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Category Archives: Legislation

Digital Policy Alert – CLaiRK BETA

“CLaiRK is the latest initiative of the Digital Policy Alert team. Over the first half of 2024, we aim to build a comprehensive tool that will help you navigate the rapidly changing landscape of artificial intelligence rules. Our mission is to help policymakers, legal professionals, journalists and citizens better understand the nuances of digital regulations… Continue Reading

Judge rejects most ChatGPT copyright claims from book authors

Ars Technica: “A US district judge in California has largely sided with OpenAI, dismissing the majority of claims raised by authors alleging that large language models powering ChatGPT were illegally trained on pirated copies of their books without their permission. By allegedly repackaging original works as ChatGPT outputs, authors alleged, OpenAI’s most popular chatbot was just… Continue Reading

Atrocious Air

First Street: “Since the middle of the last century, the United States has witnessed significant changes in air quality, driven by industrialization, technological advancements, regulatory measures, and public awareness. The most important of these interventions was the Clean Air Act of 1963, which served as the first federal legislation addressing air quality concerns. While air… Continue Reading

New York State Passes Law That Could Have Counted Trump’s Actions as Rape

Mother Jones: “On Tuesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation broadening the state’s definition of rape, eliminating the penile penetration requirement. The bill, “Rape Is Rape,” expands the law to include nonconsensual anal, oral, and vaginal sexual contact. Starting in September, New York will be like many other states: The penal code will not limit rape to… Continue Reading

13 percent of AI chat bot users in the US just want to talk

“Two new Consumer Reports surveys explore the use of and attitudes toward text-based generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots by consumers in the United States. Artificial intelligence is being used every day across the country and is increasingly being integrated in the lives of Americans, from customer service to online medical advice. CR conducted two separate… Continue Reading

There are 3 types of face recognition technology

Fast Company: “Face recognition technologies help identify and apprehend criminal suspects, enhance airport security, and streamline entrances to workplaces. As such, they’re some of the most useful and promising video surveillance applications available today. The technology will become even more widespread as advancements in cloud computing and AI continue to enhance its accuracy and usability.… Continue Reading

The Chronicle of Higher Education Releases Updated DEI Legislation Tracker

Business Wire: “The Chronicle of Higher Education today announced its updated DEI Legislation Tracker, which is following 49 bills in 23 states to restrict efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion and prohibiting colleges from a range of DEI initiatives. Republican politicians in early 2023 launched an assault on colleges’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to recruit… Continue Reading

PFAS Maryland Fish Consumption Advisory Map

“Brent Walls, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, has become an expert  on the growing issue of PFAS – toxic “legacy” chemicals – which we are finding in more and more places. He has created a map which identifies monitoring locations where Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) collected fish tissue samples from various species, oyster sampling and… Continue Reading

Buried But Not Forgotten: Coal Ash in the Chesapeake

Waterkeepers Chesapeake – “The Chesapeake Bay region has a problem it thought it could bury and forget. But the solution for coal ash is not so simple. Coal ash, also referred to as coal combustion residuals or CCRs, is produced primarily from the burning of coal in coal-fired power plants. Coal ash contains hazardous pollutants… Continue Reading

How a Good Government Bill Becomes a Law

PopVox – “On Thursday, the House of Representatives did something unusual: it passed a small, bipartisan bill with a substantive and positive impact on policy. The PRESS Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Kevin Kiley [R, CA], Jamie Raskin [D, MD], and eighteen others, is a reporter shield law. The District of Columbia and every state except… Continue Reading

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms That Texas Book Ban Law is Unconstitutional

Association of American Publishers: “The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit today affirmed the preliminary injunction of the “Reader Act” (formerly HB 900) granted by Judge Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division in a written opinion issued on September 18, 2023.  The law would have required independent bookstores, national… Continue Reading

Politico’s new feature creates AI-generated summaries of federal bills for subscribers

“Politico Pro paid subscribers will now see “thousands more Federal bill summaries” generated by AI. The new Legislative Compass feature delivers both brief and in-depth bill summaries of federal bills, which Politico says should help public policy professionals respond to legislative changes faster. The news comes after Politico’s parent company, Axel Springer, and OpenAI announced… Continue Reading