DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Overview It has been a very busy spring on Capitol Hill for lawmakers and PORAC. PORAC members visited Washington, D.C., during the week of April 11 to discuss important law enforcement-related issues with members of Congress. PORAC met with over 30 […] Read More
PORAC Opposes H.R. 699 / E-Mail Privacy Act
On behalf of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (“PORAC”), the
nation’s largest statewide public safety association, representing over 66,000 members in
California and Nevada, I write to oppose H.R. 699, the “the Email Privacy Act,” which seeks to
update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (“ECPA”) for the digital age.
PORAC supports reforming ECPA and acknowledges the need for renewing this
outdated law, but H.R. 699 is not the answer. The ability to access electronic communications is
critical for law enforcement to ensure public safety efficiently and effectively. As written, H.R.
699 places an undue burden on law enforcement’s ability to gather digital evidence, providing Read More
Presidential Primaries and Supreme Court Drama
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP March saw a flurry of activity in Washington, D.C., as policymakers delved into the appropriations process — in which Congress sets the discretionary funding for various activities, including justice programs, as well as the funding for general government operations. In […] Read More
D.C. Update: The Budget and Presidential Primaries
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Overview After a snowstorm shut down Washington, D.C., for a week, Congress finally settled in to debate comprehensive energy reform and kick off the appropriations process. In the midst of these legislative concerns, the presidential primary season got off to […] Read More
A Victory on Law Enforcement Funding
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Following a productive fall, lawmakers returned from the holiday recess with renewed momentum to address criminal justice reform. Supporters of the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 (S. 2123) are hopeful that it will reach the Senate floor […] Read More
Legislative Frenzy Before the Holidays
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Policymakers in Washington, D.C., watched in horror as the attack unfolded in San Bernardino. In the aftermath, while the attack prompted debates over how best to address gun safety, immigration and terrorism, there was one point of agreement: The law enforcement […] Read More
Fly-In Successful Amid Changes in D.C.
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Overview Following passage of a last-minute stopgap spending measure (commonly referred to as a continuing resolution or a CR) just before the September 30 deadline, October on Capitol Hill continued at a frenetic pace. The CR, which prevented a shutdown by […] Read More
PORAC Meets With Key Policymakers
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Lawmakers returned from the August recess and dove headfirst into the fall agenda. Despite having only 12 legislative days in September, they faced several pressing issues, including temporary funding measures to avoid a government shutdown, the nuclear agreement with Iran […] Read More
Gearing Up for a Busy Fall
DARRYL NIRENBERG Partner JASON ABEL Of Counsel EVA RIGAMONTI Associate Steptoe & Johnson LLP Following a hectic July when Congress passed a three-month extension of federal highway funding and also reviewed the pending nuclear agreement with Iran, lawmakers returned to their home states and districts for the August recess (the House recessed on July […] Read More
Congress Active on Law Enforcement Matters
May, which included National Police Week, was a busy month on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers focused on a range of issues, including the federal budget, Iran sanctions and trade. In the wake of recent high-profile incidents in both Baltimore, Maryland, and North Charleston, South Carolina, criminal justice issues have remained at the forefront of national attention — and lawmakers are increasingly weighing in on police and community relations matters, including police militarization and the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs). Read More