Many of the hundreds of bills passed by the Rhode Island General Assembly each year raise issues involving civil liberties. That’s why Rhode Island ACLU executive director Steve Brown pays close attention to the legislature. As is often the case, the results from Smith Hill this year are something of a mixed bag. Lawmakers approved the first significant overhaul since 1976 of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, or LEOBOR. But an attempt to update the law governing open records, the Access to Public Records Act, fell flat in the face of opposition from state government. So how did lawmakers do in conducting the public’s business? What would it take to make the General Assembly more accountable to the public it serves? And how is the outlook for the rule of law when millions of Americans dispute the winner of the 2020 presidential race? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with the head of the Rhode Island ACLU, Steve Brown.
Steve Brown
Posted inArticle, Arts And Culture, Education, Politics
The Weekly Catch: May 5, 2023
We break down some of the top local stories from the past week.
Posted inArticle, Politics
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Politics/Media Roundup For July 5
The General Assembly is done for a while, and it’s time to hit the beach. Thanks for stopping by for my weekly column. As usual, your tips and comments are welcome, and you can follow me through the week on the twitters. Here we go. 1) Until Friday, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo’s office was […]
Posted inEpisode, Political Roundtable
Political Roundtable: Brown On Trump’s Immigration Policies & How Civil Liberties Fared In The General Assembly
Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island ACLU, joins Political Roundtable to discuss how civil liberties fared in the recent legislative session, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence’s release of a list of priests and deacons credibly accused of sexual abuse; and the legal outlook on challenging the Trump administration’s approach to immigration.
