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As the courts have become increasingly political, we cannot always rely on them to advance or protect our civil liberties. Therefore, the role of our legislative program has become even more vital. A strong presence in Sacramento through our ACLU of California Center for Advocacy and Policy (CAP) enables us to stop or amend laws and policies hostile to civil liberties before it becomes necessary to convince a court to rule a statute unconstitutional.
Our CAP team lobbies the legislature, analyzes proposed legislation, drafts and presents testimony, contacts legislative offices, and stimulates grassroots contact with legislators.
California law and the U.S. Constitution require jails to provide health care for incarcerated persons, which includes reproductive health care. But across the state, we’re seeing that accessing adequate reproductive and pregnancy care in jails is often a frightening and traumatic experience.
Body cameras were promised as a way to hold police accountable not as surveillance systems to be used against the public.
Although California has made significant strides over the years to address mass incarceration and racial bias and disparities in the criminal justice system, more needs to be done to move California forward and invest in communities.
Fair and just access to health care is a human right. But right now, most California counties charge people in jail a $3 copay when they seek medical or dental care; they are also allowed to charge for medical equipment like glasses and dentures.
There are currently 5.5 million eligible but unregistered voters in California. Registration and participation for Latino, Asian, and Black Californians continues to lag behind that of white voters.
Police officers should avoid using deadly force whenever possible. But, right now, officers can legally use deadly force and kill someone even when they have other alternatives.
