http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/05/unprecedented-e-mail-privacy-bill-sent-to-texas-governors-desk/ \tNudging WashingtonAs if the ECPA wasn't complicated enough, one United States circuit court of appeals decided that federal authorities do need a warrant before accessing e-mail. The case, known as United States v. Warshak, has created a split as other circuits, including the United States Supreme Court, haven't yet taken up the issue. (Google has since taken the public stance that it will follow the Warshak standard.) Previously, Texas state law had language mirroring ECPA's existing 180-day requirement. Of course, ECPA remains federal law of the land in Texas and in all the other 49 states. But civil libertarians and legal experts hope that this may spur Washington, DC into passing much-needed ECPA reform, which has languished for some time now. “Privacy is a special thing in Texas-it goes to the core values of Texas,†said Chris Soghoian, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union. “It's always good to see states passing pro-privacy legislation because it sends a signal to Congress. It sends a signal to conservative members who might not yet be on board that this is something being supported in their own states and it helps the courts to see that this is a safe space to venture into. When cities and states start protecting e-mail, then judges may feel like there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.†Hanni Fakhoury, a staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), agreed. “It is the first state legislature I'm aware of to change the law this way,†he told Ars. “Other states are currently considering similar legislation, including California-where EFF sponsored SB 467 recently passed the Senate 33-1 and is now being considered in the Assembly." "It's significant proof that privacy reform is not only needed but also politically feasible with broad bipartisan support," Fakhoury said. "Hopefully that will impact federal ECPA reform efforts by getting people on both of sides of the political aisle to work together to make meaningful electronic privacy reform a reality. The more states that pass similar legislation, the more pressure it will put on Congress to keep up with the changing legal landscape.†</blockquote>Hopefully more states take Texas' lead and push similar bills through their House and Senate. If it wasn't for their draconian marriage and drug laws I think I'd actually consider moving to Texas.
This is good news. If the states start making laws protecting citizens from persecution at state level it sets the state for support for nullifications. Sent from my LG-E739 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Texas is the only state I have faith in to refuse unconstitutional legislation. I'll likely be living there (again) in a few years, and presumably from then on.
I live in Texas as you probably know. And it can be great at some things and horrible with others. Its great with gun laws its positively neanderthal when it comes to drug laws.
That is true. I'm biased because I don't smoke/use/drink anymore. I still like the discussion here, though. I'm primarily focused on fiscal and privacy policies for purely self-interested reasons (not to say others aren't equally important rights).
Then you'll love it in Texas. Only thing I don't like are the drug laws and some of the Christian bullshit but everything else is pretty swell here. DO NOT MOVE TO WEST TEXAS THOUGH. Its the only part of the state controlled by democrats and its being ruined with each passing year.
Its ironic that I am the one to tell you to have more faith in people. Sent from my LG-E739 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
West Texas was born ruined. Awful awful awful part of a state. They didn't even have chocolate soft serve ice cream when I went there. Plus is like 99% desert and the rest of it is just Dairy Queens without chocolate soft serve!!!!!!!!!! No but seriously I was in west Texas at a DQ and asked for chocolate soft serve and the woman looked at me like I was crazy. I drove to 3 other DQs and no one had ever heard of chocolate soft serve ice cream, I felt like I was in a twilight zone episode.
That's fucked. I've been to Dairy Queens in very rural parts of Texas that don't have half the items that make Dairy Queen so dank. But anyway, James what city would you recommend I move to in a few years? I plan on working in accounting/finance. I was thinking Houston, San Antonio, or (maayyybbbe) Dallas. What is your take on that?
I would say Dallas or maybe a suburb or small town near Austin. Austin has a lot of fun things to do. Dallas is pretty fun but is very humid. There are a lot of business opportunities in the Dallas Forth Worth area. I've never been to San Antonio and I've only briefly been to Houston.
Oh Texas, how I love my state. ^_^ Growing up in Houston, I probably experienced more adversity here, then during college when I lived in East Texas. Our town was so tiny we had a Dairy B's, not a fancy Dairy Queens ha. Don't move to Dallas..seriously, their like the Yankees of Texas. Houston is the fastest growing city in the country. For the fourth year in a row, we are also the number one moving destination. Our Economy is growing at a faster pace than the national average as well. Not to mention, the price of living is excellent. Living here practically all of my life, I can tell you we have grown exponentially. We need to work on our public transportation system though, which unfortunately doesn't really seem to be an issue for people here. We like our trucks.