Archive

In 2004, the FBI conducted a “threat assessment” of long-time journalists and commentators Justin Raimondo and Eric Garris, as well as their website, Antiwar.com. In violation of the federal Privacy Act, this threat assessment compiled descriptions of the journalists’ First Amendment activities without any apparent law enforcement purpose. Attorneys at the ACLU Foundation of Northern California an... Read More

Frankie Guzman was 15 years old the first time he committed a crime. Even though it was his first offense, the prosecutor pushed for harsh punishment, ignoring an alternative path to rehabilitation. Read More

The federal government has long targeted people using information collected at the state and local level. A new California law offers new opportunities to curtail the flow of sensitive data that fuels Trump's deportation machine. Read More

Fresno County’s general plan violates California state law and ignores the needs of Fresno’s most vulnerable community members. Fresno should adopt a plan that includes the voices of all of its residents. Read More

SACRAMENTO – Today, the Executive Directors of the ACLU California affiliates announced a change to the ACLU’s position on Senate Bill 10, the California Bail Reform Act.  The following statement can be jointly attributed to the three Executive Directors of the California ACLU affiliates: Abdi Soltani (Northern California), Hector Villagra (Southern California), and Norma Chávez Peterson (San D... Read More

BREAKING – Today, the Federal Court allowed the ACLU’s First Amendment challenge to California's execution viewing procedure to move forward, rejecting the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s attempt to deprive journalists of the right to view and fully report on an execution. Linda Lye, Senior Staff Attorney, issued the following statement in reaction to the Court’s rulin... Read More

California, the nation’s most populous state and a national leader in protecting and advancing reproductive health, could become the first to ensure that medication abortion is available to college students in public universities. Read More

The ACLU Foundation of Northern California filed suit against the California Department of Corrections on behalf of three media organizations challenging the execution viewing procedure. Read More

SACRAMENTO – Today, the Assembly Committee on Appropriations advanced legislation to open law enforcement misconduct and use of force records in California. SB 1421, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), will make public information about confirmed cases of misconduct – including sexual assault and job-related dishonesty – and serious uses of force by peace officers in California. L... Read More

SACRAMENTO – Today, legislation to update California’s lethal use of force law was removed from the Senate Appropriations Committee and referred to the Senate Rules Committee before heading to the Senate for a floor vote. AB 931, introduced by Assemblymembers Weber (D-San Diego) and McCarty (D-Sacramento), is heralded as landmark legislation to save lives. In response to the bill’s advancement,... Read More