8 JUN: The US state of Texas has dropped plans to ban invasive airport body searches after federal authorities warned that they might have to stop airlines flying there.
A bill would have made it a misdemeanor for any public servant to touch certain body parts during a search, without probable cause.
The bill was approved by the state’s lower House, but withdrawn in the Senate after the federal government sent a letter saying that the proposed law would conflict with federal law.
That in turn would force the Transportation Security Administration to cancel all flights if it could not ensure the safety of the passengers and crew.
David Simpson, the politician originally sponsoring the bill, called the federal government’s threat a "brazen show of disregard for the dignity and the constitutional rights of American citizens."
