Latest From ACLU of Washington

In October 2003 the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the City of Seattle can bar political candidates from mentioning their opponents in the City's voter pamphlet. The decision reversed a trial court ruling that found the ban was an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

The ACLU-WA and Kent School District in November reached an out-of-court settlement in the lawsuit filed by former student Mark Iversen. Iversen filed suit against the school district in 1997, alleging it did not respond adequately to incidents of harassment based on his perceived sexual orientation.

Civil libertarians held the line against efforts to enact overly broad laws as the Washington Legislature adjourned without passing proposed anti-terrorism measures.

Washington joins Maine, Idaho, Arkansas and Montana in adopting measures to reject REAL ID, a new federal identification system that would create a de facto national ID card.

The American Civil Liberties Union today filed suit over inhumane conditions for prisoners at the Jefferson County Jail in Port Hadlock.

Responding to citizen demands for action to safeguard sensitive personal information, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington has drafted House and Senate bills to protect the privacy of people’s medical information. The bills would prohibit non-health care providers with legitimate access to medical records from disclosing these medical records to anyone else for further use. The bills would bar insurance companies from marketing medical records to third parties.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is offering free legal advice to booksellers in the state who receive subpoenas or search warrants seeking disclosure of customer purchase records. The ACLU is making the offer in letters sent to booksellers statewide.