Federal:
Legislation to update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) is gaining ground in Congress this fall. ECPA is the principal law that controls when the government needs to have a search warrant to obtain the full content of electronic communications. It was enacted in 1986 and has not been updated since. There is now legislation pending in the House(H.R. 699) and Senate (S.356) to update ECPA; on September 16, 2015 the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on ECPA, the first in three years. While a vote is still forthcoming, you should consider contacting members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and advocate for an updated ECPA that reflects the new technologies and privacy issues of the 21st century. For more information, see the District Dispatch.
State:
With everyone from museums to police feeling the financial pressure, we still have no updates on the budget stalemate itself. Meetings have become more sporadic over the last few months; the Illinois House is not scheduled to meet again until October 20. The Senate is meeting even less regularly. Many representatives are saying that the call must come from “rank-and-file lawmakers” to challenge leaders to cooperate and collaborate. If you have not done so already I strongly urge you to contact your representatives about the stalemate.