News & Commentary

Recently, the ACLU and numerous allied coalition partners wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to request that HHS issue guidance to make clear that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s prohibition on sex discrimination applies to discrimination based on gender identity and sex stereotypes.  The fact that someone is transgender or does not conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity should never be a barrier to accessing health care services.

The New York Times reported on a new analysis of Department of Education data that says that students with disabilities are almost two times as likely to be suspended from their school as non-disabled students. The article also discussed school districts, some in Illinois, where the suspension rates for students of minority races are significantly higher than those of white students. The ACLU said schools facing these problems should look to other schools for answers about how to fix it.  The ACLU, which advocates on behalf of people with disabilities, believes all students have the right to be in school.

Earlier this week, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a bill that prohibits employers from requiring or requesting that employees or applicants reveal the username sand passwords for personal accounts on websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Governor Quinn, in signing the bill, said it was necessary to “protect workers and their right to personal privacy.” Illinois in is now the second state to enact this type legislation, following the lead of Maryland, which enacted a similar law in May.