U.S. organizations that handle certain hazardous chemicals above set quantities are now subject to DHS’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards and its Risk-Based Performance Standards. Read the standards online here, here, and here.

The Transportation Security Administration is still unsure whether passenger screening systems at airports are effectively addressing the greatest aviation threats, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office.

A California court has ruled that a company can be responsible for a crash that occurred after a tow truck was stolen from its parking lot. The convicted gang member crashed the truck into a bus stop, killing three people.

Argonne National Laboratory’s Federated Model for Cyber Security joins different organizations together to share cyberthreat information. Find out how to put together a federated model at Argonne’s Web site.

Internet browsers often allow users to erase cookies, which Web sites and online advertisers can use for tracking. This tool helps users expunge a common type of cookie that can be hard to delete.

The Transportation Security Administration needs to beef up air cargo security during ground handling, says the DHS Office of Inspector General. It offers six recommendations. Read the full report online.

In its first decision on federal whistleblower protections, a federal court has ruled that two employees who were fired after reporting that their employer may have committed fraud may pursue their lawsuit. The case lays out the requirements that plaintiffs must meet to pursue a retaliation case under the whistleblower provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

New York’s highest court has ruled that police must acquire a warrant before using a GPS unit to track a vehicle’s movement. The court noted that the GPS information would reveal private information about an individual, including political and religious proclivities, by disclosing the locations a person visits.

The Government Accountability Office examined the intellectual property protection efforts in Thailand, China, and India. Read the report here.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that it will not relax its drug testing policies despite state laws allowing the use of medical marijuana. The DOT issued guidelines on the matter after the Justice Department publicly noted that it will not pursue federal prosecutions for medical marijuana use.

A bill (H.R. 2868) intended to increase security at chemical facilities has been approved by the House of Representatives. To proceed, the bill must be approved by the Senate. The Senate has not announced whether it will consider the measure.

A bill (S. 588) that would enhance security aboard cruise ships has been approved by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. The Senate has announced that it will consider the measure.

A bill (H.R. 2221) that would set out requirements for ensuring that data security has been approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The full House of Representatives has not announced whether it will bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

A new law (formerly S.B. 741) in California regulates proprietary security officers. Under the bill, proprietary officers are required to register with the same state agency that was already charged with regulating contract officers. Proprietary officers must also undergo a background check and be issued a license. Officers must complete initial training and undergo an annual review by the state to maintain their licenses.

A new Minnesota law (formerly H.B. 882) would protect employers in civil lawsuits where the plaintiff is seeking damages arising from the actions of employees. To be protected from liability, one of three conditions must exist, according to the law: The employee did not pose a greater risk in his employment than he would as a general member of the public; the criminal record of the employee had been sealed; the employee had been pardoned or the arrest or charge did not result in criminal conviction.

The highest court in Massachusetts has affirmed $973,000 in compensatory damages and restored $1 million in punitive damages in a sexual discrimination case brought by a Wal-Mart pharmacist. The pharmacist, Cynthia Haddad, was fired after a coworker filed a false prescription while she was taking a break. In her case, Haddad provided evidence that the same coworker filed a false prescription during a male pharmacist’s break but that employee was not disciplined in any way. (Haddad v Wal-Mart, Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, No. SJC-10261, 2009)

A federal district court has ruled that an employee with a history of unpredictable low-blood sugar is not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The court ruled that the employee’s condition, which could result in threatening and abusive behavior, posed a direct threat to the health and safety of other employees. (Onken v. McNeilus, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, No. 08-CV-2003, 2009)

Outsourcing IT jobs abroad increases network security risks, according to IT managers surveyed by Amplitude Research.