Law has prospective (forward-looking) effect only. The reason for this is that people are entitled to have advance knowledge of the legality or illegality of their behavior before they engage in it. It is similar in theory to the Constitutional prohibition against ex post facto laws.
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The 27th Amendment states: No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
By prohibiting bills of attainder, the Constitution is prohibiting finding someone guilty without a trial. By prohibiting the making of ex post facto laws, the Constitution is prohibiting the making of retroactive laws (e.g., you do something that is legal, a law is passed making it retroactively illegal, and you get arrested for doing it).
The 27th Amendment "No law, varying the compensation for the services of senators and representatives, shall take effect until an election of representatives shall have intervened."
Section 1: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.Section 1: The congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.Section 3: This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States