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Judge Orders Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors to Cease Christian Prayers at Board Meetings
Danville, VA – Federal Judge Michael F. Urbanski today issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, “during the pendency of this case, from continuing its present practice of routinely opening its meetings with Christian prayers” and “from invoking the name of a specific deity associated with any one specific faith or belief in prayers given at Board meetings.” Referring to opinions of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that have struck down sectarian opening prayers at local government meetings, Judge Urbanski wrote: “Given the clear pronouncements of the Fourth Circuit in Wynne and Joyner, there can be little doubt that plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits” of her claim that the prayers violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The judge found, “Every time the plaintiff attends a Board meeting and comes in direct contact with an overtly Christian prayer, she experiences a recurring First Amendment injury.” He noted that the Board will still be permitted to engage in nonsectarian prayers. read more »
Virginia House Panel Approves Onerous Voter ID Bill
Richmond, VA– The House Privileges and Elections Committee today approved a bill, on a 16-6 vote, that would require voters who are unable to show an approved ID at the polls to cast a provisional ballot. “This bill serves absolutely no function but to make it more difficult to vote in Virginia,” said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis. “Most people carry IDs these days, but if they don’t, or theirs has been misplaced or stolen, they will have to cast a ballot that will not be counted unless the electoral board is convinced of the voter’s identity at a meeting held the day after elections.” read more »
House of Delegates Subcommittee Votes to Remove Abortion Funding for Low-Income Women
Richmond, VA– Earlier today a House Health, Welfare and Institutions subcommittee voted in favor of House Bill 62, which repeals current Virginia law providing state funding for an abortion to low-income women when a doctor believes and certifies that the fetus would be born with a gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency. “Today’s vote is both shameful and callous,” said Katherine Greenier, Director of the Patricia M. Arnold Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU of Virginia. “HB 62 denies low-income women access to safe care for no other reason than their poverty. No woman plans to have an abortion, but if she needs one, every woman deserves the opportunity to make the best decision for her circumstances. Women and their families should have access to safe and affordable health services, especially in a medical crisis.” read more »
Supreme Court Prohibits Warrantless Use of GPS Tracking Devices on Vehicles to Follow Citizens’ Movements
Richmond, VA–In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that police may not place GPS tracking devices on the cars of citizens with first obtaining a warrant. “When this often divided Supreme Court can come together and agree on such an important decision about protecting individual privacy, that’s cause for celebration,” said Kent Willis, Executive Director of the ACLU of Virginia. read more »
ACLU and EFF to Appeal Secrecy Ruling in Twitter/WikiLeaks Case
RICHMOND, Va. – Fighting to make public government efforts to obtain internet users’ private information without a warrant, today the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) plan to file an appeal in the legal battle over the records of several Twitter users in connection with the government’s WikiLeaks investigation. read more »
Judge Says Residency Requirement for Political Campaign Petition Circulators is Likely Unconstitutional
Richmond, VA–A Richmond federal judge wrote today that the Virginia law requiring that persons who circulate petitions for primary candidates be state residents is likely to be held unconstitutional. The law was challenged by Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry and three other candidates who were excluded from the Virginia Republican primary ballot when they did not collect the requisite number of signatures from voters. read more »
State Supreme Court Hears Arguments Opposing AG’s Attempt to Access Private Records of UVA Climate Scientist
Richmond, VA— The Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments today in Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s attempt to obtain the private communications of Michael Mann, a global warming expert once employed by the University of Virginia. “We hope the Virginia Supreme Court will take this opportunity to make a strong statement in support of academic freedom,” said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis. “If the government is allowed to demand to see the private records of scholars, there will almost certainly be a great chilling effect on the kind of open debate and research we have grown to expect from our universities.” read more »
ACLU Files Brief in Support of Republican Party Primary Candidates in Virginia
Richmond, VA– The ACLU of Virginia today filed a brief in court in support of Texas Governor Rick Perry and three other Republican candidates who are asking a federal judge to order the State Board of Elections to put their names on the ballot for the Virginia Republican Party primary. The ACLU brief argues that the state violated the candidates’ rights when it prohibited them from using out-of-state petition circulators to gather the 10,000 signatures required for ballot access. read more »
ACLU Prepares to Mount Legal Challenge to Loyalty Oath Requirement for Primary Voters
Richmond, VA– The ACLU of Virginia today sent a letter to leaders of the Virginia Republican Party asking them to drop a requirement that voters in the upcoming primary sign a pledge to support the Party’s nominee in this year’s presidential elections. If the requirement is not removed, the ACLU is prepared to file a lawsuit in federal court. read more »
Governor Approves Unnecessary and Burdensome Emergency Abortion Regulations
Richmond, VA – The ACLU of Virginia expressed disapproval of Governor Bob McDonnell’s decision to accept the overly burdensome and unnecessary abortion licensure regulations drafted by the Department of Health and approved by the state Board of Health. “We are greatly disappointed by Governor Bob McDonnell’s approval of abortion regulations that impose a regime of unprecedented severity,” said Katherine Greenier, Director of the Patricia M. Arnold Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU of Virginia. “No set of regulations as onerous as these have been upheld by any court. They are not necessary to improve the outcome of an already safe procedure, and abortion is no different from many other outpatient procedures that do not trigger these kinds of unneeded regulations.” read more »
