New law protects 'good faith' reports of terrorist activity

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Say you're traveling on an airplane and you notice some other passengers behaving in a suspicious manner -- acting nervous, looking around furtively, conferring in a language you don't understand and a manner you find frightening.

Under a new federal law, you can report your concerns to the crew without fear of being sued by the subjects of your complaint, even if the suspicions turn out to be unfounded.

The little-noticed "good faith" law was passed by Congress on July 27 as part of a sweeping homeland security bill implementing recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

... The measure was made retroactive to Sept. 1, 2006, specifically to negate a lawsuit filed by six Muslim clerics against unnamed passengers who complained about them.

... The "good faith" amendment was co-written by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07245/813550-37.stm

laws retroactive?

Article 1, Section 9: No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

Isn't that exactly what this refers to?

This is making something illegal legal retroactively.

It was a crime, but now isn't. How nice of them.

But, I think what you're right about it - the law can remove liability. From wikipedia:

A law may have an ex post facto effect without being technically ex post facto. For example, when a law repeals a previous law, the repealed legislation no longer applies to the situations it once did, even if such situations arose before the law was repealed. The principle of prohibiting the continued application of these kinds of laws is also known as Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali.

Since our government will be happy to define "good faith".

:silly: :wtf: :crazy: :eyes:

of course, with bush's pet supreme court who knows