Hacking Legislation Using Line-Item Vetos
Halibut writes:
While hacking" is often used to mean criminal intrusion into computer systems, some, including Bruce Schneier, use a more general definition that includes any kind of creative (mis-)use of something.While this kind of mindset is often talked about in tech circles, it is not restricted to it.The governor of the US state of Wisconsin found a creative use of an apparently-flexible line-item veto power to change the following text:
For the limit for the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year, add $325 to the result under par.
into:
For the limit for ... 2023-...24...25..., add $325 to the result under par.
This essentially changes the time frame of the adjustment from 2 years (2023-2025) to 402 years (2023&ndash2425).Bruce Schneier points out that this is not the first time Wisconsin's line-item veto has been used to change a timeframe, and refers to it as:Definitely a hack. This is not what anyone thinks about when they imagine using a line-item veto."
[Ed Note: See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_veto]
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