Site Map - Legal Report

09/20/2007 - A bill (S. 2032) that would require the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to submit all public transit security assessments to the Homeland Security Department (DHS) has been approved by the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. The Senate has agreed to consider the measure. Under the bill, DHS would review the assessments and use them as the basis for allocating funds for security assistance grants. After receiving the first assessments, DHS would be required to update them, conduct new ones for all public transportation agencies considered to be at greatest risk of a terrorist attack, and use them to develop public transportation security guidelines and design a security improvement strategy. Under the bill, each public transportation agency that receives a grant must identify a security improvements coordinator and develop a comprehensive plan for operating and maintaining the equipment purchased with grant money. S. 2032 would also establish grants for public or private entities to conduct research into technologies and methods to reduce and deter terrorist threats or mitigate damages resulting from terrorist attacks against public transit systems.

09/20/2007 - Several bills that would prohibit the sale of telephone records to third parties have been approved by congressional committees. Though the bills vary slightly in detail, they all would impose stiff penalties on violators. The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved S. 2178, which would prohibit obtaining confidential phone records by fraud or any other unauthorized means from a telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled service provider. Under the measure, the sale of such records by anyone is punishable by up to five years in prison. The penalty doubles for repeat violations within a 12-month period, and for violations involving more than $100,000 or more than 50 customers. Law enforcement activities are exempt under the bill. Two related bills (H.R. 4709 and H.R. 4714) have been approved by the House Judiciary Committee.

09/20/2007 - Managers must be well versed in the many ways that discrimination cases can arise to avoid exposing the company to legal claims.

09/20/2007 - Rulings on workers' compensation claims, discrimination, privacy, and workplace violence; plus legislation on identity theft, bullying, and drug testing.

09/19/2007 - Must an employer investigate suspicions that a worker is viewing child porn at work? Plus, Congress on the Patriot Act reauthorization, identity theft, and border security.

09/19/2007 - A new law (formerly H.B. 2661) prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Under the new law, an employer may not refuse to hire someone or make any hiring inquiry into a person's sexual orientation. A company also may not discharge someone or discriminate in compensation based on sexual orientation. The new designation allows employees who feel they have been discriminated against to sue their employers for back pay, reinstatement, and emotional distress.

09/19/2007 - A bill (H.B. 129) introduced by Florida lawmakers would make it a felony to prohibit employees from leaving guns in their cars while parked in company parking lots.

09/19/2007 - A bill (H.R. 4238) introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) would build on the President’s border security initiative by requiring aliens to post bond to be released from mandatory detention centers and by using more federal facilities as detention centers.

09/19/2007 - A bill (H.R. 4244) introduced by Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-OR) would establish grants for regional task forces designed to investigate and prosecute identity theft and other economic crimes. The task forces would comprise federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

09/19/2007 - The Patriot Act reauthorization bill was signed into law (P.L. 109-177) by President Bush one day before 16 key provisions were set to expire. The new law makes permanent 14 of the 16 provisions of the original Patriot Act, which was passed by Congress several months after the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

09/18/2007 - A bill (H.B. 1218) before the Missouri House of Representatives would prohibit bullying in schools. The bill would also require that school districts adopt policies against harrassment, intimidation, and bullying.

09/18/2007 - A new bill (H.B. 154) under consideration in the Virginia Assembly would require that campus police officers immediately notify local law enforcement agencies if a death occurs on campus or an allegation of rape has been made. Campus police and other campus security personnel would be required to participate in any subsequent investigation launched by local law enforcement

09/18/2007 - A new law (formerly H.B. 2448) in Virginia requires that landlords install new locks or security devices on apartments rented by tenants who have a restraining order against a former cotenant. The tenant must present a copy of the restraining order to the landlord.