase courthouse security has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would require that the U.S. Marshals Service offer ongoing security advice to the judiciary.

A bill (S. 509), introduced by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), that would require screening of cargo on passenger airplanes has been approved by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The Senate has agreed to consider the bill.

A bill (S. 358) introduced by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-WA) would prohibit discrimination based on genetic information has been approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

A bill (H.R. 592), introduced by Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), would require colleges and universities that receive federal funds to provide an annual fire-safety report to all current students and employees, and to any applicant upon request. The report would contain specific information about the fire-safety practices and standards of that institution.

A bill (H.R. 599) that would streamline the certification process under the SAFETY Act, which provides legal immunity for the use of certified products, has been approved by the House of Representatives and is currently under consideration in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

A bill (S. 276) introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is designed to curb document fraud by making it illegal for anyone to produce, issue, or transfer more than ten legitimate passports without permission from the government. Forging, counterfeiting, or altering passports and making ten or more false applications for passports would be punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

A bill (H.B. 2346) introduced in West Virginia would make it illegal for employers to mandate employee attendance at certain types of meetings. Employees would not be required to attend meetings that deal with the employer's opinions on politics, religion, or labor unions.

A bill (H.B. 371) under consideration in the Connecticut General Assembly would outlaw bullying in the workplace. The law would make it illegal for employers to subject workers to conduct that is abusive. Abusive conduct is defined as any action, committed with malice, that a reasonable person would find hostile or offensive. Examples include repeated infliction of verbal abuse or sabotaging or undermining a person's work performance.