News & Commentary

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Dear Fellow Illinoisans,

Today, the ACLU and the ACLU of Illinois filed a friend-of-the-court brief in two additional appeals challenging the Affordable Care Act’s (“ACA”) contraceptive coverage rule. Our brief urges the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to reject requests by secular, for-profit companies and their owners to block enforcement of the rule. The district court in both cases refused to grant the companies’ requests, and they seek to overturn those decisions.

Professor Randolph Stone of the University of Chicago Law School responded in the Chicago Tribune to Chicago Treasurer Stephanie Neely's call for the city police to adopt a policy know as "stop-and-frisk". The ACLU has long opposed such policies. In 2003, we represented Olympic Gold Medalist Shani Davis in a lawsuit challenging repeated stop-and-frisk searches by Chicago police.Professor Stone writes:

 

We note with great sadness the passing of former Illinois Comptroller, former State Senator and former long-time ACLU of Illinois Board member Dawn Clark Netsch, who passed away at her home after a courageous battle with a debilitating disease. Dawn played a pivotal role in the history in advancing civil liberties and fundamental fairness. She was a delegate to the convention that created Illinois’ modern, expansive constitution and fought to include explicit protections of the right of privacy. She was an early leader and supporter for advancing LGBT rights. She was a staunch defender of the ability of women to access reproductive health care. She fought every battle with a wry wit and a relentless commitment to do the right thing.

In a letter sent on February 21, 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois urged the Chicago Housing Authority not to approve a policy for a new mixed-use development in Chicago that mandates suspicionless drug testing for CHA residents at the facility.  The new development is the Shops and Lofts at 47, to be located at 47th Street and Cottage Grove on the City’s South Side.

The Daily Illini newspaper out of the University of Illinois published a poignant editorial endorsing the freedom to marry bill. The bill is currently set to be heard by the House Executive Committee on Tuesday, February 26 before moving onto the House floor for a final vote. The bill passed in the Senate on Valentine's Day by 34-21.

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