News: ACLU of Northern California

Federal Appeals Court Says California Marriage Ban Is Unconstitutional

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:02:00 PST

On Feb. 7, 2012, a federal appeals court issued a historic decision upholding a lower court ruling that Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that excluded same-sex couples from marriage in the state, violates the U.S. Constitution.

Proposed Law Would Restore Local Control Over Intelligence Gathering

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:01:00 PST

Supervisor Jane Kim has introduced legislation before the Board of Supervisors that would prohibit members of the San Francisco Police Department working with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force from collecting intelligence on San Franciscans unless there is reasonable suspicion that they are involved in significant criminal activity.

UCSF Report: California Schools Make Uneven Progress on Improving Sex Ed

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:11:00 PST

A report released today indicates that although California’s public schools have made great strides in the quality of sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention, many districts still teach inaccurate information that fails to provide young people with crucial health information and violates state law.

Bay Area Rights Groups Ask FBI Director to Address Racial Profiling, Islamophobia

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:11:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the Asian Law Caucus, and the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations have sent a joint letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller in advance of his visit to San Francisco today asking him to address issues of racial profiling and Islamophobia.

Vigil to End Shackling of Immigration Detainees in Civil Immigration Court

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:11:00 PST

Immigrant detainees in San Francisco are shackled at the waist, wrist, belly and ankles when they appear in immigration court – even if they do not face criminal charges and even though the vast majority are peaceful individuals with no personal history of violent behavior or disruption in the court. Detainees appear before judges in chains, shackles and prison garb regardless of whether they face criminal charges.

ACLU and National Lawyers Guild File Suit Against Oakland Police Department

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:11:00 PST

Today ACLU-NC and NLG filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Oakland Police Department for its egregious constitutional violations against Occupy Oakland demonstrators. The lawsuit asks for an urgent, emergency temporary restraining order to stop police violence against political protesters.

LGBT Equality Groups Urge Ninth Circuit to Reject Attack on Prop 8 Trial Judge

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:11:00 PST

Today, a coalition of groups advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a U.S. District Court decision that rejected a move to vacate the historic August 2010 ruling that invalidated Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. The ACLU of Northern California, Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California filed the brief in Perry v. Brown in response to an appeal filed last month by Prop 8 Proponents who asked the Ninth Circuit to reverse the District Court ruling.

City of Antioch Agrees to Federal Court Supervision

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:10:00 PST

Putting an end to a divisive four year dispute, the City of Antioch last night agreed to a settlement in Williams v. Antioch, a class action civil rights lawsuit brought by five African American women. The suit accused the City of Antioch and its police department of engaging in a concerted campaign of intimidation, harassment and discrimination against African American families who get federal assistance with their rent through the Section 8 program.

New CA Law is a Historic Victory for Reader Privacy

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:10:00 PST

Privacy advocates are elated that California Governor Jerry Brown has signed the Reader Privacy Act of 2011, updating reader privacy law to ensure that readers—whether they buy books at traditional bookstores or read e-books online or on electronic devices—will have protection for their privacy. The Reader Privacy Act is an essential update to maintain California’s long history of protecting individual privacy and free speech rights.

Reforming Criminal Justice: 12 Recommendations to Make CA’s Realignment Law Work

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:09:00 PST

The ACLU of California answers these questions in a report with 12 recommendations for local officials – including the probation chief, sheriff, the district attorney, the public defender and others in your county – who are vested with the authority to decide how to allocate the county’s share of the nearly $400 million dollars the state is providing to help counties meet the new responsibilities.

ACLU Calls for Records on "Silent Raids" of CA Workplaces by ICE and Department of Homeland Security

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:09:00 PST

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about immigration audits of California workplaces by the federal government was filed today by the ACLU of California. The ACLU and others are asking for records related to "I-9" audits and other workplace-based actions by federal immigration authorities.

School District Drops Illegal Drug Testing Policy, Reaches Settlement with ACLU

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:09:00 PST

ACLU-NC reached a settlement with the Shasta Union High School District in a lawsuit challenging the district’s illegal policy of drug testing students in school activities like marching band, math team, and mock trial, without any suspicion of drug use. Students selected for testing were pulled from class, marched to a bathroom, and required to urinate in a cup while a monitor stood outside the stall listening. The settlement comes after two courts ruled that the district policy violated state law.

ACLU Challenges Coercive Police Interrogation of Students at Davis High School

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:08:00 PST

Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) urged the Davis Joint Unified School District to protect students from coercive police interrogations on campus. This comes after three instances in which the editor of the school paper and an A.P. Calculus student were subjected to unlawful questioning.

ACLU of California: Time to End Addiction to Incarceration

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:08:00 PST

A comprehensive report released today by the ACLU of California and sent to officials in every county across the state urges local jurisdictions to fundamentally shift criminal justice policies toward “smart-on-crime” alternatives to incarceration. The new report, Community Safety, Community Solutions, offers guidelines and tools for county governments scrambling to implement the Governor’s new public safety realignment legislation, AB 109. The bill requires counties to take on new responsibilities for low-level non-violent offenders. Those inmates will no longer be sent to state prison beginning October 1.

Lawyers' Committee and ACLU Sue ICE, Homeland Security for Shackling Non-Violent Detainees During Immigration Proceedings

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:08:00 PST

Adult immigration detainees are shackled at the wrists, waist, and ankles during immigration court proceedings in San Francisco, regardless of their history or capacity for disruption. The ACLU-NC, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati filed a class action suit on their behalf against the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).

ACLU Sues FDA on State Lethal Injection Imports for Use in Executions

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:08:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and The San Francisco Bay Guardian (The Guardian) filed suit late Thursday against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seeking full disclosure of public documents regarding the federal government’s role in overseeing a worldwide scramble by state prison officials to import controlled substances for use in executions.

Secure Mobile Chat App Wins Develop for Privacy Challenge

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:08:00 PST

On Aug. 5 privacy groups announced that Gibberbot, a secure instant messaging and chat app, is the winner of the 2011 Develop for Privacy Challenge (www.develop4privacy.org). The groups made the announcement in a celebratory event at the DEFCON security conference this week. The winning app in the inaugural Develop 4 Privacy Challenge, Gibberbot, is a secure chat and instant messaging app, created by The Guardian Project.

ACLU of CA Demands Information on How Police Are Using Surveillance Technology To Track Us

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:08:00 PST

Demanding to know when, why, and how police use mobile phone location data and deploy other surveillance technologies to track the people they are responsible for protecting and serving, the ACLU of CA sent requests to more than 50 law enforcement agencies across the state on Aug 3.

ACLU Applauds Court Order Removing the Circumcision Ban From the San Francisco Ballot

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:07:00 PST

The ACLU-NC applauds the ruling by SF Superior Court Judge Giorgi invalidating the proposed circumcision ban and removing it from the November ballot. "The Court's ruling protects the rights of parents to direct their children's religious upbringing and medical care, and ensures that San Francisco voters will not have to vote on something that clearly conflicts with California law," said attorney Ethan Schulman, member of the ACLU-NC's legal committee and a partner at the firm Crowell & Moring.

ACLU Announces Settlement of Case to Protect Immigrants' Rights in Sonoma County

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:07:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) announced a settlement today with the Sonoma County Sheriff and County of Sonoma that will limit collaboration between Sonoma County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ACLU of California Statement on California Prison Hunger Strike

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:07:00 PST

The ACLU of California supports the striking prisoners’ demands to end cruel and inhumane conditions in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison. These conditions include prolonged, solitary confinement in small, windowless concrete boxes with little to no human interaction and other severe physical deprivations.

ACLU Urges Court to Invalidate SF Circumcision Initiative

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:07:00 PST

The ACLU-NC July 15 urged San Francisco Superior Court to order the city's Director of Elections, John Arntz, to remove the proposed circumcision ban from the ballot now. In an amicus curiae brief filed today, the ACLU-NC argues that Article 50 is clearly invalid because California law explicitly prevents localities from criminalizing recognized medical procedures that offer clear health benefits.

ACLU Report: California Death Sentences Drop to Lowest Level Since 1978

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:07:00 PST

Just three death sentences were handed down in California from January to June 2011 compared with the same period last year when there were 13, according to a new report released today by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC). This is the lowest number of new death sentences in a six month period since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978.

Sweeping Anti-Bullying Settlement Announced Following Federal Investigation into Teen Suicide

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:07:00 PST

The U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education investigation in the Tehachapi Unified School District confirmed that Seth Walsh was targeted for harassment at school for two years and that the school district did not fulfill its responsibilities to protect him from this harassment. As a result of the settlement, the school district will implement a series of specific policies, procedures and training that will better protect students from sexual harassment and harassment based on gender stereotypes.

Seth’s Law Passes Critical Senate Committee

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:06:00 PST

Seth’s Law is designed to address the pervasive problem of school bullying by providing California schools with tools to create a safe school environment for all students.

Court Rules Redding Library May Not Restrict Freedom of Speech; ACLU, Tea Party Share Victory

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:06:00 PST

Superior Court Judge Monica Marlow granted a preliminary injunction on June 20 to prevent the City of Redding from enforcing a policy at the Redding Library that would have restricted the ability of residents to share their ideas and opinions in front of the library through peaceful leafleting. The ACLU of Northern California and the North State Tea Party teamed up to enjoin specific sections of the policy because it violates the California Constitution and the First Amendment

Seth's Law Passes State Assembly

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:06:00 PST

On June 1, the California State Assembly passed Seth's Law (AB 9), in a 52-26 vote. Seth's Law is designed to address the pervasive problem of school bullying by providing California schools with tools to create a safe school environment for all students. The bill is authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and co-sponsored by a coalition of organizations advancing LGBT equality, including Equality California, the ACLU of California, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gay-Straight Alliance Network, and the Trevor Project. The bill is named in memory of Seth Walsh, a 13 year-old gay student from Tehachapi, California, who took his life in September 2010, after facing years of relentless anti-gay harassment at school.

Judge Declares SF Housing Authority Injunctions Unconstitutional

Wed, 25 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

Arizona, Nebraska, Other States Broke Federal Law Importing Execution Drugs, Records Show

Tue, 24 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released records today which show that Arizona, Nebraska, and other states broke the Federal Controlled Substances Act when they imported sodium thiopental, a dangerous controlled substance commonly used in executions that is no longer available in the U.S. The DEA released all import declarations filed for sodium thiopental from January 1, 2010, to the present. Only one matches a known purchase made by prison officials—the purchase by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations in October of 2010. Seven other states are known to have directly imported the drug from Dream Pharma in the UK or Kayem Pharmaceuticals in India. None of the declarations provided by the DEA match these seven shipments, meaning state officials must have broken federal law in importing the drugs.

How Much for Homicide?

Wed, 18 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

The office of District Attorney Steve Cooley has failed to disclose public documents on the costs of prosecuting Harvard Law School. The lawsuit is for public records on expenses related capital cases, according to a lawsuit filed today by the ACLU on behalf of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice (CHHIRJ) at to homicide cases, and discretionary spending generally, by the D.A. of California's most populous – and murderous – county.

New Records Handed Over by DEA Show Prison Officials May Have Broken Law When Importing Lethal Injection Drugs

Wed, 18 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

New records handed over by the Drug Enforcement Administration to the ACLU of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Guardian reveal that state prison officials across the country may have broken the law when importing sodium thiopental, an anesthetic used in lethal injections which has been in scarce supply since 2009.

ACLU and Local Student Ask Oroville Unified School District to Stop Censoring LGBT Websites

Wed, 18 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

Oroville, CA – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Northern California contacted the Oroville Unified School District today to alert the school district that its Internet filtering software has been improperly configured to block access to web content geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities. The organization has sent demand letters to school districts across the country as part of the organization's national "Don't Filter Me" initiative, which seeks to combat illegal censorship of LGBT educational information on public school computer systems.

Revised Budget Reaffirms Realignment, Leaves Out Sentencing Reform

Mon, 16 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

In his revised 2011-12 state budget, Governor Brown today recommitted to his criminal justice realignment plan, but left out safe and simple sentencing reforms that would ensure that the plan is effective and affordable. The governor’s plan keeps people convicted of minor felonies at the county level instead of in state prison. Advocates highlighted, however, that a key part of the solution lies in changing minor offenses from felonies to misdemeanors so that the punishment and its associated taxpayer cost fits the crime.

ACLU to Governor Brown: Prison Sentence Reforms Can Help Balance the Budget

Thu, 05 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

Today the ACLU of California sent an open letter to Governor Jerry Brown, Senate President Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John Perez asking that two key reforms targeting waste in prison spending are included in the May revised budget. These two reforms alone would save the state hundreds of millions annually: making possession of a small amount of drugs for personal use a misdemeanor instead of a felony and making low-level non-violent property offenses – like vandalism or writing a bad check – a misdemeanor instead of a felony.

ACLU Partners with Tea Party in Obtaining Halt to Library Policy Restricting Freedom of Speech

Wed, 04 May 2011 12:05:00 PST

In April, city officials adopted a policy that restricts leafletting in the plaza in front of the Redding Municipal Library. On May 4, the ACLU-NC, which challenged the policy on the ground that it violates the 1st Amendment and the CA Constitution, obtained a temporary restraining order from the Superior Court against enforcement of the policy. The ACLU-NC partnered with the local Tea Party, which filed a parallel law suit.

ACLU and San Francisco Bay Guardian Ask Court to Force DEA Disclosure of Public Records on Worldwide Scramble for Execution Drugs

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:04:00 PST

The ACLU-NC and The SF Bay Guardian filed a preliminary injunction April 28 asking the court to order the Drug Enforcement Administration to disclose records regarding the worldwide scramble for execution drugs by state prison officials. The DEA has ignored the ACLU-NC and SF Bay Guardian's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for nearly four months.

Seth's Law Passes Key Legislative Committee

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:04:00 PST

Today the California Assembly Education Committee passed Seth's Law, also known as AB 9. This comprehensive bill would address school bullying by providing California schools with specific tools to prevent and address the pervasive problem in order to create a safe school environment for all students.

New Poll Finds Strong Majority of CA Voters Believe Too Many People Imprisoned, Favor Reducing Drug Possession Penalty from a Felony to a Misdemeanor

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:04:00 PST

Sacramento – A new statewide poll finds that nearly three-quarters (72%) of California voters support reducing the penalty for possession of a small amount of illegal drugs for personal use from a felony to a misdemeanor. At a time when California is slashing funding for education and health care while billions of dollars in incarceration costs remain untouched, this poll finds that Californians believe that too many people are incarcerated for too long.

Documents Reveal FDA Scramble to Ease Import of Lethal Injection Drugs

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:04:00 PST

Today, the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) posted records handed over by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBR) on highly irregular activities by officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed the entry of controlled substances to be used in executions in Arizona and other states.

Gov. Brown Signs Bill to Shift Incarceration for Low-Level Felonies to Counties

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:04:00 PST

Gov. Brown signed a bill yesterday that would keep individuals convicted of low-level felony offenses at the county level, either on probation or in jail, for terms of 16 months, two years or three years. Although signed into law, the policy change is contingent on the securing of new funding for county law enforcement. Advocates criticized the plan for shifting the state's corrections overcrowding and overspending problems to counties, for failing to fund demonstrated crime prevention services, including drug treatment and mental health care, and for failing to include much-needed sentencing reforms.

Reader Privacy Act Introduced to Upgrade Book Privacy for the Digital Era

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

Digital book services can collect detailed information, and what we read says a lot about who we are. Without strong privacy protections, reading records can be increasingly targeted by government surveillance as well as in legal proceedings like divorce cases and custody battles. The Reader Privacy Act updates state law to ensure Californians’ reading records can’t be accessed without proper justification.

Civil Rights Groups Call on Bay Area Police Departments to Cease Joint Operations with the FBI That Violate California Law

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

ACLU calls for SF & Oakland police to halt participation in FBI operations until they release their agreements & prove officers are following the law. NY Times revealed the FBI investigates people without suspicion of criminal wrongdoing. The FBI admits to compiling 70,000 such files on Americans.

Equal Opportunity Victory for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses in Caltrans Contracting Lawsuit

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

A U.S. District Court Judge ruled that Caltrans’ equal opportunity program for contracting businesses can continue its mission to ensure that minority and women-owned businesses have equal ground to compete for federal stimulus funds and other federal contracts

Amid the Budget Crisis, Advocates Say, "Cut This!"

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

Concerned Californians from across the region gathered at the State Capitol on Monday, March 21, to urge the California Legislature to protect critical social services--including education programs and drug treatment--by cutting the Corrections budget. One simple reform would free up $450 million dollars. That's the amount California taxpayers spend to lock up adults who were convicted of non-violent instances of possessing a small amount of drugs for personal use.

"Seth's Law" Proposed to Make a Safer School Environment for California Students

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

AB 9, also known as "Seth's Law," tackles school bullying by providing California schools with specific tools to prevent and address the pervasive problem in order to create a safe school environment for all students. The bill is named in memory of Seth Walsh, a 13 year-old gay student from Tehachapi, Calif., who took his own life in September 2010 after facing years of relentless anti-gay harassment at school.

ACLU Submits Testimony for Rep. King's "Radicalization" Hearing

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

The ACLU submitted testimony today for Representative Peter King's congressional "radicalization" hearing objecting to the House Homeland Security Committee's scrutiny of the American Muslim community and its level of cooperation with government anti-terrorism efforts.

ACLU-NC, NCLR, Equality California, and Lambda Legal File Amicus Brief in Federal Challenge to Proposition 8 Asking Court to Lift Stay

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

The ACLU-NC, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California, and Lambda Legal jointly filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asking the court to lift the temporary stay in the federal court challenge to Proposition 8.

ACLU of Northern California & Amnesty International USA to San Francisco Police Commission: "Table the Taser Debate"

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:02:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and Amnesty International USA are urging the San Francisco Police Commission to prioritize implementation of a new crisis intervention program instead of acquiring Tasers. The SFPD renewed its request for Tasers following two officer-involved shootings in January of mentally ill individuals. The ACLU-NC and Amnesty International note the dangers of considering Tasers a panacea for dealing with mentally ill suspects.

ACLU to Sheriffs: Immigration-Based Policing Too Costly

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:02:00 PST

In a letter to sheriffs, the ACLU of Northern California called on sheriffs across California to cease costly and harmful practices that target immigrant communities. The call accompanies a report highlighting personal stories, cost data and proposals to protect public safety while reducing the fiscal and human costs of local enforcement practices that target immigrants.

Renters Deserve Free Speech Rights, Too

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:02:00 PST

Tenants will have the right to display political signs on any part of the premises of their rented homes or apartments if a bill, SB 337, introduced yesterday by Senator Christine Kehoe and backed by the ACLU passes in the California legislature and is signed by Governor Jerry Brown.

Add Water and Kill?

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 12:02:00 PST

New records handed over to the ACLU-NC by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on its global "secret mission" to acquire lethal injection drugs show that even California's corrections department questions the quality of the illegal lethal injection drugs it purchased from abroad.

Privacy Groups Announce Developer Challenge for Mobile Apps

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:02:00 PST

The ACLU and other privacy groups announced the Develop for Privacy Challenge, a new competition for mobile app developers to address privacy concerns on mobile phones and other portable devices.

School Suspends Student for Facebook Posting

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:01:00 PST

Officials at a Sacramento-area high school suspended a student in December for posting to Facebook a message describing one of his teachers as a "fat ass who should stop eating fast food, and is a douche bag." But school officials moved quickly to expunge the suspension in January after the ACLU-NC put forth this civics lesson: the First Amendment bars schools from disciplining students for speech unless the speech creates a significant disruption to the school environment.

New Documents Show Wide-ranging Search for Execution Drugs by CA Reached Military Hospitals, FDA

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:01:00 PST

New documents handed over to the ACLU by the California Department of Corrections, reveal more damaging details about the state's search for execution drugs. An additional 192 pages, received on Jan 3, 2011 are available.

ACLU and Mother of Seth Walsh Send a Message to Schools: Take Anti-Gay Bullying Seriously, Don't Let Another Student Take Their Own Life

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:12:00 PST

The ACLU partnered with Wendy Walsh, mother of 13 year-old Seth Walsh who took his own life after enduring years of anti-gay harassment at school, to send an important message about bullying. Public schools have a duty to protect students from harassment based on sexual orientation. Seth’s mother is speaking out publicly for the first time since his death.

ACLU California Affiliates Announce Major Settlement in School Fees Case

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:12:00 PST

The California affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union announced a settlement today with the State of California that will establish a comprehensive monitoring and enforcement system to ensure school districts do not unlawfully charge fees to students for educational activities.

CDCR Documents Reveal "Secret Mission" to Acquire Lethal Injection Drug

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:12:00 PST

After a two-month delay, an ACLU-NC lawsuit for public records, and a court order, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation handed over documents revealing a "secret mission" to get sodium thiopental, a lethal injection drug. We have scanned and posted all the documents that we received.

Court Orders CDCR to Produce Lethal Injection Records

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:11:00 PST

A California state court ordered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to produce records relating to its mystery acquisition of sodium thiopental, a controlled substance used as part of California's lethal injection protocol for executing death row inmates.

ACLU Advises Holiday Travelers of Privacy Rights During TSA Screenings

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:11:00 PST

The ACLU-NC is alerting travelers to their rights amid the uproar about new airport screening procedures. Some travelers are unaware that full-body virtual strip-search machines are already in place in several major airports including SFO, LAX and OAK. Travelers should know what to expect and what options are available, particularly for those who opt-out of the full-body scan and are forced to undergo a pat-down by a TSA agent.

ACLU Sues California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:11:00 PST

The ACLU-NC is suing to demand records from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation about recent mysterious acquisition of sodium thiopental, a controlled substance used as part of California's lethal injection protocol for executing death row inmates.

ACLU of Northern California Issues Privacy Considerations for Mobile Location-Based Services

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:11:00 PST

Today, the ACLU-NC published a guide outlining privacy considerations for mobile location-based services, including a side-by-side comparison of several popular products' privacy practices. Nearly 50 million people in the U.S. carry smartphones with capabilities to track and pinpoint their location. The more a person's location information is available, the more potential there is for misuse or abuse.

New Study Finds Serious Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Alameda County Jury Pools

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:11:00 PST

The ACLU-NC has released a study showing that despite the racial and ethnic diversity of Alameda County, jurors are being selected from pools with insufficient representation from communities of color. While African Americans represent approximately 18 percent of the eligible jury pool, and Latinos make up roughly 12 percent, each group comprises only eight percent of the people who appeared for jury duty in 11 recent felony trials examined in the study.

Victory for Tuition Equality

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:11:00 PST

The California Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that students who attend at least three years of high school in California and who graduate from a California high school are eligible for in-state tuition rates at California public colleges and universities, regardless of their immigration status. The Court found that federal law did not bar California from offering tuition equality to students. California is one of ten states to grant tuition equality to its students.

Political Signs = Free Speech for Condominium Residents

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:10:00 PST

The ACLU has reached a settlement on behalf of a San Francisco condo resident who challenged an attempt by a homeowner's association to force him to remove political signs from his windows.

ACLU To Attorney General: There Is No Basis For Challenging California's Proposition 19

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:10:00 PST

The ACLU and its three California affiliates sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, on Oct. 25, arguing that there would be no legal basis for the Department of Justice to sue to overturn Proposition 19 should it be approved next month by California voters, and urging the Justice Department not to change its current law enforcement focus on major criminal activity in favor of new enforcement activities against California marijuana users.

Still No Explanation from California State Agency on Release of Confidential HIV Information

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:10:00 PST

The California Department of Health Care Services has failed to provide a meaningful explanation for its illegal release of the names of some 5,000 HIV-positive Medi-Cal recipients to a third-party service provider, said attorneys at Lambda Legal, the ACLU-NC, and HIV & AIDS Legal Services Alliance. A letter delivered to the agency from the groups today warns that DHCS must immediately act to protect the confidentiality of HIV patients, or face further steps that could include legal action.

Rush to Execution Halted

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

Following developments in federal and state court, the Attorney General conceded that the execution scheduled to occur at 9:00 pm on September 30 cannot go forward. This came just 30 hours before the scheduled execution. Yet legal experts had predicted for weeks that the execution would not occur due to the many remaining legal challenges and uncertainties regarding the state's method of execution, lethal injection.

UPDATE: Ninth Circuit Remands Case Back to Court for Reconsideration After Governor Grants 45-Hour Reprieve

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

For almost five years, California has engaged in a protracted legal battle over its method of execution: lethal injection. Despite ongoing legal challenges and widespread public concern, the state is rushing to carry out an execution scheduled for this week on Wednesday, September 29 just after the stroke of midnight. In response, death penalty opponents are gathering across California to protest the planned execution at San Quentin.

Despite Public Objections, California Rushes Forward with Execution

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

For almost five years, the State of California has engaged in a protracted legal battle over its method of execution: lethal injection. During this time period, executions in California have been on hold. Now, the state is rushing to carry out an execution next week, even though none of the legal questions have been answered.

Privacy and Safety Questions Loom Over Federal Program to Track Preschoolers

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

In a letter to government agencies, the ACLU of Northern California and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are calling for answers to critical privacy and safety questions regarding a controversial federal program to track preschoolers with radio frequency identification chips at a preschool in Richmond, California.

California State Agency Released Confidential HIV Information

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

The ACLU-NC is demanding a full explanation of a state agency's unauthorized and illegal disclosures of confidential information of approximately 5,000 HIV-positive Medi-Cal recipients, and seeking assurance that there will be no more illegal disclosures. "The state stepped out of bounds when it disclosed the confidential records of HIV-positive Medi-Cal patients, even including their contact information," said ACLU-NC Attorney Elizabeth Gill.

California ACLU Affiliates Sue State of California Over Public School Academic Fees Charged to Children

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

The California affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a class action lawsuit against the State of California and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today for allowing school districts throughout the state to charge fees for books and other essential educational supplies. This practice violates the California Constitution which, since 1879, has guaranteed children a free education.

Appeals Court Decision Denies Extraordinary Rendition Victims Their Day in Court

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

On September 8, an en banc panel of all 11 judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit dismissed the ACLU's case on behalf of five men who were kidnapped by the CIA, forcibly disappeared to U.S.-run prisons overseas and tortured. According to the ACLU, the ruling all but shuts the door on accountability for the illegal "extraordinary rendition" program. The ACLU intends to seek Supreme Court review of the decision.

Report On Disparities and the Criminal Justice System Finds That Lack of Data Leads to Bad Policy

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:09:00 PST

A new report explores racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in access to education, employment, and housing. It found that these factors relate to how likely it is someone will be incarcerated, and that lack of data collection hinders the ability to address this problem. As a result lawmakers are creating policies without fully understanding the racial, ethnic, and gender impact of their decisions.

Lawsuit Seeks Information on FBI Activities in Northern CA Muslim Communities

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:08:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union, the Asian Law Caucus and the San Francisco Bay Guardian filed a lawsuit Aug. 24 against the FBI to speed the release of FBI records on the investigation and surveillance of Muslim communities in the Bay Area.

Immigration Agency Disavows Detention Practice Challenged by ACLU

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:08:00 PST

Through an interim policy released on August 11, 2010, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") has weighed in on a lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Northern California against the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department and the federal immigration agency concerning the County's participation in immigration enforcement. Since at least 2005 Sonoma County Sheriff and local ICE agents used something called an immigration "detainer" or "hold" to place arrestees in the County jail for four days without notice of the charges against them, and without procedural rights normally afforded to immigration detainees.

California Marriage Ban Struck Down

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:08:00 PST

in a landmark decision on August 4, a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that excluded same-sex couples from marriage in the state, violates the United States Constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Lambda Legal filed two friend-of-the-court briefs in the case supporting the argument that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

ACLU Seeks Records About FBI Collection Of Racial And Ethnic Data

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:07:00 PST

Thirty ACLU affiliates are seeking details about the FBI's program that collects and maps sensitive information in communities with concentrated ethnic populations.

California ACLU Affiliates Endorse Proposition 19's Move Toward a Rational Marijuana Policy

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:07:00 PST

The California affiliates of the ACLU today announced their endorsement of Proposition 19, the initiative on the November 2010 ballot that would allow state regulation of marijuana. There are two primary reasons for the ACLU's support: enforcing laws against marijuana consumes a great deal of California's law enforcement resources, and also has a disproportionate impact on communities of color.

ACLU Statement in Anticipation of Mehserle Verdict

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:07:00 PST

The shooting of Oscar Grant by BART police officers in January 2009 remains a tragic reminder of the need for serious efforts to rebuild trust between law enforcement and communities of color. No matter the verdict in the Mehserle trial, the need to rebuild community trust in law enforcement will remain. In too many American cities, racial tensions between the community and law enforcement run deep. Police oversight remains a critical issue in truly ensuring both public safety and public trust.

ACLU Files Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutional "No Fly List"

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

The ACLU today filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit on behalf of 10 U.S. citizens and lawful residents who are prohibited from flying to or from the United States or over U.S. airspace because they are on the government's "No Fly List." None of the individuals in the lawsuit, including a disabled U.S. Marine Corps veteran stranded in Egypt and a U.S. Army veteran stuck in Colombia, have been told why they are on the list or given a chance to clear their names.

ACLU Reaches Settlement on Behalf of Native American Students Impacted by School Closure

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) has reached a settlement agreement with the Del Norte Unified School District in its class-action lawsuit on behalf of Native American students impacted by the closure of several grades at the only school teaching Yurok language and culture in the district. The suit, filed in 2007, charged that the district's closure of grades 6-8 of the Margaret Keating Elementary School on the Yurok reservation constituted racial discrimination against Native American students. The law firm Covington & Burling LLP worked with the ACLU-NC on the case on a pro bono basis. The settlement was reached without going to trial, and does not include monetary damages.

As Holiday Weekend Approaches, ACLU Issues Alert to California Residents Traveling to Arizona

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

The California affiliates of the ACLU issued a travel alert for persons traveling to Arizona along with "know your rights" materials explaining what to do in case of encounters with law enforcement. The alert was issued in response to Arizona's SB 1070 law which requires local law enforcement officials to demand "papers" from people they suspect are not authorized to be in the U.S. Individuals that local police presume to be immigrants are expected to be subject to warrantless arrest without any probable cause. The ACLU-NC holds that Arizona's law, which goes into effect on July 29, is unconstitutional, encourages targeting of persons who look or sound different, and is a betrayal of fundamental American values of fairness and equality.

Privacy Groups to Facebook: It's Not Over Yet

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

Today the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and a lineup of ten of the nation's top privacy groups sent an open letter calling for the social networking giant Facebook to demonstrate commitment to its own principle of user control by addressing several outstanding privacy concerns. Facebook recently took steps to address some privacy problems, but the groups contend more needs to be done. "Despite recent changes, Facebook users' personal information is still visible through privacy cracks most people don't even know about," said Nicole Ozer, ACLU-NC Technology and Civil Liberties Policy Director.

ACLU Lawsuit Spotlights Sonoma County Sheriff and ICE for Unlawful Detentions and Racial Profiling of Latinos

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

A federal judge issued an order June 11 that an ACLU of Northern California lawsuit charging unlawful collaboration between the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can move forward. The lawsuit charges that local law enforcement have collaborated unlawfully with ICE to stop and search people who appear to be Latino, interrogate them about their immigration status, and detain them. The Sheriff's Department and ICE have failed to notify these individuals of their rights and the charges against them, among other violations of due process.

ACLU Assesses Possible Legal Violations Following Reports of an Information Breach at the San Jose Independent Police Auditor's Office

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California is deeply disturbed following reports that staff at the San Jose Independent Police Auditor's (IPA) Office leaked inside information about complaints of misconduct to the local police union. If true, this breach of confidence severely undermines the City's already weak system of independent oversight. Longstanding structural problems at the IPA office limit its ability to be effective. The reports should serve as a wake-up call to the City that it must implement a more effective system of oversight.

ACLU Response on Ruling Today Granting Preliminary Oakland Gang Injunction

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:06:00 PST

Today, an Alameda County judge granted a preliminary gang injunction in North Oakland. The ACLU of Northern California opposed the injunction, and filed a brief outlining civil liberties concerns. Read the response of Jory Steele, Managing Attorney at the ACLU of Northern California.

ACLU of Northern California Responds to Discipline of Student Protesters at Three Universities

Fri, 14 May 2010 12:05:00 PST

Following protests around California against education budget cuts, student demonstrators at several universities faced harsh disciplinary crackdowns. ACLU-NC has stepped in on behalf of students at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and today contacted San Francisco State University about questionable discipline of a student protester. "Universities can't punish students more harshly when the misconduct is related to political expression than it would for infractions that are not politically motivated," said ACLU-NC's Julia Harumi Mass.

Justice Advocates to Governor: Cut Waste, Not Effective Programs, from Bloated Corrections Budget

Thu, 13 May 2010 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—As spending on California's massive prison system continues unabated, Governor Schwarzenegger's office has declared that the revised budget to be released tomorrow will propose "absolutely terrible cuts." The American Civil Liberties Union, Drug Policy Alliance and Ella Baker Center for Human Rights call on the Governor to choose three effective, budget-saving reforms over wasteful corrections spending.

ACLU of Northern California to Disclose No on 8 Campaign Documents

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:04:00 PST

After securing a key ruling regarding the First Amendment from the Ninth Circuit, the ACLU-NC on April 27 produced documents relating to its efforts to defeat Prop 8. The ACLU had sought to appeal an order requiring it to produce its No on 8 documents, arguing that the First Amendment should cover communications between groups working together on a political cause. The Ninth Circuit has now agreed that such communications are protected, but did not overturn an earlier district court ruling that required disclosure.

ACLU, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights File Court Papers Against Proposed Oakland Gang Injunction

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:04:00 PST

On April 8, the ACLU-NC and the Lawyers' Committee filed an amicus brief opposing a proposed gang injunction in Oakland. Gang injunctions are court orders that attempt to address crime by using a lower legal standard than required by the criminal justice system. "All of us are concerned about violent crime, but the issue here is that such injunctions are an ineffective response that can actually harm the communities they are intended to protect," said Jory Steele, ACLU-NC Managing Attorney.

Death Penalty Sentencing In Decline Across U.S.

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

As the United States moves to permanent imprisonment from death sentences, California—particularly Los Angeles County—lags behind, according to a new report on the death penalty by the ACLU of Northern California. In 2009, the number of new death sentences nationwide reached the lowest level since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. California, however, sent more people to death row last year than in the seven preceding years. At the close of 2009, California’s death row was the largest and most costly in the United States.

En Los Estados Unidos las Sentencias de Muerte Van en Declive

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

San Francisco – Mientras que los Estados Unidos se encamina hacia la cadena perpetua dejando atrás la pena de muerte, California – particularmente el Condado de Los Ángeles – se queda atrás, esto de acuerdo a un nuevo informe de la ACLU del Norte de California (ACLU-NC). En 2009, el número de nuevas sentencias de muerte en el país llego a su nivel más bajo desde que la pena de muerte fue restablecida en 1976. Sin embargo, el "Estado Dorado" mandó a más gente al corredor de la muerte el año pasado que en los 7 años anterior a él. Al fin de 2009, el corredor de la muerte de California fue el más grande y el más costoso de los Estados Unidos.

ACLU Will Appeal Order in Prop 8 Challenge Requiring It to Turn Over Campaign Documents

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

Federal Judge Vaughn Walker ruled yesterday that the ACLU and Equality California must turn over campaign documents, including internal e-mails and memos, even though the groups are not parties to the legal challenge brought by Ted Olson and David Boies seeking to strike Prop 8.

ACLU and Asian Law Caucus Seek Records on FBI Surveillance of Mosques and Use of Informants in Northern California

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California, The Asian Law Caucus, and the SF Bay Guardian filed a Freedom of Information Act request March 9, seeking records relating to federal government activity in connection to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) investigation of Muslim communities. The groups seek records related to domestic intelligence practices including the use of informants and infiltrators (such as those reportedly used in gyms, community centers and mosques), the FBI Junior Agent Program's recruitment of Muslim and Arab American children, and investigations of Muslim leaders and imams in northern California.

Media Advisory - ACLU's Digital Privacy Team to take SXSW by Storm

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California's dotRights digital privacy team will be out in force at the 2010 South by Southwest Interactive Conference. Technology and civil liberties experts Nicole Ozer and Chris Conley from ACLU-NC will lead a riveting core conversation and a panel during the conference. Ozer and Conley will be available throughout the event for digital privacy analysis. For more information about ACLU-NC's digital privacy campaign, visit www.dotrights.org.

Civil Rights Attorney Kelli Evans Named Associate Director

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

"While threats to civil liberties and basic equality continue, there are also significant opportunities to make a real and lasting impact. The ACLU does this every single day and I feel enormously privileged to join it in the fight." – Kelli Evans, civil rights attorney and ACLU-NC's new Associate Director. Evans' career includes serving as federal court-appointed Monitor of the Oakland Police Department and as a senior trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She also previously served as staff attorney here at ACLU-NC.

ACLU Urges San Francisco Police Commission to Reject Taser Proposal

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:03:00 PST

ACLU-NC expressed concerns about Taser use at a hearing of the San Francisco Police Commission, noting that while the devices are less lethal than firearms they still constitute a significant level of force. The commission voted against adopting Tasers.

ACLU Tells Fresno City College That Anti-Gay Preaching By Health Professor Doesn't Fly

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to Fresno City College today demanding that the school ensure that all its health science classes teach unbiased and medically accurate information. According to students at the college, lectures by Professor Dr. Bradley Lopez, who teaches an introductory health class, often present religiously-based and anti-gay views as "science" or "fact."

Over 12,000 Object to California's Execution Plan

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:01:00 PST

Over 12,000 individuals, from California and across the country, have submitted comments objecting to the new execution plan recently released by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The revised plan, released for public comment on January 4, 2010, is part of the CDCR’s efforts to kick-start executions which have been on hold in California for four years.

Joint Statement: Community Groups Disagree With Governor's Prison Privatization Plan

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:01:00 PST

During his State of the State address today, Governor Schwarzenegger proposed a constitutional amendment that would bar the state from spending more on prisons than on higher education, and that would allow privatization of California’s prison system. Advocates applauded the call for significant cuts, but criticized the governor for leaning on a panacea of privatization.

Fresno Hospital Agrees To Training And Policy Changes In Response To Mistreatment Of Lesbian Couple

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:12:00 PST

Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno has agreed to make policy changes and conduct staff trainings to ensure that the rights of its LGBT patients and family members are properly respected. The changes are in response to a demand letter by ACLU and the National Center for Lesbian Rights on behalf of a lesbian who was barred from visiting her partner and giving advice about her treatment at the hospital.

Extraordinary Rendition Case Should Move Forward, Argues ACLU In Court

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:12:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union was in federal appeals court in San Francisco on Dec. 15, 2009 to argue that a lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen DataPlan Inc. for its role in the Bush administration's unlawful extraordinary rendition program should go forward. The government has repeatedly misused the state secrets privilege in an attempt to have the case thrown out.

Sikh Religious Musicians Settle with US Airways After Wrongful Removal From Flight

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:12:00 PST

Three internationally renowned Sikh religious musicians have reached a settlement with US Airways one year after they were removed from a flight at the Sacramento Airport in an incident of racial profiling and discrimination. The trio was subjected to biased treatment from US Airways after passengers expressed baseless concerns about the musicians' appearance.

Online Privacy Has a New Ally: ACLU of Northern California's Demand Your dotRights Campaign to Protect Digital Data

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:11:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California today launched "Demand Your dotRights," an innovative online privacy initiative designed to spotlight the need to upgrade laws protecting consumer data. An interactive web hub for the campaign, www.dotrights.org, features a two-minute Flash video that explains the digital information trail and illustrates what happens to our personal information after we log off. Watch the video.

ACLU Lawsuit Challenges California's Mandatory DNA Collection at Arrest

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:10:00 PST

A lawsuit filed today by ACLU-NC seeks to stop California's policy of mandating that DNA is collected from anyone arrested for a felony, whether or not they are ever charged or convicted. The ACLU opposes this law because it violates constitutional guarantees of privacy and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and because of the harmful impact on communities of color.

ACLU of Northern California Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:09:00 PST

On September 21, 1934, 75 years ago, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) was founded by local civic leaders. The genesis of the ACLU-NC was the 1934 San Francisco General Strike, when lawyers and organizers were called upon to protect Bay Area maritime workers against vicious attacks by police and two trade unionists were shot and killed. In the decades that followed, from the Depression Era through World War II, McCarthyism, the Free Speech, Civil Rights and Anti-War Movements, the AIDS crisis, and the aftermath of 9-11, the ACLU-NC has defended the fundamental rights and freedoms of all northern Californians. The ACLU-NC has grown to be the largest ACLU affiliate in the country.

Community Leaders Ask Alameda County Supervisors for Open Process in Selecting Interim District Attorney

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:09:00 PST

The Alameda County Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will ask the Board of Supervisors to implement a fair, open and transparent process for selecting an interim District Attorney at the Board's meeting on Tuesday, September 15. Following District Attorney Tom Orloff's surprise announcement last week that he would retire, the Board of Supervisors must select an interim District Attorney to serve the remainder of Orloff's term, through 2010. The Board has placed "consideration" of the appointment on the agenda but not made public what process, if any, will be used to select an interim.

Minority, Women-Owned Small Businesses Seek Role in Caltrans Contracting Suit

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:09:00 PST

Small business owners filed a motion today asking to intervene in a lawsuit that seeks to dismantle Caltrans’ Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE). The group of business owners asking to intervene oppose the lawsuit and support the DBE program, which aims to give minority and women-owned businesses equal opportunity to compete for federal contracts.

Authors Urge Rejection of Google Book Search Deal

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:09:00 PST

A coalition of authors is urging a federal judge to reject the proposed settlement in a lawsuit over Google Book Search, arguing that the sweeping agreement to digitize millions of books ignores critical privacy and speech rights for readers and writers. The group of authors is represented by the ACLU and others, who filed an objection to the settlement today.

Prison Agency Announces Youth Prison Closure, As Proposed by Community Groups

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:08:00 PST

SACRAMENTO—The People’s Budget Fix coalition today welcomed the announcement that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) would close one of six youth prisons. The coalition has called for diverting all young offenders to county level supervision and closing all six youth prisons as part of the People’s Budget Fix, a proposal to achieve long-term improvements in public safety and actual savings in prison costs of more than $12 billion in five years. The CDCR announcement comes as the Assembly continues to fail to act on needed criminal justice reforms.

ACLU Launches Facebook Privacy Quiz, Calls for Stronger Privacy Defaults

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:08:00 PST

Millions of people on Facebook who use third party applications on the site, including the popular quizzes, do not realize the extent to which developers of quizzes and other applications have access to personal information. Facebook's default privacy settings allow nearly unfettered access to a user's profile information, including religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, photos, events, notes, wall posts, and groups.

Community Groups Propose Smart Prison Budget Cuts to Save $1.2 Billion

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:08:00 PST

SACRAMENTO—As California legislators return to work this week, the People’s Budget Fix coalition today presented California lawmakers with alternative proposals to achieve long-term improvements in public safety and actual savings in prison costs. The alternative proposal comes after lawmakers cut an unallocated $1.2 billion from the FY 2009-10 budget for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The CDCR’s plan for achieving these cuts, which is backed by the governor, will not add up to $1.2 billion and may actually increase prison costs over time.

ACLU Asks Solano County Court to Limit Scope of Gang Injunction, Citing Due Process and Racial Profiling Concerns

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:07:00 PST

ACLU-NC has filed a friend of the court brief with the Solano County Superior Court urging it to limit the overly broad scope of a proposed gang injunction in the City of Fairfield. The ACLU-NC is concerned with several aspects of the injunction, including the ability of the police to serve the injunction on an individual without presenting clear and convincing evidence of gang membership and without court approval.

Government Rescinds "No Match" Rule Harmful To Legal Workers

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:07:00 PST

WASHINGTON – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced today that DHS would rescind the Social Security Administration (SSA) "no match" rule. The rule would have unlawfully used the error-ridden SSA database for immigration enforcement by requiring employers to fire workers who are unable to resolve discrepancies in their Social Security records. The civil rights coalition challenging the policy charged that the rule would put the livelihoods of authorized workers – including U.S. citizens – at risk and have a devastating impact on the already suffering U.S. economy. The rule has never been implemented.

LGBT Community Groups Seek to Intervene in Federal Challenge to Proposition 8

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:07:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO — Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union today asked the U.S. District Court in San Francisco to allow Our Family Coalition, Lavender Seniors of the East Bay, and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays to intervene in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a federal lawsuit challenging California’s Proposition 8. In an order issued June 30 and confirmed at a hearing on July 1, Judge Vaughn R. Walker granted a motion to intervene by supporters of Proposition 8, and declined to rule on a request by plaintiffs for an immediate injunction staying the marriage ban. He called instead for a trial to resolve a number of critically important factual questions about LGBT people and constitutional rights including questions about same-sex couples as parents, whether Proposition 8 was passed with discriminatory intent, and whether allowing same-sex couples to marry undermines the stability of heterosexual marriages.

Hundreds Testify In First-Ever Public Hearing On California's Death Penalty

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

SACRAMENTO -- On June 30, Californians weighed in on the state's broken death penalty system in the first-ever public hearing on capital punishment methods in the state. Family members of murder victims, clergy, legal experts, wrongfully convicted individuals and concerned taxpayers from around the state will converge on Sacramento to register their objections to the new execution procedures at a public hearing by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The hearing comes after three years without executions in California, and after legal challenges demonstrated systemic problems with the state's handling of executions in the past.

Antioch Unified School District and ACLU Reach Settlement

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

ANTIOCH — Through a settlement reached with the ACLU of Northern California, the Antioch Unified School District has agreed to undertake a comprehensive series of steps designed to prevent discrimination against African American and Latino students in school discipline; ensure that school administrators and staff protect students from race-based harassment by their peers; and stem the over-involvement of police officers in the handling of student misconduct, among other goals outlined in the settlement. The settlement agreement was ratified by the district’s board at the June 24th board meeting.

Fresno Hospital Bars Lesbian From Visiting Partner And Giving Advice About Her Treatment

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

Teresa Rowe and Kristin Orbin attended the “Meet in the Middle” rally in support of marriage for same-sex couples in Fresno. After the couple completed a 14-mile march in 90 degree heat, Kristin, who suffers from epilepsy, collapsed in a seizure. At the hospital, Teresa was barred from visiting her partner and giving advice about her treatment at a Fresno hospital. The ACLU sent a letter to the hospital today urging that it adopt policy changes respecting same-sex relationships.

ACLU Challenges Defense Department Personnel Policy To Regard Lawful Protests As "Low-Level Terrorism"

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

Anti-terrorism training materials used by the Department of Defense teach its personnel that free expression in the form of public protests should be regarded as "low level terrorism." ACLU attorneys are calling the approach "an egregious insult to constitutional values" and have sent a letter to the DoD demanding that the offending materials be changed. "It is fundamentally wrong to equate activism with terrorism," said ACLU-NC attorney Ann Brick.

ACLU Asks Sonoma County Schools to Comply With California Law on Sex Education

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

On June 3, 2009, ACLU-NC asked Sonoma County schools to comply with California law by replacing abstinence-only sex education with comprehensive curricula that teach about condoms and contraception, as well as abstinence. “California law requires that sex education be based in public health science, not ideology,” said ACLU attorney Margaret Crosby. The curriculum in question, called Free To Be, exaggerates the failure rate of condoms, and suggests that sexual activity outside of marriage inevitably has negative consequences.

EFF and ACLU Planning to Appeal Dismissal of Dozens of Spying Cases

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

San Francisco - A federal judge June 3 dismissed dozens of lawsuits over illegal domestic surveillance of American citizens, ruling that telecommunications companies had immunity from liability under the controversial FISA Amendments Act (FISAAA). The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) California and Illinois affiliates are planning to appeal the decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that FISAAA is unconstitutional.

ACLU Sues for Release of Fresno Police Department Records

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:05:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California has filed a lawsuit challenging the City of Fresno’s refusal to release the names of police officers involved in a recent highly publicized incident, in violation of the California Public Records Act (PRA). The suit seeks access to the names of police officers involved in the February 2009 beating and arrest of Glen Beaty and a change to the unlawful policy of refusing to release the names of officers involved highly publicized incidents within the time limits mandated by the PRA. The ACLU-NC requested release of the involved officers’ names three months ago. The California Public Records Act requires public agencies to make records available within 10 days, or, in unusual circumstances, with 24 days of the request. Article I section 3(b)(1) of the California Constitution, enacted by voters in 2004, guarantees that “the people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business.”

LGBT Organizations Point Out that Lawsuits Could Set Back Progress on Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:05:00 PST

NEW YORK – In response to the California Supreme Court decision allowing Prop 8 to stand, four LGBT legal organizations and five other leading national LGBT groups are reminding the LGBT community that ill-timed lawsuits could set the fight for marriage back. The groups released a new publication, “Why the ballot box and not the courts should be the next step on marriage in California.” This publication discourages people from bringing premature lawsuits based on the federal Constitution because, without more groundwork, the U.S. Supreme Court likely is not yet ready to rule that same-sex couples cannot be barred from marriage. The groups also revised “Make Change, Not Lawsuits,” which was released after the California Supreme Court decision ending the ban on marriage for same-sex couples in California. This publication encourages couples who have legally married to ask friends, neighbors and institutions to honor their marriages, but discourages people from bringing lawsuits.

Court Upholds Prop 8; State Continues to Recognize 18,000 Marriages

Tue, 26 May 2009 12:05:00 PST

On May 26, 2009, in a 6 to 1 decision, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ballot measure that eliminated the right of same sex couples to marry. In the ruling authored by Chief Justice Ronald George, the Court stated “We emphasize only that among the various constitutional protections recognized in the Marriage Cases as available to same-sex couples, it is only the designation of marriage — albeit significant — that has been removed by this initiative measure.” At the same time, the court unanimously ruled that the more than 18,000 marriages that took place between June 16 and November 4, 2008 continue to be fully valid and recognized by the state of California. The decision reaffirmed the Court’s prior holding that sexual orientation is subject to the highest level of protection under the California Constitution.

High School Student Takes On Anti-Gay Harassment...And Wins

Mon, 18 May 2009 12:05:00 PST

For Rochelle Hamilton, starting high school was the beginning of relentless verbal harassment and discrimination from teachers and staff based on her sexual orientation and gender expression. The ACLU has reached a settlement with the Vallejo Unified School District on behalf her behalf. The settlement is designed to combat anti-gay harassment and discrimination at all the district’s schools, and includes district-wide anti-harassment training for students and staff.

Student Privacy Gets an Early Win in School Drug Testing Case

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:05:00 PST

Join the math club, take a drug test. That was the rule in the Shasta Union High School District until today, when a judge granted a preliminary injunction, putting a stop to the district’s policy of requiring students to consent to random drug testing in order to participate in certain school-sponsored activities like marching band and math club. “Students should not be treated like suspects because they want to play in the school band,” said ACLU-NC attorney Michael Risher.

Del Norte County Unified School District and ACLU Reach Agreement to Address Discipline Disparities and Improve School Environment for Native American Students

Fri, 01 May 2009 12:05:00 PST

The Del Norte County Unified School District reached an agreement with ACLU-NC to ensure that its schools provide a more welcoming and inclusive environment for Native American students. The ACLU had brought a number of concerns to the District’s attention, including disparities in the rates that Native American students in District schools were disciplined and allegations of racial harassment of Native American students by their peers and teachers.

Federal Court Permits Landmark ACLU Rendition Case To Go Forward

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:04:00 PST

NEW YORK – A federal appeals court today ruled that a landmark American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen DataPlan Inc. for its role in the Bush administration's unlawful extraordinary rendition program can go forward. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed a lower court dismissal of the lawsuit, brought on behalf of five men who were kidnapped, forcibly disappeared and secretly transferred to U.S.-run prisons or foreign intelligence agencies overseas where they were interrogated under torture. The government had intervened, improperly asserting the "state secrets" privilege to have the case thrown out. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled, as the ACLU has argued, that the government must invoke the state secrets privilege with respect to specific evidence, not to dismiss the entire suit.

Interrogation Memos Provide Further Reason To Give Torture Victims Day In Court, Says ACLU

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:04:00 PST

NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union today alerted a California federal appellate court that the government's assertion of the "state secrets" privilege in an extraordinary rendition case has even less merit given last week's Justice Department release of four "torture memos."

ACLU of Northern California Names Abdi Soltani New Executive Director

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) proudly announces its new Executive Director, Abdi Soltani, to lead the country’s largest ACLU affiliate. Soltani takes the reins as the ACLU-NC prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary as one of the region’s most established leaders in historic and contemporary struggles to defend and advance the civil rights and civil liberties of all Californians.

California Still the Highest Spender on the Death Penalty; New Mexico Abolishes

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

New Mexico will become the 15th state U.S. to replace the death penalty with the effective alternative of permanent imprisonment. While states across the country reconsider the death penalty in light of its high costs and failure to provide any benefit, California continues to spend even more money on the most dysfunctional death penalty in the country.

Appellate Court Upholds Berkeley Unified School District’s Voluntary Desegregation Plan

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

A California Appellate Court ruled today that Berkeley Unified School District’s plan to voluntarily desegregate its schools does not violate Proposition 209. The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights are among the legal advocacy groups that represented parents in support of the district's efforts to ensure desegregated schools and classrooms. Other groups representing the parents include the ACLU of Southern California, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The District is represented by attorneys at Keker & Van Nest.

ACLU of Northern California Launches New Publication to Help Guide the Protection of Customer Privacy and Free Speech Rights

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

Privacy and Free Speech: It’s Good for Business, released today by the ACLU of Northern California, is a first-of-its-kind publication offering hands-on tips for how businesses can build their reputations—while saving time and money—by properly protecting customers’ privacy and free speech. The publication is based on dozens of case studies analyzing what prominent companies like Google, Yahoo!, Qwest, ChoicePoint, Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T have done right—and wrong— in safeguarding users.

Attorneys Urge California Supreme Court To Invalidate Prop 8

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

Attorneys for same-sex couples, civil rights organizations and the state Attorney General's office appeared before the California Supreme Court today to urge the court to strike down Proposition 8. At issue in the case is whether the initiative process can be used to take away a fundamental right only for one group of Californians based on a trait – in this case sexual orientation – that has no relevance to the group's ability to participate in or contribute to society. Because the case has serious implications for the constitutional rights of all Californians, it has generated unprecedented support from many national and state civil rights groups as well as California legislators, local governments, bar associations, business interests, labor unions, and religious groups.

State Supreme Court Unanimously Reaffirms Fans' Right to Privacy in 49ers' Pat Down Case

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

The CA Supreme Court ruled unanimously March 2 that the 49ers' policy of requiring pat-down searches to attend games at Candlestick Park raises serious privacy concerns that the team must justify at a trial. The ACLU-NC brought the lawsuit challenging the policy on behalf of Dan and Kathleen Sheehan, long-time 49ers season ticket holders, after the team instituted the pat-down policy in 2005. The Sheehans argued that the policy violated their privacy under the CA Constitution.

ACLU Argues Extraordinary Rendition Case Should Go Forward

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:02:00 PST

NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union was in court on Tuesday, February 9 arguing that its lawsuit should go forward against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen DataPlan, Inc. for the company’s role in the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program. The Bush administration intervened in the case, improperly asserting the “state secrets” privilege and claiming the case would undermine national security interests. The lawsuit was dismissed in February 2008, and the ACLU is appealing that ruling.

California Supreme Court To Hear Oral Arguments In Prop 8 Legal Challenge On March 5

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:02:00 PST

The California Supreme Court announced on Feb. 3 that it will hear oral arguments on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in the Proposition 8 legal challenge. The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, and the ACLU - with support from civil rights groups, religious organizations, labor unions, and legal scholars - argue that Proposition 8 is invalid because the people of California have established strict safeguards that prohibit the underlying principles of the California Constitution from being changed by a simple majority vote. By taking away a right only from one group, Proposition 8 violates the most basic principle of our government: that all people are entitled to equal treatment under the law.

Community Organizations and Publishers Sue FBI and Other Agencies Over Illegal Computer Searches

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:01:00 PST

The Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU of Northern California filed suit in federal court today to protect the privacy and free speech rights of two San Francisco Bay Area community organizations after the groups' computers were seized and the data copied by federal and local law enforcement. Both organizations, Long Haul and the East Bay Prisoner Support Group, are publishers of information for social and political activists.

Debate Over Sex Ed Heats Up in Fremont

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:01:00 PST

More than six months ago, board members of the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) set Jan. 14 as the day when they would officially bring the city’s junior high sex education into alignment with California law. But as that date has inched closer, parents who insist on an “abstinence only” approach to sex education are hoping to reignite a conflict that played out last year in order to forestall classroom discussion of topics like condoms and pregnancy.

San Francisco Surveillance Cameras Don’t Reduce Violent Crime, Study Finds

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:01:00 PST

A report released today evaluating San Francisco’s surveillance cameras concludes that the cameras have failed in their mission to reduce violent crime in the city. Independent researchers at the University of California Berkeley conducted an outside evaluation of the City’s ill-advised video surveillance program and issued today’s report.

California Supreme Court Hears ACLU Privacy Violation Arguments in 49ers Pat-Down Lawsuit

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:01:00 PST

The California Supreme Court heard arguments on Jan. 6 in a lawsuit challenging the San Francisco 49ers' pat-down policy at Candlestick Park. At issue is whether the state's constitution allows the 49ers to force fans at home games to undergo pat-down searches as a condition of attending the games.

New Filing in Prop 8 Legal Challenge

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:01:00 PST

The National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Lambda Legal filed a reply brief on Jan. 5 in the CA Supreme Court. The authors of the brief argue that Proposition 8 is invalid because it seeks to eliminate a fundamental right only for a targeted minority, which cannot be done through the initiative process. The brief also agrees with California Attorney General Jerry Brown that inalienable rights, including the right to marry, cannot be put up for a popular vote, and that Proposition 8 cannot be applied to invalidate existing marriages because new laws and amendments are presumed to apply only on a prospective basis.

Court Ruling Expands Access to Prenatal Care for New California Residents

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:12:00 PST

The San Francisco Superior Court today struck down a state law requiring that low-income working women must have resided in California for at least six months before they can be eligible to receive prenatal and other medical care services through California’s Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) insurance program.

ACLU Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Shasta Union High School District’s Invasive Mandatory Drug Testing Policy

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:12:00 PST

REDDING, CA — The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC), in cooperation with national law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of students in the Shasta Union High School District, challenging the District’s newly adopted random and suspicionless drug testing policy. In August 2008 the District adopted a policy requiring that all students who participate in non-athletic competitive and representational activities submit to drug testing, including testing for nicotine, alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drug use. The ACLU suit charges that the District's new policy infringes on students' rights to privacy and to participate in classes and school-related activities, a core part of public education and curriculum.

Berkeley City Council Passes Resolution to End Death Sentences in Alameda County

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:12:00 PST

The Berkeley City Council has adopted a resolution calling on the District Attorney of Alameda County to stop pursuing the death penalty and to focus instead on investing public resources in solving homicides, preventing violence, and expanding public safety programs.

California Supreme Court Grants Review In Prop 8 Legal Challenges

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:11:00 PST

On Nov. 19 the California Supreme Court granted review in the legal challenges to Proposition 8, which passed by a narrow margin of 52 percent on Nov. 4. In an order issued today, the Court agreed to hear the case and set an expedited briefing schedule. The Court also denied an immediate stay.

Federal Court Should Reject Attempt to Identify California Apartment Critics Who Posted Anonymously on Web Site

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:11:00 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – An attempt by two landlords to identify two dozen people who posted comments anonymously about the apartment buildings where they live is nothing more than an effort to intimidate critics and should be denied, Public Citizen and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California said in a federal court brief filed today in California.

ACLU Files Public Records Act Request to Require San Jose Police Department to Disclose Details of 2007 Arrests

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:11:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) today filed a California Public Records Act request seeking to prompt the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) to release police reports relating to all 2007 arrests for public intoxication. The formal request for the reports stems from the recent revelation, reported in the San Jose Mercury News, that the SJPD arrests people for alleged public drunkenness at extraordinarily high rates, and that a disproportionate number of those arrested are Latino.

California Will Continue to Honor Marriages of Same-Sex Couples Who Married Before the Possible Passage of Prop 8

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:11:00 PST

The California Attorney General, Equality California, and the nation’s leading LGBT legal groups agree that the marriages of the estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who married between June 16, 2008 and the possible passage of Proposition 8 are still valid in the state of California and must continue to be honored by the state.

Legal Groups File Lawsuit Challenging Proposition 8, Should It Pass

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:11:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed a writ petition before the California Supreme Court today urging the court to invalidate Proposition 8 if it passes. The petition charges that Proposition 8 is invalid because the initiative process was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution’s core commitment to equality for everyone by eliminating a fundamental right from just one group – lesbian and gay Californians. Proposition 8 also improperly attempts to prevent the courts from exercising their essential constitutional role of protecting the equal protection rights of minorities. According to the California Constitution, such radical changes to the organizing principles of state government cannot be made by simple majority vote through the initiative process, but instead must, at a minimum, go through the state legislature first.

ACLU Calls On Broadcasters To Stop Stifling Political Discourse On YouTube

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Television networks should stop silencing political speech on the Internet, according to a letter the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Northern California and a coalition of public interest groups sent to four major television networks today. Several broadcasting companies have sent letters to YouTube demanding that they take down videos containing short clips of news coverage even when those clips are "fair use" and therefore legally posted.

Congress Cannot Grant Wholesale Immunity to Telecoms

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:10:00 PST

San Francisco - Congress and the Bush White House overstepped their constitutional authority and violated the rights of millions of customers when they passed and approved legislation granting sweeping immunity to telecoms that collaborated in illegal spying. That assertion is contained in a court filing today by three California affiliates and the Illinois affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, along with other interested parties in cases consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The ACLU lawsuits filed on behalf of dozens of plaintiffs - including renowned Chicago journalist Studs Terkel, former California Congressman Tom Campbell, journalist Robert Scheer and actor Richard Belzer - challenge the unlawful collaboration of major telecommunications' companies - including AT&T - with the Bush Administration's warrantless dragnet surveillance of electronic communications and records.

Legal Victory for Municipal ID Ordinance

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:10:00 PST

ACLU NC is pleased to announce that the San Francisco Superior Court dismissed a lawsuit challenging San Francisco’s Municipal ID Ordinance, which establishes a program to ensure that members of the San Francisco community are not denied access to police protection and other essential City services because they lack government-issued identification. The program makes municipal identification cards available to anyone who is able to prove their identity and fifteen days’ presence in the City, and does not require proof of immigration status. The card may also function as an all-in-one public transportation pass, library card, resident golf card, and parking meter card.

Governor Takes Important Step To Protect Privacy and Safety of Californians; Signs RFID Anti-Skimming Legislation Into Law

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:10:00 PST

Governor Takes Important Step To Protect Privacy and Safety of Californians; Signs RFID Anti-Skimming Legislation Into Law

Governor Signs Important Disaster Victim Protection Bill

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:09:00 PST

A bill requiring public employees who provide evacuees with disaster-related assistance to do so without asking for information or documents not strictly necessary to determine eligibility for the services, AB 2327 (Caballero), was signed into law by the governor yesterday. Civil rights organizations that had provided assistance to victims of last year’s California wildfires applauded the bill.

City College of San Francisco Changes Hiring Policy to Include Consideration of Applicants with Prior Drug Convictions

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:09:00 PST

The City College of San Francisco, at the urging of the ACLU-NC and other civil rights organizations, has adopted a policy establishing that job applicants with past drug-related criminal convictions will be given full consideration in the hiring process if they prove that they have been rehabilitated for at least five years. The change in policy is a shift away from the past practice of rejecting all applicants with drug convictions on their records. The new policy brings hiring practices in line with state laws on rehabilitation.

ACLU Sues ICE and Sonoma County Sheriff for Unlawful Detentions and Racial Profiling

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO--For the past three years, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department has collaborated with the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its officers to stop and search people who appear to be Latino, interrogate them about their immigration status based on their perceived race, and detain them in the County jail without lawful authority. The Sheriff’s Department and ICE have failed to notify individuals who they have targeted of their rights under the law and the charges against them, among other violations of the constitutional right to due process.

California Department of Corrections’ Policies on Involuntary Transfer of Prisoners to Other States Violates CA Law

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:07:00 PST

Several leading advocacy organizations have filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), challenging the agency’s failure to make public and to provide an opportunity for public comment on the policies it uses to determine which prisoners are chosen to be transferred involuntarily to out-of-state facilities. The lawsuit alleges that CDCR’s use of secret guidelines to transfer inmates creates a situation where inmates and their families do not know what rules apply and where CDCR officials could use “arbitrary and subjective judgments regarding race, ethnicity, and immigration status” to transfer inmates.

Judge Approves Unprecedented $2.35 Million Settlement for Fresno Homeless Residents

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:07:00 PST

A Federal judge today approved a historic $2.35 million class action settlement to hundreds of Fresno’s homeless residents. United States District Judge Oliver W. Wanger had previously ordered that the City and the California Department of Transportation had violated homeless residents’ constitutional rights in the practice of immediately seizing and destroying personal property. Throughout a two-year period City employees had conducted a number of raids in areas where homeless people live, indiscriminately seizing and immediately destroying clothing, medication, tents and blankets, as well as irreplaceable personal possessions such as family photographs.

Federal Class Action Against City of Antioch Documents Police Targeting of African American Tenants

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:07:00 PST

The City of Antioch and its police department are engaged in a concerted campaign of intimidation, harassment and discrimination against African Americans who receive federally funded Section 8 housing rent assistance, say community members and attorneys from four Bay Area non-profit civil rights organizations who today filed a class action lawsuit in federal court.

Commission Report on California’s Death Penalty Points to Excessive Costs, including the Costs of Fixing the System’s Flaws

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:06:00 PST

The first comprehensive study of California’s death penalty was released today by the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice (CCFAJ), a nonpartisan statewide advisory board. The 116 page report highlights a myriad of problems, including the failure to adequately fund defense counsel for poor people facing death sentences, a decades-long appeals process, and the risk that innocent people will be sentenced to death, as has happened in California and other states.

Settlement with Lake County School District Calls for Comprehensive Approach to Protecting Students from Anti-Gay Harassment

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:06:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) has reached a settlement with the Upper Lake Union Elementary School District that contains a comprehensive series of steps the District will undertake to protect students from anti-gay harassment and discrimination. The agreement is on behalf of a student who was persistently subjected to verbal taunting and physical abuse throughout elementary and middle school based on his gender identity and perceived sexual orientation. The ACLU-NC sought this settlement in light of federal and state laws that allow for school administrators to be held liable if they fail to take adequate measures to remedy anti-LGBT harassment and discrimination.

Fresno Homeless Residents Win Settlement Over City’s Destruction of Personal Property

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:06:00 PST

United States District Judge Oliver W. Wanger gave preliminary approval today to a $2.35 million class-action settlement between a class of hundreds of homeless Fresno residents and the City of Fresno and the California Department of Transportation. The court had already determined that Fresno’s practice of immediately seizing and destroying the personal possessions of homeless residents violates the constitutional right of every person to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The homeless plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Kincaid v. Fresno, were represented by a team of attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC), the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (LCCR) and the law firm of Heller Ehrman LLP.

Lawsuit Seeks Documents Regarding ICE Raids

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:06:00 PST

The ACLU-NC and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights today filed a lawsuit to compel Immigration and Customs Enforcement to comply with requests for documents under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Court’s Decision on Marriage Should Go into Effect on Schedule, Says Legal Brief on Behalf of Couples

Wed, 28 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO — Attorneys representing same-sex couples, Equality California and Our Family Coalition filed a legal brief today opposing a request to stay the court’s ruling and prevent couples from marrying for several months.

Judge Overturns Students’ Expulsions from High School in Antioch

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – A Contra Costa County Superior Court has ruled that the Antioch Unified School District violated the rights of two students when it improperly expelled them from school following an off-campus incident in which police officers pepper sprayed the students and forcefully arrested them. The judge overturned the expulsions.

Lesbian and Gay Couples Win Freedom to Marry in California

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court ruled today that the state can no longer exclude same-sex couples from civil marriage.

In a 4-3 decision, drafted by Chief Justice Ronald George, the court ruled: “In light of the fundamental nature of the substantive rights embodied in the right to marry — and their central importance to an individual’s opportunity to live a happy, meaningful, and satisfying life as a full member of society — the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all individuals and couples, without regard to their sexual orientation.”

Federal Judge Rules City of Fresno Violated the Rights of Homeless Residents

Tue, 13 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

FRESNO -- A U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of California has ruled that the City of Fresno’s practice of immediately seizing and destroying the personal possessions of homeless residents violates the constitutional right of every person to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

FBI Withdraws Unconstitutional National Security Letter After ACLU and EFF Challenge

Wed, 07 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The FBI has withdrawn an unconstitutional national security letter (NSL) issued to the Internet Archive after a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). As the result of a settlement agreement, the FBI withdrew the NSL and agreed to the unsealing of the case, finally allowing the Archive's founder to speak out for the first time about his battle against the record demand.

ACLU Lawsuit on Behalf of Native American Students Advances

Thu, 01 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - A class action lawsuit on behalf of Native American middle schoolers will move forward as a result of a federal judge’s rejection of the school district’s motion to have the suit dismissed. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC), charges that the Del Norte County Unified School District discriminated against Native American students on the basis of race when it decided to close grades 6-8 of Margaret Keating School in Klamath, California.

Civil Rights Groups Sue State Over 6-Month In-State Residency Requirement for Women in Need of Pre-Natal Care

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO –Maternal and child health advocates and leading public interest law groups have filed a lawsuit against the state of California seeking to end a requirement that low-income working women must be residents of California for six months before they are eligible to receive prenatal and other medical care services through California’s Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) insurance program.

School District Agrees to Protect Student’s Privacy

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – In response to a letter from the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC), the Linden Unified School District has agreed not to read private text messages stored on students’ cell phones unless there is good reason to believe that the search will show that a law or school rule was violated. The District’s new policy also limits the scope of the search to the alleged infraction leading to the seizure of a cell phone.

ACLU Seeks Information from City on Torch Route Planning and Crowd Control

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:04:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California filed a request today under the Sunshine Ordinance with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office and San Francisco Police Department seeking records relating to the Olympic torch relay.

ACLU Calls Change to Torch Route an “End Run Around the First Amendment”

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The ACLU of Northern California has serious concerns about the city’s decision to change the route of today’s Olympic torch relay in an apparent attempt to avoid protestors.

Hidden Costs of Death Penalty Revealed in Two New ACLU Reports

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—California’s death penalty is costing us well over a $100 million each year, but no one is keeping track of just how much or why. In a new report titled “The Hidden Death Tax,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California reveals for the first time some of the hidden costs of California’s death penalty.

S.F. Mayor’s Office Responds to ACLU’s First Amendment Concerns Surrounding Olympic Torch Relay

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The Mayor’s Office responded today to a Public Records Act request filed by the ACLU of Northern California seeking information about the procedures the City intends to follow during public demonstrations expected to surround the passing of the Olympic Torch through San Francisco on April 9.

ACLU, Lawyers’ Committee and S.F. City Attorney Agree To Removal Process from Gang Injunction Lists

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – A new process that allows people who have been placed on a gang injunction enforcement list to petition to have themselves removed by showing that they are no longer active gang members is a positive step, say ACLU of Northern California and LCCR attorneys, who today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Francisco City Attorney. The agreement follows months of negotiation.

ACLU Appeals Dismissal of Extraordinary Rendition Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

SAN JOSE, CA - The American Civil Liberties Union today announced it will appeal a federal court decision to throw out a lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan for its role in the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” program. Mohamed et al. v. Jeppesen, filed by the ACLU on behalf of five victims of the rendition program, was dismissed in February after the government intervened, once again misusing the “state secrets” privilege to avoid legal scrutiny of an unlawful program.

Historic Victory for Sex Ed

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

SACRAMENTO -- Following an intensive advocacy campaign, the ACLU of Northern California is delighted to announce that California Department of Education has adopted its first-ever set of K-12 Health Education Content Standards. The new standards include essential information about sexual orientation, contraception, and other important topics critical to the health and wellbeing of young people in California.

Same-Sex Couples Ask California Supreme Court to Strike Down Marriage Ban

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorneys for same-sex couples presented arguments to the California Supreme Court today in a historic lawsuit seeking to strike down a state law that bars lesbians and gay men from marriage.

ACLU And EFF File To Intervene In Internet Free Speech Lawsuit

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Northern California and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) last night filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit that led a federal district judge to order the domain name Wikileaks.org shut down. The motion is on behalf of organizations and individuals that have accessed and used documents on the Wikileaks.org website in their work and want to continue to be able to do so.

ACLU in Geneva to Testify on Ongoing Racial and Ethnic Injustice

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:02:00 PST

Maya Harris, executive director of the ACLU of Northern California, and other representatives of the ACLU are in Geneva this week to testify before the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The ACLU delegation will provide detailed testimony intended to counter the stark shortcomings of the U.S. government report to CERD, including the absence of data on California, the country’s most racially diverse state.

Court Decision Denies Extraordinary Rendition Victims Their Day in Court

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:02:00 PST

SAN JOSE, CA - A federal court yesterday bowed to pressure from the Bush administration and dismissed a case against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. for the company's role in the CIA's extraordinary rendition program.

California High Court to Hear Oral Arguments in Historic Marriage Case on March 4

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The California Supreme Court announced today that it will hear oral arguments on March 4 in the marriage cases challenging the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.

ACLU in Court in Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary That Aided CIA “Torture Flights”

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:02:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union will argued in federal court on Feb. 5, 2008 for the continuation of its case against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. for the company's role in the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program. The ACLU opposed the government's attempt to throw out the case by misusing the "state secrets" privilege in an effort to avoid legal scrutiny of the unlawful and shameful program.

Historic Hearings on California’s Broken Death Penalty Begin Jan. 10

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:01:00 PST

The California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice will begin hearings on California’s broken death penalty system on Jan. 10 in Sacramento. The state Commission’s task is to recommend reforms for the many problems that plague California’s death penalty. But on the same day, Gov. Schwarzenegger will release his plan to deal with state’s crippling $14 billion budget deficit, raising serious questions about whether the state can afford to pay for the many reforms needed.

Public Defender’s Office, ACLU, and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Call for Gang Injunction Exit Process

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:12:00 PST

San Francisco -- In a letter addressed to the Board of Supervisors, the Public Defender’s Office, the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (LCCR) requested today that the City enact a policy to ensure that all persons named in San Francisco gang injunctions are given the opportunity to be removed from the injunctions when appropriate.

ACLU Opposes Government’s Attempt to Throw Out Rendition Case Under Guise of “State Secrets”

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:12:00 PST

SAN JOSE -- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed legal papers opposing the CIA's attempt to throw out a lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. for its participation in the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program. The ACLU charged that the U.S. government is improperly invoking the "state secrets" privilege to avoid judicial scrutiny of this unlawful policy.

ACLU Releases New Report on Government “Fusion Centers”

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a report outlining serious concerns about new institutions called fusion centers. These state, local and regional institutions were originally created to improve the sharing of anti-terrorism intelligence among different law enforcement agencies.

New ACLU Report Details Pervasive Racial Discrimination in America

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a comprehensive analysis of the pervasive systemic and structural racism in America. The report, Race & Ethnicity in America: Turning a Blind Eye to Injustice, is a response to the U.S. report to the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) released earlier this year. The U.S. report, which the ACLU called a “whitewash,” swept under the rug the dramatic effects of widespread racial and ethnic discrimination in this country.

ACLU Responds to Federal Court Ruling in "State Secrets" Lawsuit About Warrantless Eavesdropping

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled today that a charity that sued President Bush for engaging in unconstitutional surveillance can pursue its case in court.

ACLU Co-Hosts Santa Rosa Forum on Police Accountability

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

The ACLU of Sonoma County, as part of the broad-based coalition Advocates for Police Accountability, has organized a day-long “Community Forum on Police Practices” to address worsening community-police relations in Sonoma County and its various cities, and to devise a unified community action plan.

Government Improperly Invokes "State Secrets" Claim in Attempt to Throw Out CIA Rendition Case Against Boeing Subsidiary

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

NEW YORK – Claiming “state secrets” are at stake, the U.S. government today requested the dismissal of a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against Boeing Company subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. for its participation in the CIA’s unlawful “extraordinary rendition” program.

ACLU Opposes RESTORE Act, House Bill Does Not Have Sufficient Civil Liberties Protections

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

California Governor Undermines Public Safety

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

SACRAMENTO –- By vetoing three bills that would have helped end wrongful convictions in California, the Governor made it more likely that innocent people will be convicted of crimes they did not commit and the guilty will go free. The ACLU of Northern California regrets the Governor’s decision.

CA Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Appeal in Lawsuit Challenging "Pat-Down" Policy at 49ers Games

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

The California Supreme Court has agreed to review the case of two San Francisco 49er season ticket holders who are challenging the pat-down policy implemented by the 49ers. The couple say their right to privacy under the California Constitution was violated.

Court Blocks Government From Implementing Flawed Social Security "No Match" Rule

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

A federal judge issued a preliminary order today stopping the government from enforcing a new rule that would use social security records for immigration enforcement, ensuring that U.S. citizens and legal residents will not lose their jobs because of errors in the Social Security Administration (SSA) database. The order prevents any implementation -- until the court makes a final ruling after trial -- of a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule punishing employers if they do not take action after receiving social security “no match” letters.

ACLU and Others Issue Statement Calling for Fair Legislation that Includes Transgender People

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and the Transgender Law Center are dedicated to establishing and preserving the civil rights and civil liberties of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Between us, we have been responsible for most of the public interest litigation about the rights of LGBT people in this country.

Court Extends Order That Blocks Government From Implementing Flawed Social Security No-Match Rule

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – After a hearing today, a federal judge extended an order that temporarily stops the government from implementing a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that would cause U.S. citizens and other authorized workers to lose their jobs, and which would illegally use error-prone social security records as a tool for immigration enforcement. The judge's order also stops the Social Security Administration (SSA) from beginning to send notices to approximately 140,000 employers across the country notifying them of the new rule, which would impact approximately eight million workers.

AFL-CIO, ACLU, and NILC in Court Monday to Challenge Flawed Social Security “No-Match” Rule

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal district court in San Francisco will hear arguments on Monday, October 1, in a lawsuit brought by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the American Civil Liberties Union, and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) challenging a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that would cause U.S. citizens and other authorized workers to lose their jobs and that would illegally use error-prone social security records as a tool for immigration enforcement.

Religious, Civil Rights, and Child Advocacy Groups Support Same-Sex Couples in Legal Battle to Marry

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:09:00 PST

In 30 amicus briefs submitted today to the California Supreme Court, scores of religious, civil rights, and child advocacy organizations, along with numerous California municipal governments, bar associations, and leading legal scholars, urged the court to put an end to state laws that deny same-sex couples the protections of marriage.

ACLU, Native American Families, and School District Reach Landmark Settlement Addressing Racial Discrimination and Harassment

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Facing civil rights violations and a potentially costly legal battle, Bishop Union Elementary School District (BUESD) agreed to a groundbreaking settlement that will protect Native American children from racial discrimination and harsh disciplinary treatment. Bishop, located in the eastern part of the state, has a population of about 3400, with 1500 members of the Paiute Tribe living on a nearby reservation.

San Jose Forum Airs Community Calls for Police Transparency

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:09:00 PST

San Jose -- The ACLU of Northern California, along with over 30 civil rights and community groups, will hold a forum this evening in San Jose to address police secrecy. The forum comes at a time of mounting community concern regarding police use of Tasers and allegations of racial profiling. The forum, “Police Transparency: Public Safety, Public Trust,” marks the first in a statewide series sponsored by the ACLU to address police transparency issues across California and focus attention on the police accountability measure pending in the California Assembly, Senate Bill 1019.

Court Halts Government From Implementing Flawed Social Security No-Match Rule

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge today issued an order temporarily blocking the government from implementing a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that would cause U.S. citizens and other authorized workers to lose their jobs, and which would illegally use error-prone social security records as a tool for immigration enforcement. The judge's order also stops the Social Security Administration (SSA) from beginning to send notices on Tuesday to approximately 140,000 employers across the country notifying them of the new rule, which would impact approximately eight million workers.

AFL-CIO, ACLU and National Immigration Law Center Challenge New Homeland Security Rule

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and Central Labor Council of Alameda County along with other local labor movements today filed a lawsuit charging that a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule will threaten jobs of U.S. citizens and other legally authorized workers simply because of errors in the government’s inaccurate social security earnings databases. The rule violates workers’ rights and imposes burdensome obligations on employers who receive Social Security Administration (SSA) “no-match” letters that inform an employer of alleged discrepancies between employee records and the SSA database.

Government and Verizon Ask Court to Dismiss Spy Suits Against Verizon Citing State Secrets Privilege, First Amendment

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

Verizon Communications Inc. and the Bush administration are asking the Court to dismiss the lawsuits filed against the telecommunications giant in a set of motions being argued on Thursday, August 30. Following revelations in an article in USA Today in May of last year, the three California affiliates of the ACLU sued Verizon to stop the company from continuing to provide the National Security Agency (NSA) with the personal phone records of millions of California customers. Numerous private suits were also filed, all of which have been consolidated for pretrial purposes before Judge Vaughn Walker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

ACLU of Northern California Urges Congress to Hold White House in Contempt, Force Compliance on NSA Subpoenas

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today asked Congress to hold the White House in contempt. Having disregarded the second deadline for compliance with Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenas, the White House, Office of the Vice President and Department of Justice can now be held in contempt of Congress. The original subpoenas were issued June 27th and sought materials related to the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program.

Government Surveillance Cameras Expand in California without Regulations or Public Debate, says ACLU Report

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – California cities are moving quickly to install video surveillance cameras on public streets and plazas without regulations, with little or no public debate, and without an evaluation of their effectiveness, according to an ACLU report released today.

Marriage Lawsuit Advances to California Supreme Court

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO — In briefs filed today with the California Supreme Court, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Lambda Legal argue that California violates its own constitution by denying same-sex couples the freedom to marry.

Challenging Corporate Collusion with the NSA: Important Hearing

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

The outcome of Hepting v. AT&T, heard Aug. 15, 2007 in court, will be important to the various challenges to illegal spying of Americans.

Northern California Teens Scrutinize Billion Dollar Military Recruitment Campaign Aimed at Youth

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Students from 20 Northern Californian high schools will return to their classrooms this fall with more than vacation stories. They will be experts on military recruitment and service – having met with veterans, recruiters, the San Francisco school board that phased out the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), a conscientious objector and toured Camp Pendleton Marine base, among other activities.

Two More Victims of CIA’s Rendition Program, Including Former Guantánamo Detainee, Join ACLU Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, two additional victims of the United States government’s unlawful “extraordinary rendition” program joined a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc., a subsidiary of Boeing Company. The ACLU charges in its amended complaint that Jeppesen knowingly provided direct flight services to the CIA enabling the clandestine transportation of Bisher al-Rawi and Mohamed Farag Ahmad Bashmilah to secret overseas locations where they were subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

Free Speech Victory: Court Agrees Napa Middle School Dress Code Banning "Tigger" Goes Too Far

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:07:00 PST

NAPA – Upholding the principle that students do not “shed their constitutional rights…at the schoolhouse gate,” a Napa Superior Court judge issued a ruling on Monday that prevents the Napa Valley Unified School District from enforcing the Redwood Middle School dress policy. The preliminary injunction was granted only days after the U.S. Supreme Court addressed a student’s “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” message in Morse v. Frederick.

ACLU Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's Decision in School Diversity Cases

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:06:00 PST

We are pleased that a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court upheld race conscious measures to achieve racial diversity in our nation’s public schools. We are disappointed, however, that a majority of the Court found unconstitutional the carefully crafted programs that we believe to be effective in achieving diversity in the Seattle, Washington and Louisville, Kentucky school districts.

Public Safety Committee Refuses to Vote on Key Police Accountability Bill

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:06:00 PST

SACRAMENTO - The Assembly Public Safety Committee refused to vote on SB 1019 today, dealing a serious blow to efforts to restore police accountability in California. Earlier this month, SB 1019 (D-Romero) was passed in the state Senate in a 22-11 vote, despite threats by police associations of torpedoing unrelated term limit reform if the bill was passed.

Fairfield Families Win New Policies for Police in Schools

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:06:00 PST

Fairfield, CA – The City of Fairfield and ten families adopted a settlement agreement yesterday providing for comprehensive new policies to address police conduct on school campuses. This agreement resolved a March 2, 2007 incident when the Fairfield police came onto the campus of Rodriguez High School (RHS) and rounded-up a group of innocent students, accusing them of being gang members. Today, pursuant to the agreement, the Fairfield Police Chief and the RHS Principal sent an open letter to the RHS community clearing the reputations of the targeted students of any wrongdoing.

ACLU Applauds State Senate Vote to Restore Public Oversight of Police

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:06:00 PST

SACRAMENTO - The state Senate today voted to restore public access to records and public hearings related to complaints about police misconduct.

ACLU Sues Jeppesen Dataplan in San Jose for Participation in Seventy CIA Kidnapping and Torture Flights

Wed, 30 May 2007 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO– The national American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Northern California today filed a federal lawsuit against San Jose-based Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc., a subsidiary of Boeing Company, on behalf of three victims of the United States government’s unlawful “extraordinary rendition” program. The suit charges that Jeppesen knowingly provided direct flight services to the CIA that enabled the clandestine transportation of Ahmed Agiza, Abou Elkassim Britel, and Binyam Mohamed to secret overseas locations where they were subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.

Civil Rights Groups Sue Immigration Officials for Unlawfully Detaining Six-Year-Old U.S. Citizen

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, the ACLU of Northern California, the ACLU Immigrant Rights’ Project, and the law firm of Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP, filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a U.S. citizen child who was unlawfully detained for ten hours by immigration officials. Kebin Reyes was taken into custody in the early hours of March 6, 2007 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) agents raided his home in San Rafael, California. He was taken into custody along with his father, Noe Reyes. Kebin was six-years-old at the time of the incident.

Bills on Police Accountability and Preventing Wrongful Conviction Move Forward

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

Four major bills supported by the ACLU of Northern California that would re-instate public access to police records and protect individuals from wrongful conviction gained approval in the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday.

Open Records “Good Government” Bills AB 1648 and SB 1019 Gain Support

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

SF Board of Supervisors Pass Resolution Supporting Public’s Access to Police Records

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 to support Supervisor Ammiano’s resolution to “uphold the public’s right to access misconduct information about public employees” by supporting legislation to overturn the California Supreme Court’s decision that eliminates public access to police records and hearings.

Superior Court Allows Berkeley Unified School District to Consider Race as a Factor in School Assignment Plans

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Alameda County Superior Court Judge Winifred Y. Smith threw out legal challenges to the Berkeley Unified School District’s (BUSD) elementary and high school student assignment plans last Friday afternoon, finding that BUSD does not violate state law when it considers race as one of many factors in assigning students to schools.

SF Board of Supervisors to Vote on Resolution Supporting Public’s Access to Police Records

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will vote today on Supervisor Ammiano’s resolution calling for the City to endorse AB 1648, authored by Assemblyman Mark Leno that would overturn a California Supreme Court decision that eliminates public access to police records and hearings. The Board of Supervisor’s meeting is scheduled today at 2:00 pm at City Hall (Chamber).

Same-Sex Couples Urge California Supreme Court to Strike Down Marriage Ban

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—In a brief filed today with the California Supreme Court, attorneys representing same-sex couples, Equality California, and Our Family Coalition urged the court to strike down as unconstitutional a law that bars same-sex couples from marriage. The couples and organizations are represented by lead counsel the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Heller Ehrman LLP, and the Law Office of David C. Codell.

The Devil Wears Winnie-the-Pooh? Suit Charges Napa Middle School Dress Code Goes Too Far

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:03:00 PST

Last year, 7th-grader Toni Kay Scott was sent to the principal’s office not because of a revealing see-through top, spiked collar or platform heels -- but because her socks featured a picture of the Winnie-the-Pooh character Tigger.

ACLU Seeks Records on Immigration Enforcement Actions in Northern California

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The ACLU of Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request today seeking records relating to recent enforcement actions conducted by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The ACLU-NC has requested expedited processing because of the urgency of this issue to members of several northern California communities.

Released DHS Regulations on Real ID Fatally Flawed

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, today, called on lawmakers to push for a major overhaul of the Real ID Act, calling it a “real nightmare” for Californians. The Department of Homeland Security’s recently proposed delay for implementing the act would do nothing to prevent a national identity card system that violates personal privacy and increases identity theft, all while creating bigger bureaucratic messes, longer lines, and higher fees at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

HID Threatens Patent Lawsuit, Silences Important RFID Presentation at National Conference

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:02:00 PST

WASHINGTON – Amidst threats of a potential patent lawsuit by HID Global, computer security company IOActive has withdrawn its plans to deliver an important presentation today at the Black Hat Computer Security Conference on the privacy and security vulnerabilities of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Nicole Ozer, Technology and Civil Liberties Policy Director for the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) will instead present at the conference.

Open Governor’s Review of Lethal Injection to Public, Says ACLU

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:02:00 PST

SAN JOSE – Lawyers for the ACLU-NC will ask Judge Jeremy Fogel on Friday to protect the right of the press and the public to know how California creates a new lethal injection procedure. In a hearing scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday, February 23, in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California, ACLU-NC attorneys will ask Judge Fogel to deny Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Brown’s “secrecy motion,” requesting a protective order that would prevent disclosure of the names of people consulted and what is said as the state creates a new execution method.

Bill Gives Domestic Partners, Married Spouses Equal Opportunity to Take Surname of Choice

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:02:00 PST

Sacramento – Equality California (EQCA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, Southern California and San Diego announced today the joint sponsorship of a bill that would allow domestic partners and married spouses equal opportunity, regardless of gender, to change their surnames upon marriage or domestic partnership registration.

Northern Californians Demand End to Citizenship Applications Delays

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 12:02:00 PST

Civil rights groups filed a class-action lawsuit today against the federal government for its practice of indefinitely delaying citizenship applications in violation of the Constitution and federal statutes and regulations. The first of its kind in Northern California, the lawsuit seeks to enforce federal laws that expect the government to decide a citizenship application within 120 days of the naturalization test. Many of the named plaintiffs have been waiting for several years, a clear violation of the law.

ACLU asks San Jose City Council to Review Police Department’s Policy on Releasing Documents

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:01:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California is asking the San Jose City Council to review the San Jose Police Department’s (SJPD) practices regarding the release of records on police use of Tasers. Without access to these records, the ACLU and other groups can not independently evaluate the new Taser rules that were put into place in December 2005.

ACLU-NC Statement on State of the Union

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:01:00 PST

As President Bush gives his 2007 State of the Union, one thing remains clear, since September 11, 2001, our Constitution and our civil liberties have been under attack like never before in U.S. history. Whether it is eliminating one of the cornerstones of our Constitution, habeas corpus, or denying due process of law, or illegally spying on American citizens, or engaging in the un-American and immoral practices of torture and extraordinary rendition, the Bush administration deliberately and with callous disregard for the principles this nation holds dear has torn at the very fabric of our democracy. The 107th, 108th and 109th Congresses willfully allowed the administration a free hand and abdicated their responsibilities to the American people and the Constitution they swore to uphold.

Governor and Attorney General Seek to Keep Review of Lethal Injection Procedures Secret

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:01:00 PST

Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Brown have responded to the overwhelming evidence that California’s method of execution is broken by seeking to keep secret the entire process of reviewing the lethal injection procedures and excluding advocacy groups from being involved in the process.

ACLU Report Shows Widespread Pentagon Surveillance of Peace Activists

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:01:00 PST

The national American Civil Liberties Union today released a new report revealing that the Pentagon monitored at least 186 anti-military protests in the United States, several of them in northern California, and collected more than 2,800 reports involving Americans in an anti-terrorist threat database. The Sacramento chapter of Veterans for Peace, Berkeley Stop the War Coalition, and UC Santa Cruz Students Against War were all included in the secret Pentagon database. The UC students first learned their activities where being monitored in December 2005 when NBC News reported on the secret Pentagon database. Last March the ACLU-NC and the San Francisco Bay Guardian filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking expedited processing for the information.

SF Police Commission Votes on 25 New Video Surveillance Cameras Tonight

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:01:00 PST

The San Francisco Police Commission is scheduled to vote on whether to install 25 new surveillance cameras at eight new locations throughout the city despite opposition from community organizations and groups. The new locations are in the Mission District, outer Mission and the Tenderloin.

New Jersey Panel of Law Enforcement, Victims’ Families, and Experts Calls for End to State Death Penalty

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission today released its findings and recommended that the New Jersey legislature replace the death penalty with life without parole. The 13-member Commission was empanelled as part of legislation that placed a one-year halt on executions in New Jersey pending the outcome of the study.

California Supreme Court Agree to Hear Appeal in Lawsuits Seeking Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 12:12:00 PST

Statement from Alex Cleghorn, Staff Attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California regarding California Supreme Court's hearing appeal for lawsuits seeking marriages for same-sex couples.

Government Secretly Tracks Millions of Americans

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:12:00 PST

WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today condemned an unprecedented new program for generating terrorist ratings on tens of millions of travelers, including American citizens, maintaining those ratings for 40 years, and making them available throughout the government.

Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Homeless Residents in Fresno

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 12:11:00 PST

A federal judge announced today his intention to issue a preliminary injunction stopping the City of Fresno from unlawfully destroying the personal property of thousands of homeless residents. The lawsuit, Kincaid v. City of Fresno, was filed in October and claims that the City has been violating the constitutional rights of homeless people by seizing and immediately destroying their personal property. Last month, U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting this practice. Today’s ruling will remain in effect until the case goes to trial or is settled.

California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Free Speech on the Internet

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- In what is a victory for free speech on the Internet, the California Supreme Court ruled today that no provider or user of an interactive computer service may be held liable for putting material on the Internet that was written by someone else. In doing so, the Court overruled an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal.

ACLU Sends Open Letter to SF Police Commission Urging No Vote on 22 New Video Surveillance Cameras

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – In a letter to the San Francisco Police Commission, the ACLU of Northern California is urging the commissioners to not approve the installation of twenty-two additional video surveillance cameras in seven locations throughout San Francisco. In the last year, the number of cameras has grown from a “pilot program” of two to thirty-three video surveillance cameras in several neighborhoods. The San Francisco Police Commission will vote on whether to approve the 22 additional video cameras on Wednesday, November 15 at 6:00 pm. at City Hall.

Community Groups Protest Berkeley Police Union’s Attempt to Shut Down Civilian Police Review Commission

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:11:00 PST

Civil rights and community groups will gather at the Alameda Superior Court to protest the Berkeley Police Association's (BPA) attempt to shut down the nation’s longest-running civilian review board. The Court is holding a summary judgment hearing in the BPA’s lawsuit on Tuesday, November 14.

Same-Sex Couples Appeal to California Supreme Court in Marriage Case

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:11:00 PST

Today, attorneys representing same-sex couples, Equality California, and Our Family Coalition asked the California Supreme Court to decide whether barring same-sex couples from marriage violates the California Constitution.

ACLU asks Court to Not Issue San Francisco Gang Injunction Citing Due Process and Fairness Concerns

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – In response to the City’s first request for a sweeping civil injunction against an alleged gang in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point, the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) filed an amicus brief today asking the Court to not issue an injunction at the scheduled October

ACLU, Amnesty International, California Federation of Teachers, California Library Association Launch Online Documentary about the History of Government Surveillance

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

From well-known civil rights activist, Julian Bond to an ordinary mother whose son and husband were imprisoned for a year with no charges brought against them, “Tracked in America” tells the compelling stories of 25 individuals who’ve been the targets of government surveillance. The online audio documentary – being launched today in partnership with human rights, civil rights, and educational organizations - provides a historical look at U.S. government surveillance.

ACLU of Northern California Appoints New Executive Director to Lead Largest ACLU Affiliate in the Country

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

The Board of Directors of the ACLU of Northern California is proud to announce its unanimous decision to appoint Maya Harris as the new Executive Director to lead the largest ACLU affiliate in the nation. Harris, the former ACLU-NC Associate Director, assumes her new position on October 23, 2006.

Journalist’s First Amendment Right Destroyed says ACLU-NC in Brief Before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The ACLU of Northern Califoria filed an amicus brief today before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (NO. 06-16403) on behalf of Joshua Wolf, an independent journalist and videographer, who refuses to turn over outtakes of footage he shot at a San Francisco protest to a federal grand jury. The brief was filed after a three-judge panel ordered on September 19 that Wolf’s bail be revoked unless he cooperated with the grand jury. Wolf refused and went back to prison for the second time.

Civil Rights Groups File Suit Against City of Fresno to Stop Raids Against Homeless People

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

FRESNO --The City of Fresno is violating the constitutional rights of homeless people whose personal possessions are being destroyed and confiscated in ongoing raids, according to a lawsuit filed today in federal court by civil rights groups. The groups are seeking a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to stop the relentless attacks on Fresno’s homeless residents. The lawsuit was filed in Fresno’s Federal District Court.

ACLU Launches “Every Vote Counts” Campaign with Probation Offices, League of Women Voters, All of Us or None

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

“Every Vote Counts” is a dynamic public education campaign to inform individuals with felony convictions about their right to vote. The ACLU of Northern California, working closely with probation offices, public libraries and community-based organizations throughout northern and central California, will inform thousands of individuals with felony convictions that they have the right to vote if they are off parole, on probation or have completed probation. Nearly 350,000 individuals are on probation in California.

Statement from Dorsey Nunn, Director of All of Us or None

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

All of Us or None (AOUN), a project of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, is excited to participate in the ACLU of Northern California’s public education campaign, “Every Vote Counts.” We decided to partner with the ACLU-NC in creating and disseminating these voting rights materials because we believe that voting is an essential tool to organize and empower people who have been incarcerated.

Statement from Jody Sanford, President of League of Women Voters of San Francisco

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

Statement of Jim Moffett, Chief Probation Officer, Inyo County

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

Divided California Court of Appeal Rejects Challenge to Discriminatory Marriage Law

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

In a 2-1 decision that will be appealed to the California Supreme Court, a divided panel of the California Court of Appeal ruled today that California may continue to bar same-sex couples from marriage.

Statements from Jaber Ismail and Muhammad Ismail

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 12:10:00 PST

A California father and son, who are both American citizens, were finally allowed to re-enter the U.S. on Sunday after being barred from returning when they refused to cooperate with the FBI.

ACLU Holds National Town Hall Meeting, Legal and Political Experts Discuss Spying, Torture and Presidential Abuse of Power

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:09:00 PST

Government spying of protected First Amendment activity, warrantless surveillance of Americans by the National Security Agency, the Bush administration’s new anti-terror bill that combines illegal spying and military tribunals, are among the issues that will be discussed at a National Town Hall meeting tonight hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and the Bar Association of San Francisco. The public forum will be held at the San Francisco City Club, 155 Sansome Street at 6:30 p.m.

ACLU Urges California Attorney General to Protect Free Speech and Privacy Rights

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 12:09:00 PST

The three California ACLU affiliates wrote California Attorney General Bill Lockyer today urging him to reconsider his apparent decision not to address the lack of local law enforcement policy regulating surveillance of political activity. The ACLU letter included a Public Records Act request seeking documents substantiating claims by the attorney general’s office that California law enforcement has full knowledge of the laws governing surveillance of political activity.

Landmark Privacy Bill Heads for Govenor's Desk

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 12:08:00 PST

The first bill in the country to require privacy and security protections for the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in state government-issued ID's passed last night in the Senate with a strong bipartisan vote of 30-7 and is now heading for the Governor's desk. The bill passed out of the Assembly with a bi-partisan vote of 49-26 on August 21.

ACLU URGES FRESNO CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – In an open letter to the Fresno City Council, the ACLU of Northern California is urging elected officials to reverse their earlier decision to allocate $1.2 million in public funding toward purchasing video surveillance cameras. The Fresno City Council meeting is scheduled for today at 3:15 at City Hall, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno.

ACLU Taps Veteran ACLU Leader as National Deputy Executive Director

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union today announced the appointment of Dorothy M. Ehrlich as Deputy Executive Director of the national organization. Ehrlich has served as Executive Director of the ACLU of Northern California, the largest ACLU affiliate in the nation, for 28 years.

Local Teen Activists Embark on Study of Economic Justice

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

Twenty-nine local high school students from throughout northern California will investigate a topic of their own choosing: economic justice. The week-long trip (Aug. 6-13), part of the ACLU-NC’s Howard A. Friedman Youth Project, brings together students of diverse backgrounds to pursue a study entitled “Access Denied: A Youth Study of Education, Employment and Economic Injustice.”

ACLU Report Documents Government Monitoring of Lawful Protest and Lack of Regulations

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

Federal, state and local agencies have infiltrated or monitored the political activity of Californians throughout central and northern California in what has become a disturbing trend, according to an ACLU-NC report released today. From the stories of grandmothers opposing the war in Iraq to anti-war protestors at the Port of Oakland, the 35-page report tells the compelling stories of individuals and groups that were targets of government surveillance because of their political activity.

ACLU Helps Los Altos Community Reverse Gay Proclamation Ban

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union cheered a unanimous decision by the Los Altos City Council rescinding a ban on proclamations having anything to do with sexual orientation. The City Council had passed the original ban in February.

ACLU Releases In-Depth Report on Governemnt Surveillance in Northern California and Central California Since 9/11

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

From Fresno to Berkeley, federal, state and local agencies have infiltrated or secretly monitored organizations and individuals engaging in political activity protected by the First Amendment, according to an ACLU-NC report on government surveillance. The 35-page report documents the stories of individuals and groups that were targets of government surveillance, analyzes current law enforcement policy, and recommends specific policy reforms to safeguard Californians’ rights to privacy and free speech. Several of the individuals cited in the report; including an elementary school teacher, college students, an insurance salesman and an attorney will speak at the news conference. The speakers are from Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, and Berkeley.

Department of Homeland Security Provided Information to Pentagon on UC Students' Anti-War Activities

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

The Federal Department of Homeland Security provided the Pentagon with information on anti-war protests at UC campuses last year, according to the most recent government documents released to the ACLU of Northern California.

ACLU Urges California Court to Strike Down Law Banning Same-Sex Marriages

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

After appearing in court today, we are hopeful that we persuaded the Court that it goes against California's rich history of fairness for all people to deny same-sex couples the ability to marry. Same-sex couples fall in love, make commitments and raise children just as straight couples and shouldn't be denied the ability to marry and the dignity and protections that come with it.

ACLU Seeks Information About State Homeland Security Spying on Anti-War Rallies

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

The three California ACLU affiliates are filing Public Records Act requests today seeking information about the state Office of Homeland Security’s (OHS) reported tracking of First Amendment activity. On July 1, the Los Angeles Times reported about several incidents involving OHS’s spying on political protest throughout the state. The PRA requests were filed with the offices of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Attorney General Bill Locker on behalf of 100,000 members of the ACLU.

ACLU Urges San Jose City Council to Examine Police Department's Racial Data Collection Program

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 12:07:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California is calling upon the San Jose City Council to examine the San Jose Police Department’s (SJPD) commitment to its traffic stop data collection program. Following a shooting outside a downtown San Jose nightclub last October, it has been alleged that San Jose police officers engaged in racial profiling. The ACLU is concerned that SJPD may be backing away from its public commitment to collect and release data on the race and gender of people subjected to traffic stops by San Jose police officers.

ACLU of Northern California Condemns U.S. for Failing to Uphold Human Rights

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 12:06:00 PST

The American Civil Liberties Union released a report to the U.N. Human Rights Committee today condemning the U.S. government for failing to comply with its treaty obligations to protect and preserve human rights protections at home and abroad.

Homeless People Sue San Francisco for Property Rights Violations

Sat, 17 Jun 2006 12:06:00 PST

Fresno City Council Members Should Not Spend $1.2 Million on Video Surveillance Cameras, Says ACLU of Northern California

Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:06:00 PST

In a letter to the Fresno City Council, the ACLU-NC is urging members to vote in favor of a motion to remove $1.2 for funding of 75 video surveillance cameras from the budget. In a June 15 letter to the Council, the ACLU says the cameras “pose a significant threat to privacy rights and are wholly ineffective in deterring crime.” The City Council may be voting on the issue as early as next week.

Los Altos Residents Urge City Council to End Anti-Gay Rule that Bans Proclamations Based on Sexual Orientation

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 12:06:00 PST

A diverse group of Los Altos residents will speak at City Hall, requesting the Council reverse its rule against considering proclamations based on sexual orientation. The speakers and their supporters will be wearing red "Proclaim Equality" T-shirts. They will say that the rule is discriminatory and an embarrassment to their city in the heart of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. They will also say that the students in the Los Altos High School Gay/Straight Alliance - who were denied a proclamation - are worthy of such an honor for their courageous work in trying to make Los Altos a tolerant and accepting community.

ACLU Files Suit in State Court Demanding End to Privacy Violations by AT&T and Verizon

Fri, 26 May 2006 12:05:00 PST

The ACLU California affiliates filed two lawsuits today in state court requesting injunctions against telecommunications giants AT&T and Verizon to prevent them from illegally providing the National Security Agency (NSA) with the personal phone records of millions of California customers.

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS PENTAGON TO EXPEDITE UC STUDENT'S FOIA REQUEST

Fri, 26 May 2006 12:05:00 PST

AT&T and Verizon Violate Californian’s Right to Privacy –California ACLU to Announce Legal Action

Thu, 25 May 2006 12:05:00 PST

ACLU FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF CAMPUS PEACE ACTIVISTS MOVES FORWARD IN FEDERAL COURT

Wed, 24 May 2006 12:05:00 PST

ACLU HONORS LOCAL STUDENT ACTIVIST

Thu, 04 May 2006 12:05:00 PST

IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS DAY MAY 1, 2006

Mon, 01 May 2006 12:05:00 PST

BAY AREA LEGAL GROUPS: RESPECT STUDENTS' RIGHTS DURING WALKOUTS

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The National Lawyers Guild San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, La Raza Centro Legal, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area are calling on educators, school administrators and law enforcement to respect the rights of students in the event of school walkouts for immigrant rights on Monday, May 1.

Silicon Valley WiFi Initiative Must Consider Privacy and Free Speech Rights of Local Residents, says Civil Liberties and Privacy Groups

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and Electronic Privacy Information Center West Coast Office (EPIC West), are urging the Wireless Silicon Valley Task Force to consider the privacy and free speech rights of local residents when selecting a municipal wireless vendor.

ACLU-NC Supports State Assembly Speaker Nunez’s Resolution Calling on Congress to Respect Immigrant Rights

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 12:04:00 PST

ACLU Seeks Information about Alleged Racial Harassment of Native American Children in Small Rural Town

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:04:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California and California Indian Legal Services (CILS) are seeking information about alleged police harassment and unfair school disciplining of Native American children in the small eastern town of Bishop, California. Bishop, with a population of approximately 5000, is home to nearly 1600 members of the Bishop Paiute Tribe.

ACLU Sends Letter to California School Districts about Student Rights in the Wake of Recent Protests and Walkouts

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The ACLU California affiliates sent out a letter today providing school districts across the state with information about students’ free speech rights and school discipline in the wake of recent walkouts. In the last few weeks, thousands of students have participated in walkouts throughout the state protesting proposed immigration legislation in Congress. More protests are expected in the upcoming weeks.

ACLU Defends Blogger’s Right to Parody “Ex-Gay” Group

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Citing First Amendment protection for parodies, the American Civil Liberties Union today came to the defense of a California man who received a cease-and-desist letter after posting a parody of a billboard advertisement for so-called “reparative therapy” on his website.

ACLU-NC YOUTH CONFERENCE TACKLES TOUGH ISSUES WITH WORKSHOPS ON THE DEATH PENALTY, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND GANG PROFILING

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 12:03:00 PST

PRESS AND PUBLIC HAVE A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO OBSERVE EXECUTIONS WITHOUT A CHEMICAL CURTAIN, SAYS ACLU

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 12:03:00 PST

ACLU OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FILES FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT LAWSUIT SEEKING PENTAGON FILES ON UC STUDENT GROUPS

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 12:03:00 PST

Statement from the ACLU of Northern California, Death Penalty Focus, and Amnesty International in Response to Denial of Clemency to Michael Morales

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:02:00 PST

The Governor has decided that the state of California should execute Michael Morales on February 21, 2006. The death penalty demeans us as a society and serves no legitimate purpose. Michael Morales should be sentenced to life without parole just like his co-defendant.

Latino Leaders Urge Governor to Stop the Execution of Michael Morales

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Only days before the scheduled execution of Michael Morales, a dozen religious, labor, civil rights, political and community leaders sent a letter today to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urging the Governor to stop the execution of Michael Morales scheduled for Tuesday, February 21. Morales is the first Latino to face execution in California since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977.

Attorney General Bill Lockyer Finds Sheriff’s Department Infiltrated Peace Fresno

Fri, 10 Feb 2006 12:02:00 PST

ACLU OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SEEKS PENTAGON FILES ON PEACE GROUPS

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:02:00 PST

Trial Judge Asks Governor to Grant Clemency for Death-Row Inmate Michael Morales

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 12:01:00 PST

SACRAMENTO – In what is described as “an extraordinary turn of events” in the case of death-row inmate Michael Morales, new information has emerged that the prosecution’s key witness, Bruce Samuelson, lied about Morales’s confession concerning the murder and rape of Terri Winchell. The jail house informant told the court that Morales confessed to him in Spanish that he had committed the crime. The testimony was key in making Morales eligible for the death penalty. New evidence confirms that Morales does not speak Spanish. This was revealed today in a clemency petition on behalf of Morales that was delivered to the Governor’s office. The petition was submitted by Judge Kenneth W. Starr and David A. Senior of the law firm of McBreen & Senior.

Judge Kenneth Starr will Petition Governor Schwarzenegger on Friday to Grant Clemency for Death-Row Inmate Michael Morales

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Judge Kenneth W. Starr, constitutional law scholar and Dean and Professor of Law at Pepperdine University, will petition Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday, January 27, to grant clemency to death-row inmate Michael Angelo Morales. Judge Starr previously served on the United States Court of Appeals, and was the United States Solicitor General and independent counsel in the Whitewater matter. Judge Starr will join Los Angeles attorney David A. Senior as lead counsel for Morales’s clemency petition.

State Labor Lawyers Speak at First Public Event Since Gag Order Was Lifted

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and lawyers with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) successfully challenged a state gag order prohibiting DLSE staff attorneys from participating in “any speaking appearances” related to laws and regulations enforced by the State Labor Commissioner.

TSA and FBI to Pay $200,000 in Attorneys' Fees to Settle "No Fly" Lawsuit

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 12:01:00 PST

CALIFORNIA DMV CONCERNED ABOUT 'REAL ID' NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION LAW

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 12:01:00 PST

PROSECUTORS AND EXONOREES CALL FOR SUPPORT OF CALIFORNIA MORATORIUM BILL

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:01:00 PST

SACRAMENTO - The Assembly Public Safety Committee passed the California Moratorium on Executions Act, AB 1121, on Tuesday, only a day after New Jersey became the first state to enact a legislative moratorium on the death penalty. The California bill imposes a temporary, two-year suspension on executions until the State Legislature has considered all recommendations of the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice, appointed by the state Senate in 2004. The bipartisan Commission will release its findings no later than December 31, 2007. Assembly members Paul Koretz and Sally Lieber sponsored the bill.

ACLU California Affiliates Seek Information about Government Spying

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 12:12:00 PST

49ers Season Ticket Holders Challenge Pat-Down Policy at Monster Park

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 12:12:00 PST

New Jersey Senate Passes Bi-partisan Bill to Suspend Executions, California to Consider Similar Bill in January

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The New Jersey Senate voted 30-6 to temporarily suspend all executions in the state and examine flaws in the death penalty system. Legislators expressed concern about the risk of executing the innocent and racial and geographic bias in the administration of the death penalty. California will consider a similar measure to temporarily suspend executions, the "California Moratorium on Executions Act" (AB1121) on January 10.

Events Planned in Twelve California Cities as part of an International Day of Action Calling for a Halt to All Executions and Urging Clemency for Stanley Williams

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - On Wednesday, November 30th, press conferences and rallies will be held in more than a dozen California cities across the state as part of an International Day of Action calling for a halt to all executions and asking Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to commute Stanley Williams’ death sentence to a sentence of Life Without Parole. Williams faces a December 13th execution date. The Governor has agreed to hold a private hearing on Dec. 8th to consider Williams’ request for clemency.

Groups Call on San Jose City Council to Support Taser Policy Reforms

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 12:11:00 PST

ACLU, NCLR, and Lambda Legal Urge California Appeals Court to Affirm Decision Ending Unfairness Against Same-Sex Couples in Marriage

Wed, 09 Nov 2005 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Lambda Legal are filing a brief before a California appeals court today urging the court to affirm a lower court decision saying it is unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples the ability to marry.

ACLU of Northern California Welcomes San Jose Human Rights Commission Call for a Temporary Moratorium on Tasers

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 12:10:00 PST

In an Open Letter, ACLU Urges Los Gatos To Hold Off On Buying Tasers

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 12:10:00 PST

ACLU, NCLR, and Lambda Legal Urge California Appeals Court to Affirm Decision Ending Unfairness Against Same-Sex Couples in Marriage

Sun, 09 Oct 2005 12:10:00 PST

ACLU Study Finds Lack of Taser Stun Gun Regulartion Threatens Lives

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 12:10:00 PST

ACLU Study Finds Lack of Taser Stun Gun Regulation Threatens Lives

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 12:10:00 PST

New Study Finds that Race and Place Play a Key Role in Death Sentencing in California

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Only weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court is to issue its decisions in three California death penalty cases involving an African-American, a Latino and a Native American man, the first statewide study examining how race, ethnicity, and geography affect death sentencing in California has been made public.

ACLU SEEKS DETAILS IN ANOTHER SACRAMENTO TASER SHOOTING

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 12:08:00 PST

ACLU Seeks Details on Fatal Taser Shootings in Northern California

Tue, 09 Aug 2005 12:08:00 PST

ACLU's 10th Annual High School Summer Trip Focuses on California's Juvenile Justice System

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:07:00 PST

ACLU's 10th Annual High School Summer Trip Focuses on California's Juvenile Justice System

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:07:00 PST

West Sacramento Residents Targeted by Gang Injunction Denied Their Day in Court

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 12:07:00 PST

WEST SACRAMENTO—The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today filed a motion asking the Yolo County Superior Court to set aside a sweeping permanent injunction issued against alleged members of West Sacramento’s “Broderick Boys” gang on February 3, 2005.

Deer Valley High School Students Win First Amendment Victory

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 12:07:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—A group of high schools students have won the right to hold a peace rally at Deer Valley High School following an agreement reached Wednesday with the Antioch Unified School District. The ACLU of Northern California represented the students in their talks with the District.

ACLU CALLS ON GOVERNOR TO STOP CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD FROM SPYING ON PEACEFUL PROTESTORS

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:06:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups File Freedom of Information Act Request in Wake of Reports of FBI Harassment of Muslims in Lodi California

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 12:06:00 PST

CSU Fresno Announces New Policy On Surveillance;

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 12:06:00 PST

ACLU and Voters Correction Reform Coalition Urge Court of Appeal to Overturn Governor’s Decision to Deny Parole to Sixty-Four Year Old Inmate

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 12:06:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The ACLU Foundation of Northern California and Latham & Watkins LLP, as counsel on behalf of Voters Corrections Reform Coalition, have filed a brief in the California Court of Appeal, urging the court to overturn the decision of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to deny parole to sixty-four year old inmate, George Scott.

ACLU Files Lawsuit to Protect Religious Liberty of Imprisoned Asylum Seeker

Wed, 18 May 2005 12:05:00 PST

ACLU Files Lawsuit to Protect Religious Liberty of Imprisoned Asylum Seeker

Wed, 18 May 2005 12:05:00 PST

Bill to Protect Californians’ Privacy, Personal Safety, and Financial Security Advances in State Senate

Wed, 18 May 2005 12:05:00 PST

Union City Students Reach Groundbreaking Settlement with Union City and School District

Wed, 18 May 2005 12:05:00 PST

Governor’s Recent Remarks Are Irresponsible

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

ACLU-NC and Student Group Seek Information About Undercover Surveillance at Fresno State University

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

Federal Court Affirms Limits on DNA Testing Under Proposition 69

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

New Bill that Will Protect Californians’ Privacy Rights Is One Step Closer to Becoming Law

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

A bill that would prohibit state-issued identification documents from containing a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag or other devices that can broadcast an individual’s personal information was greeted with bipartisan support from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and is heading for a floor vote. It is the first bill of its kind in the nation and is being closely watched following the federal government’s decision to embed RFID chips in new U.S. passports.

Hearings Begin on New Bill that Will Protect Californians’ Privacy Rights

Tue, 12 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

A broad coalition of privacy rights, women, consumer, and civil liberties groups are supporting a bill introduced by Senator Joe Simitian that would prohibit any document created by the state, county, or municipal government, from containing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or other device that can broadcast an individual’s personal information. The tags are contactless integrated circuits – tiny devices – with miniature antennae that can broadcast personal information or enable that information to be scanned remotely. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on SB 682, the Identity Information Protection Act, today at 1:30 in Room 4203.

Hearings Begin on New Bill that Will Protect Californians’ Privacy Rights

Tue, 12 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

Federal Court Affirms Limits on DNA Testing Under Proposition 69

Thu, 07 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

A federal judge dismissed claims by former arrestees challenging mandatory DNA testing provisions under Proposition 69 on April 22, 2005. In doing so, Judge Fern Smith of the U.S. District Court agreed with Attorney General Bill Lockyer’s position that Proposition 69 will not be applied retroactively to persons arrested before the November 2, 2004 election.

ACLU Cheers Decision by California Appeals Court Removing Legal Challenge to Domestic Partnership Law

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

SACRAMENTO—The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today cheered a decision by California’s Court of Appeal throwing out a legal challenge by anti-gay activists to the state’s comprehensive domestic partnership law.

ACLU Cheers Decision by California Appeals Court Removing Legal Challenge to Domestic Partnership Law

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 12:04:00 PST

ACLU APPLAUDS DECISION ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE --FIRST STEP TOWARDS ENDING DISCRIMINATION

Sun, 13 Mar 2005 12:03:00 PST

New Bill Will Protect Californians' Privacy Rights

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 12:02:00 PST

Victory for Students, Parents and Civil Liberties Groups - Company Announces it will End Tracking Pilot Program

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 12:02:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Seek Police Records Following Widespread Sweeps in Ceres

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 12:02:00 PST

Marin County Residents Testify About Law Enforcement Abuses, Marin County Residents Testify About Law Enforcement Abuses,Marin County Residents Testify About Law Enforcement Abuses, Demand Inquiry into Police Practices

Wed, 09 Feb 2005 12:02:00 PST

Privacy Rights Are At Risk - Parents and Civil Liberties Groups Urge School District to Terminate Use of Tracking Devices

Mon, 07 Feb 2005 12:02:00 PST

Alameda County Passes Resolution Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:01:00 PST

Alameda County Passes Resolution Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in a 4-0 vote on Tuesday. The resolution expands the County’s 15-year-old non-discrimination policy to include gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.

Governor Denies Clemency Petition for Severely Brain-Damaged Death Inmate

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Hours before Donald Beardslee’s scheduled execution by lethal injection at San Quentin prison, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has turned down a severely brain-damaged inmate’s request for clemency despite pleas from a former San Quentin Warden, 12 Catholic Archdioceses, and one of the world’s leading experts in mental health. Beardslee’s is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at one minute past midnight.

CALIFORNIA’S USE OF A LETHAL INJECTION CHEMICAL BLOCKS PUBLIC’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO KNOW

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The public and the press have the First Amendment right to meaningfully witness and gather accurate information about California’s execution procedure, said the ACLU of Northern California and Death Penalty Focus in an amicus brief filed in the civil case challenging California’s method of lethal injection (Beardslee v. Woodford). Donald Beardslee is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at 12:01 am.

State Appeals Court Clears the Way for California’s Comprehensive Domestic Partnership Law to Take Full Effect on January 1st

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

SACRAMENTO—A California appeals court today denied a request by antigay activists to prevent California’s comprehensive domestic partnership law, AB 205, from becoming operative on January 1, 2005. As a result, the law will go into full effect on January 1, 2005. The Court of Appeal also ordered an expedited briefing schedule on the validity of AB 205. Under the Court’s briefing schedule, the briefing will be complete in January 2005.

State Appeals Court Clears the Way for California’s Comprehensive Domestic Partnership Law to Take Full Effect on January 1st

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

ACLU Applauds California for Acting to Protect State Laws Aimed at Safeguarding Women's Health

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

ACLU FILES CHALLENGE TO PROPOSITION 69

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

ACLU FILES CHALLENGE TO PROPOSITION 69

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

ACLU LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO EXPOSE FBI SPYING ON POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS

Thu, 02 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

ACLU, EFF Urge California Supreme Court to Maintain Protections for Online Speech

Thu, 02 Dec 2004 12:12:00 PST

California— A Federal law protecting the free speech of internet users to post content written by others has the potential to be undermined as a result of a libel lawsuit. The ACLU of Northern California and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, defending Ms. Illena Rosenthal’s right to post an opinion piece written not by herself but by Mr. Tim Bolen. She is being sued by Terry Polevoy, who is criticized in Mr. Bolen’s piece, for having posted it.

IN LANDMARK AGREEMENT, OAKLAND PROHIBITS LESS LETHAL WEAPONS FOR CROWD CONTROL

Tue, 09 Nov 2004 12:11:00 PST

ACLU-NC SUES FBI AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SEEKING RECORDS OF ONGOING QUESTIONING OF MUSLIMS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

5 MILLION CALIFORNIANS MISINFORMED BY GOVERNOR

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

Public and Scholars Have First Amendment Right to Original Writings of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The ACLU of Northern California filed an amici curiae brief on behalf of librarians and archivists urging the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a lower court's decision allowing the government to preclude public access to the original writings of Ted Kaczynski. Kaczynski, who pled guilty to the "Unabomber" crimes, plans to donate his journals to the University of Michigan. The University, which has agreed to receive them, houses a special collection of materials on radical social and political movements, known as the Joseph Labadie Collection.

New National Report Shows Millions of Eligible Voters May Be Turned Away on Election Day

Tue, 19 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

Unprecedented Release of Government Documents Reveal Confusion and Absence of Policy in Implementing No Fly List

Tue, 12 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

FBI’S NEW SURVEILLANCE PLAN CHILLS RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITY -- BAY AREA CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS WARN

Tue, 05 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

Supreme Court Denies Review of California Law Requiring Employers That Provide Prescription Drug Benefits to Include Contraceptive Coverage

Mon, 04 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

Supreme Court Denies Review of California Law Requiring Employers That Provide Prescription Drug Benefits to Include Contraceptive Coverage

Mon, 04 Oct 2004 12:10:00 PST

Proposition 66 Supporters Launch Campaign to Fix "Three Strikes"

Thu, 30 Sep 2004 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – A broad coalition of Bay Area civic and religious groups, labor organizations, and public officials are launching a campaign in support of Proposition 66, an initiative that fixes a major flaw in California’s Three Strikes law: giving 25-to-life sentences for non-violent, petty crimes. Bay Area organizations and individuals endorsing Prop 66 include Joe Klaas, grandfather of Polly Klaas, whose 1994 kidnapping and murder generated rapid voter approval of the Three Strikes law, the San Francisco Black Police Officers Association, and retired Superior Court Judge and Vice Provost at Sanford University, LaDoris Cordell.

ACLU-NC Urges SF Police Commission to Use Caution in the Use of Tasers - 71 Reported Deaths Following Stun-Gun Use

Fri, 24 Sep 2004 12:09:00 PST

Only days after the death of a man in Vallejo, who was shot with a taser, the ACLU of Northern California is urging the San Francisco Police Commission to only authorize use of tasers “in cases where there is an imminent threat to human life.” The ACLU-NC sent a letter to the commissioners today expressing concern about the reported cases of deaths following use of the weapon. Tasers are weapons, which emit electrical shocks aimed at temporarily incapacitating an individual.

Superior Court Judge Dismisses Bay Area Employers' Lawsuit Against Day Laborers and Non-Profit Group – Saying it Chills Free Speech

Tue, 14 Sep 2004 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The Alameda Superior Court dismissed a lawsuit filed against two day laborers, a San Francisco based non-profit group, and members of its legal staff, by employers who hired the day laborers but then refused to pay them. The court ruled that Marvin and Cynthia Maltez’s lawsuit was in violation of the anti-SLAPP statute, which was enacted to put a stop to lawsuits designed to chill the valid exercise of free speech.

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging California Domestic Partnership Law that Offers Protections for Same-Sex Couples

Thu, 09 Sep 2004 12:09:00 PST

SACRAMENTO— A Sacramento Superior Court dismissed a lawsuit late Wednesday afternoon that sought to block legal protections for same-sex couples that are to go into effect in January 2005. The Court rejected claims by deceased Senator Pete Knight and Randy Thomasson of Campaign for California Families that the new domestic partnership protections guaranteed under AB 205 were in violation of Proposition 22, which states that “only marriage between a man and woman is valid in California.”

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging California Domestic Partnership Law that Offers Protections for Same-Sex Couples

Thu, 09 Sep 2004 12:09:00 PST

Oakland Racial Profiling Study Shows Need for Ongoing Reform Traffic Stops Underreported, Some Bias Found

Tue, 24 Aug 2004 12:08:00 PST

California Supreme Court Invalidates Marriages from San Francisco, Without Resolving Whether Same-Sex Couples Have the Right to Marry

Thu, 12 Aug 2004 12:08:00 PST

California Supreme Court Invalidates Marriages from San Francisco, Without Resolving Whether Same-Sex Couples Have the Right to Marry

Thu, 12 Aug 2004 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Today the California Supreme Court ruled that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom did not have the authority to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and declared the licenses issued to thousands of same-sex couples invalid. The ruling does not address whether same-sex couples must be allowed to marry under the California Constitution. That issue is being litigated in a separate lawsuit brought by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal and the ACLU. Legal briefs are being filed in that lawsuit in the next few weeks, and the case is expected to move quickly in state court.

Police Interrogation of Elementary School Student Alarms Community— Family Urges Schwarzenegger to Sign AB 1012

Tue, 10 Aug 2004 12:08:00 PST

Youth Study Sexism, Gender-Bias at ACLU-NC’s 9th Annual Trip for High School Students

Mon, 09 Aug 2004 12:08:00 PST

"Guilt by Arrest" Ballot Initiative Will Trap Thousands of Innocent Californians in Violent Criminal Database

Thu, 22 Jul 2004 12:07:00 PST

California Supreme Court Upholds Student's First Amendment Rights

Thu, 22 Jul 2004 12:07:00 PST

Attorney General Agrees to Investigate Undercover Surveillance of Peace Fresno

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 12:06:00 PST

FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS GOVERNMENT IS USING “FRIVOLOUS CLAIMS” IN REFUSING TO DISCLOSE NO-FLY DOCUMENTS

Thu, 17 Jun 2004 12:06:00 PST

Richard Clarke to Speak at ACLU's Second Annual Membership Conference, July 6-8 in San Francisco;

Wed, 02 Jun 2004 12:06:00 PST

California Supreme Court to Hear Argument in High School Student's First Amendment Case

Wed, 26 May 2004 12:05:00 PST

California Supreme Court To Hear Oral Arguments on San Francisco Mayor’s Authority in Marriage Cases on Tuesday, May 25th

Mon, 24 May 2004 12:05:00 PST

California Supreme Court To Hear Oral Arguments on San Francisco Mayor’s Authority in Marriage Cases on Tuesday, May 25th

Mon, 24 May 2004 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court is set to hear oral argument on Tuesday, May 25th in Lockyer v. City and County of San Francisco (S122923) and Lewis v. Alfaro (S122865). At issue is whether an elected official who takes an oath to uphold the California Constitution may refuse to enforce what he believes to be an unconstitutional state statute or whether he must wait for a court to rule on the issue. The court may also rule on the validity of the more than 4000 marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in San Francisco earlier this year.

California Couples Celebrate Historic Day for Marriage Equality in Massachusetts and Hope California Courts and Legislature Move Quickly To End Marriage Discrimination

Mon, 17 May 2004 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – As hundreds of same-sex couples in Massachusetts become the first in the country to obtain marriage licenses pursuant to a ruling by a state supreme court, lesbian and gay couples in California fervently hope that the legislature and courts will move quickly to end marriage discrimination in California as well.

California Couples Celebrate Historic Day for Marriage Equality in Massachusetts and Hope California Courts and Legislature Move Quickly To End Marriage Discrimination

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:04:00 PST

ACLU Defends Immigrant Workers’ Right to Protest Exploitation

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:04:00 PST

ACLU and Peace Fresno Call Upon Attorney General and Senator Boxer to Investigate Surveillance of Anti-War Group

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 12:04:00 PST

SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW CASE AFFECTING INTERNET USERS

Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court on Wednesday voted 7-0 to grant review of a case involving the issue of whether a 1996 federal law protects individuals from civil liability for re-posting a third-party’s statements on the Internet. The Supreme Court’s decision to review this significant issue will affect the free speech rights of Internet users.

Court Upholds Berkeley School District’s Integration Plan

Wed, 07 Apr 2004 12:04:00 PST

ACLU Files First Nationwide Challenge to “No-Fly” List, Saying Government List Violates Passengers’ Rights

Tue, 06 Apr 2004 12:04:00 PST

NAACP and Parents Support Berkeley School District’s Efforts to Maintain Integrated Schools

Thu, 25 Mar 2004 12:03:00 PST

Couples Challenge Marriage Discrimination in California

Fri, 12 Mar 2004 12:03:00 PST

San Francisco – This morning, the ACLU of Northern California, along with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the ACLU of Southern California and Lambda Legal, filed a lawsuit arguing that denying same-sex couples the right to marry violates the California Constitution’s guarantees of equality, liberty, and privacy.

Couples Challenge Marriage Discrimination in California

Fri, 12 Mar 2004 12:03:00 PST

ACLU Statement On California Supreme Court’s Decision To Halt Same Sex Marriages In San Francisco

Thu, 11 Mar 2004 12:03:00 PST

ACLU Statement On California Supreme Court’s Decision To Halt Same Sex Marriages In San Francisco

Thu, 11 Mar 2004 12:03:00 PST

The California Supreme Court issued a interim decision today ordering San Francisco to stop issuing licenses to same-sex couples until the Court has a chance to make a decision in the case. The Court ordered the parties to file written arguments in March, and said it would set a hearing for May or June. There is no timetable for a decision after that hearing.

ACLU Applauds CA Supreme Court Decision Promoting Women’s Health and Ending Gender Discrimination in Insurance Coverage

Mon, 01 Mar 2004 12:03:00 PST

ACLU Urges Northern California Congressional Delegation to Oppose Un-American Marriage Amendment

Tue, 24 Feb 2004 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Responding to President Bush’s official endorsement today of a constitutional amendment to deny marriage rights to same-sex and unmarried couples, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California urges the northern California congressional delegation to vote no on the amendment. The proposed constitutional amendment would not only ban civil unions but could completely deny a broad range of government benefits to unmarried couples, be they gay or straight. In California, the proposed amendment could have disastrous consequences for the domestic partnership laws already enacted in California.

NCLR, ACLU, AND LAMBDA LEGAL PRAISE COURT’S DECISION TO PERMIT SAN FRANCISCO CITY TO CONTINUE GRANTING MARRIAGE LICENSES TO SAME-SEX COUPLES

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 12:02:00 PST

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, February 18, 2004 PRESS CONTACT: Stella Richardson (415) 621-2493 cell (415) 845-3042 Kate Kendell cell (415) 595-2233 Fred Shank (212) 809-8585 NCLR, ACLU, AND LAMBDA LEGAL PRAISE COURT’S DECISION TO PERMIT SAN FRANCISCO CITY TO CONTINUE GRANTING MARRIAGE LICENSES TO SAME-SEX COUPLES Next Hearing is Scheduled for March 29, 2004 SAN FRANCISCO – In a tremendous victory for gay and lesbian rights, a San Francisco Superior Court judge issued an order on Tuesday permitting the City of San Francisco to continue issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Since February 12, more than 2700 same-sex couples have obtained marriage licenses in San Francisco.

NCLR, ACLU, AND LAMBDA LEGAL PRAISE COURT’S DECISION TO PERMIT SAN FRANCISCO CITY TO CONTINUE GRANTING MARRIAGE LICENSES TO SAME-SEX COUPLES

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 12:02:00 PST

Lesbian and Gay Couples in San Francisco

Thu, 12 Feb 2004 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The City and County of San Francisco today became the first government in the United States to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. City officials followed a directive set in motion by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Advocates heralded the move as the most significant moment in the fight for equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Lesbian and Gay Couples in San Francisco Are Granted Marriage Licenses

Thu, 12 Feb 2004 12:02:00 PST

ACLU and Fresno Residents Seek FBI Records Regarding Infiltration of Local Community Group

Thu, 29 Jan 2004 12:01:00 PST

ACLU Urges Northern California Congressional Delegation to Oppose Un-American Marriage Amendment

Sat, 24 Jan 2004 12:01:00 PST

FEDS CAST DOUBT ON TASER SAFETY CLAIMS

Tue, 13 Jan 2004 12:01:00 PST

Settlement of California Lawsuit Aims at Protecting Gay Students

Tue, 06 Jan 2004 12:01:00 PST

Settlement of California Lawsuit Aims at Protecting Gay Students

Tue, 06 Jan 2004 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The Morgan Hill Unified School District, where lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students have suffered years of harassment and discrimination, including physical violence, has agreed to a wide-ranging staff and student training program and policy protections. The settlement ends a five-year-long federal lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Judge Denies Preliminary Injunction in Lawsuit Challenging California Domestic Partnership Law AB 205

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 12:12:00 PST

SACRAMENTO—Today, a Sacramento Superior Court refused to stand in the way of a new state law that offers same-sex couples legal protections and imposes many responsibilites for their relationships. Judge Thomas M. Cecil denied requests by Senator Pete Knight and Randy Thomasson of Campaign for California Families to issue a preliminary injunction, which would prevent the state from putting the law into effect.

Judge Denies Preliminary Injunction in Lawsuit Challenging California Domestic Partnership Law AB 205

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 12:12:00 PST

Declassified FBI Documents Suggest Shoddy Management of "No Fly" List, Fail to Show How Innocent Americans Can Get Names Cleared

Thu, 04 Dec 2003 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The FBI's first-ever release of classified documents about the controversial "no fly" terrorist watchlist both reveals some disturbing new information and fails to answer crucial questions about the watchlist's implications for civil liberties, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California said today. Of greatest concern is that the documents are silent on how Americans falsely listed as potential terrorists can clear their names.

ACLU Calls for Government to Halt Special Registration Program

Thu, 20 Nov 2003 12:11:00 PST

Voters Support Major Police Reform in San Francisco – Proposition H Sets Standard of Police Oversight

Wed, 05 Nov 2003 12:11:00 PST

California Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Ward Connerly’s Proposition 54

Wed, 15 Oct 2003 12:10:00 PST

District Attorney Candidates Debate War on Drugs and RAVE Act Legislation Targeting Electronic Music Culture

Wed, 15 Oct 2003 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO—District Attorney candidates will debate “The RAVE Act, the War on Drugs and Civil Liberties in San Francisco” on Thursday, October 16, 2003 at the SOMArts Gallery at 934 Brannan Street from 7-10 p.m. Graham Boyd, director of the ACLU Drug Policy Litigation will moderate the debate.

Supreme Court Lets Stand Ruling Protecting Doctors and Patients From Government Censorship

Tue, 14 Oct 2003 12:10:00 PST

Statement of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California

Sat, 11 Oct 2003 12:10:00 PST

ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Let Stand Ruling Allowing Doctors to Discuss Medical Marijuana

Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:10:00 PST

Governor Signs Bill to End Confusion Over Sex Education in Schools

Thu, 02 Oct 2003 12:10:00 PST

Statement of ACLU of California, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, NAACP California State Conference of Branches, Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles on Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals En Banc Decision

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 12:09:00 PST

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules In Favor Of Postponing California Recall Election Until California Completes Transition Away From Faulty "Punch Card" Voting Machines

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 12:09:00 PST

Victory for Novato School District’s Diversity Education Program

Thu, 04 Sep 2003 12:09:00 PST

Bay Area Public Health Departments Warn of Health Threats Posed by Prop 54

Wed, 03 Sep 2003 12:09:00 PST

Landmark survey finds majority of state’s schools in violation of confusing sex education laws

Wed, 03 Sep 2003 12:09:00 PST

California Privacy Act a Key Victory in Ongoing Financial Privacy Battle, ACLU Says

Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:08:00 PST

California Legislature Enacts Toughest Financial Privacy Protections in the Nation

Wed, 20 Aug 2003 12:08:00 PST

ACLU Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Use of Obsolete "Punch Card" Voting Machines In California Recall Election

Thu, 07 Aug 2003 12:08:00 PST

Health Experts, Educators, Faith Community, Labor Leaders, Civil Rights Advocates and Elected Officials Oppose Proposition 54

Thu, 07 Aug 2003 12:08:00 PST

Vote “NO!” on Prop. 54 on Oct 7

Tue, 29 Jul 2003 12:07:00 PST

The Public Still Lacks Basic Information About the "No Fly" List

Mon, 21 Jul 2003 12:07:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) found “troubling inadequacies” with the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) management of the “no fly” list following a review of documents that were recently released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. The ACLU-NC, and activists Rebecca Gordon and Jan Adams, sent the requests to the FBI and the TSA last December. To date, the FBI has yet to disclose any documents.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Approves to Charter Amendment to Strengthen Police Accountability

Wed, 16 Jul 2003 12:07:00 PST

San Francisco Board of Supervisors to Vote on Charter Amendment to Strengthen Police Accountability

Tue, 15 Jul 2003 12:07:00 PST

ACLU Applauds State Attorney General’s Commitment to Protect Californian’s Civil Liberties and Rights

Mon, 14 Jul 2003 12:07:00 PST

ACLU of Northern California Urges Congress to Suspend INS Registration Program

Thu, 10 Jul 2003 12:07:00 PST

ACLU Lauds Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Upholding University’s Affirmative Action Policies

Mon, 23 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

As Sacramento Prepares for Week of Protests, ACLU Cautions Against Overly Aggressive Policing

Tue, 17 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

As Sacramento Prepares for Week of Protests, ACLU Cautions Against Overly Aggressive Policing

Tue, 17 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

Settlement Reached in Suit Over Discriminatory Admissions Process at UC Berkeley

Tue, 17 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

Civil Rights, Community Groups Protest Looming

Thu, 12 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

ACLU-NC LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO STOP “PATRIOT ACT II”

Mon, 02 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – With a full-page ad in the New York Times today that reads: “Patriot Act II: Like most sequels, this one’s even worse than the original,” the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) is launching a campaign to stop a new proposal drafted by the Department of Justice from becoming law. The “Domestic Security Enhancement Act,” dubbed Patriot Act II, would grant the government an array of new powers, including the ability to make secret arrests, place unrestricted wiretaps, and create DNA databases on ordinary Americans.

Parent Group and Theater Company Step Up To Defend Novato School District’s Diversity Education Program

Mon, 02 Jun 2003 12:06:00 PST

New Grand Jury Report Confirms Breakdown in SFPD Accountability – Highlights Need for Reforms

Thu, 29 May 2003 12:05:00 PST

ACLU Urges Attorney General to Immediately Take Action to Protect Californian’s Civil Liberties

Tue, 20 May 2003 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – In a letter sent today to Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the ACLU expressed utter dismay over revelations reported in Sunday’s Oakland Tribune that the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center (CATIC) since “Day One” has been used to gather and analyze information on activists and protest activity and is being used to compile dossiers on a wide range of organizations. CATIC is a state intelligence agency that was established shortly after September 11 to analyze and disseminate information about terrorist threats.

Preliminary Injunction Sought to Stop Calif. From Reducing Welfare Benefits of New Residents

Thu, 15 May 2003 12:05:00 PST

New SF Ballot Initiative Strengthens Police Accountability

Tue, 13 May 2003 12:05:00 PST

SF Controller’s Office Calls for Sweeping Police Reforms – ACLU-NC Applauds Recommendations

Fri, 25 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

NEW OCC REPORT CONFIRMS BREAKDOWN IN SFPD ACCOUNTABILITY, SAYS ACLU – CALLS FOR MAJOR POLICE REFORM

Thu, 24 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

FIELD POLL REVEALS WEAK STANDING FOR CONNERLY

Wed, 23 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

New OCC Report Confirms Breakdown in SFPD Accountability, Says ACLU - Calls for Major Police Reform

Wed, 23 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

In a highly critical report released on April 23, the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) accused the San Francisco Police Department of obstructing its investigations of police misconduct and failing to act on sustained cases of misconduct. Citing numerous examples and statistics, the report documents a pattern of obstruction and delay that is undermining the ability of the OCC to fulfill its mission.

ACLU-NC Files Lawsuit Challenging Government Secrecy about “No-Fly” List and other Transportation Watch Lists

Tue, 22 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The FBI and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) violated the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act by failing to provide information about a secret “no-fly” list and other transportation watch lists, according to the ACLU of Northern California. The ACLU-NC filed a lawsuit today demanding immediate disclosure of the requested records. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

ACLU-NC Expresses Shock at Oakland Police Attack on Non-Violent Protestors – Demands Documents

Wed, 09 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

Federal Appeals Court Says Schools Must Protect Gay

Tue, 08 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – In a case brought by the ACLU of Northern California, the national American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a historic decision today which holds school officials liable for failing to protect students from anti-gay harassment. The court held that a school must take steps to eliminate harassment when it learns that lesbian, gay and bisexual students are abused at school.

Federal Appeals Court Says Schools Must Protect Gay Students from Harassment

Tue, 08 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Say SF Supervisor Tony Hall’s Proposed Resolution to Punish Peace Protesters is Illegal

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a letter sent today to San Francisco Supervisor Tony Hall, civil rights groups charge that the proposed resolution asking the City Attorney to determine whether the City and County can recover protest- related expenses from the anti-war organizers will “chill participation in expressive activity at a time when it is most needed.”

ACLU-NC Expresses Concerns about SFPD Tactics Employed during Anti-War Protests

Tue, 25 Mar 2003 12:03:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Provide Free Legal Advice for Iraqis – Groups Say FBI Questioning of Iraq is Ethnic Profiling

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 12:03:00 PST

New ACLU-NC Report Calls for Major Reforms in San Francisco Police Department

Wed, 12 Mar 2003 12:03:00 PST

In Landmark Racial Profiling Settlement, California Highway Patrol Agrees to Major Reforms

Thu, 27 Feb 2003 12:02:00 PST

Civil Rights and Community Groups Urge Fresno Police to Protect Residents’ Constitutional Right to Privacy

Thu, 20 Feb 2003 12:02:00 PST

NAACP, ACLU-NC, MALDEF and other Civil Rights Groups Call for Major Police Reforms in Sacramento

Fri, 14 Feb 2003 12:02:00 PST

ACLU Challenges Unconstitutional Round Up of Union City High School Students

Thu, 30 Jan 2003 12:01:00 PST

Reproductive And Civil Rights Organizations Call On California Congressional Delegation To Protect Roe V. Wade

Wed, 22 Jan 2003 12:01:00 PST

“Big Brother” is No Longer a Fiction, ACLU Warns in New Report

Wed, 15 Jan 2003 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO — The United States has now reached the point where a total “surveillance society” has become a realistic possibility, the American Civil Liberties Union warned in a report being released today.

ACLU of Northern California Urges Congress to Suspend INS Registration Program

Fri, 10 Jan 2003 12:01:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Urge San Francisco Police Commission to Ban “Consent Searches” by SF Police

Wed, 08 Jan 2003 12:01:00 PST

ACLU Seeks Government Accountability Regarding Federal “No Fly” List

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – The ACLU of Northern California filed requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act seeking information about the government’s “no fly list” and other government watch lists today. The requests were filed on behalf of Jan Adams and Rebecca Gordon, who were told by airline agents that their names appeared on a “no fly” list at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The requests were filed with the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), the FBI in Washington D.C., and the FBI in San Francisco.

Judge Rules Discrimination Suit Against Northwest Airlines Can Go Forward

Fri, 06 Dec 2002 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Federal District Court Judge Charles R. Breyer today denied a motion to dismiss a civil rights lawsuit alleging that Northwest Airlines discriminated against graduate student Arshad Chowdhury by prohibiting him from boarding a flight at San Francisco Airport even after law enforcement professionals stated that he was not a security threat.

Civil Rights and Community Groups Warn of Racial Profiling in New Government Program Targeting Iraqis, Iraqi-Americans, and Others Urge Law Enforcement Not to Engage in Racial Profiling

Thu, 05 Dec 2002 12:12:00 PST

Major Victory In Airport Screeners Case

Wed, 04 Dec 2002 12:12:00 PST

LOS ANGELES - A federal district judge today sided with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and other civil rights groups in granting a preliminary injunction that would allow qualified, noncitizen airport screeners to remain on the job or be considered for jobs they lost as a result of a federal law that would require all airport screeners to be United States citizens. No such requirement exists for airline pilots, flight attendants, airline mechanics, or even members of the U.S. armed forces or National Guard.

ACLU SONOMA COUNTY CHAPTER PROTESTS SUSPENSIONS OF STUDENTS FROM PETALUMA HIGH

Tue, 03 Dec 2002 12:12:00 PST

ACLU Applauds SF Police Commission for Taking Action on Racial Profiling

Thu, 14 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

ACLU Urges California School Districts to Protect Students from Unwanted Military Recruitment Solicitations

Thu, 14 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Call on SF Police Commission to Take Action Regarding Racial Profiling

Wed, 13 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

Judge Denies Government’s Motion To Dismiss Case, Allowing Non-Screeners To Remain Eligible For Federal Posts

Wed, 13 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal district judge in Los Angeles has sided with the ACLU of Southern California, the ACLU of Northern California, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and a coalition of civil rights groups by ruling that their constitutional challenge to the government’s exclusion of qualified non-citizen baggage screeners from eligibility for federal screener posts may go forward.

New Report Profiles Individuals Caught in Post Sept. 11 Backlash in Northern California

Wed, 13 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The ACLU of Northern California, in collaboration with the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Intergroup Clearinghouse, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, National Lawyers Guild and the United Response Collaborative (a collaborative of five community-based organizations) released a new report today entitled Caught in the Backlash: Stories from Northern California. The report documents the experiences of 20 individuals from the region whose lives have been altered by the backlash following the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

ACLU and Civil Rights Groups Urge Court to Consider Racial Bias in Death Penalty Case of Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

Thu, 07 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The ACLU of Northern California and a number of prominent civil rights organizations representing diverse communities throughout California filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of San Quentin death row inmate Stanley Williams’s claim of racial bias. The brief is in support of a petition for rehearing en banc, after a panel decision ruled against Williams. It was filed late Wednesday, November 6, 2002.

ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Reject California’s Use of “Three Strikes” Law for Petty Criminals

Tue, 05 Nov 2002 12:11:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - In arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court today, the American Civil Liberties Union is urging the Justices to invalidate a California man’s life sentence under the state’s harsh “three strikes” law for stealing $153 worth of children’s videotapes, including “Snow White” and “Free Willy.”

Unanimous Federal Appeals Court Rejects Government’s Attempt to Punish Doctors for Recommending Medical Marijuana

Tue, 29 Oct 2002 12:10:00 PST

ACLU Mobilizes Members and Supporters Nationwide To Keep America “Safe and Free”

Wed, 16 Oct 2002 12:10:00 PST

ACLU MOBILIZES TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE AND FREE

Wed, 16 Oct 2002 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO - The American Civil Liberties Union, including the ACLU affiliate of Northern California and other ACLU affiliates throughout the nation, will next week announce a multi-million dollar advertising campaign and a massive mobilization of its members and supporters in a new nationwide effort to safeguard the freedoms that Attorney General Ashcroft and the Bush administration have targeted since last year's terrorist attacks.

ACLU MOBILIZES TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE AND FREE

Wed, 16 Oct 2002 12:10:00 PST

ACLU AND EMPLOYMENT LAW CENTER LAUNCH STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN ABOUT NEW LAW PROHIBITING "SPEAK-ENGLISH-ONLY" WORKPLACE RULES

Wed, 09 Oct 2002 12:10:00 PST

San Francisco Police Department Fails to Address Racial Profiling - Rampant Underreporting of Stops and Searches

Mon, 07 Oct 2002 12:10:00 PST

School Communities Give Internet Filtering Law Failing Grade Research Reports Thousands of Sites Incorrectly Blocked

Tue, 17 Sep 2002 12:09:00 PST

First Amendment Victory In Landmark Prison Internet Case

Wed, 11 Sep 2002 12:09:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – A U.S. district court judge has ruled that prisoners have a First Amendment right to receive mail that contains material printed from the Internet and entered a permanent injunction barring the California Department of Corrections from "enforcing any policy prohibiting California inmates from receiving mail that contains Internet-generated information."

New California Law Protects and Expands Reproductive Freedom

Thu, 05 Sep 2002 12:09:00 PST

In Groundbreaking Settlement, School Agrees To Sweeping Anti-Gay Harassment Program

Tue, 13 Aug 2002 12:08:00 PST

VISALIA, CA -- The Visalia Unified School District has agreed to adopt sweeping reforms to address anti-gay harassment, including groundbreaking measures to train staff and students with the goal of preventing harassment before it happens, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today.

In Groundbreaking Settlement, School Agrees To Sweeping Anti-Gay Harassment Program

Tue, 13 Aug 2002 12:08:00 PST

Youth Explore Immigration Issues at the ACLU-NC's 7th Annual Trip for High School Students

Fri, 09 Aug 2002 12:08:00 PST

Religious Groups and Law Enforcement Officials Charge that Governor Davis’ “No Parole Policy” is Unconstitutional

Thu, 08 Aug 2002 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – An extraordinary and unusually diverse group of religious organizations and law enforcement officials, represented by attorneys from the ACLU of Northern California, the ACLU of Southern California and the law firm of Latham & Watkins, today filed a brief in the California Supreme Court urging the Court to order the release of Robert Rosenkrantz and Mark Smith, model prisoners who were granted parole by the Board of Prison Terms.

ACLU and Prison Law Office Challenge Prison Over Policy Barring Inmates' Access to Internet Content

Wed, 07 Aug 2002 12:08:00 PST

COURT OF APPEAL WILL HEAR ARGUMENT IN PROPOSITION 21 CASE

Wed, 07 Aug 2002 12:08:00 PST

ACLU and Civil Rights Groups Urge Police Departments to Protect Californians’ Constitutional Right to Privacy

Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:07:00 PST

ACLU CALLS ON STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO PROTECT CALIFORNIANS’ CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT ABUSES

Tue, 02 Jul 2002 12:07:00 PST

July 4th Civil Liberties Scorecard Shows Huge Gains for Government Power; Tremendous Losses for Liberty

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 12:07:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- As America prepares to celebrate independence on July 4th, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) is releasing a scorecard summarizing the toll of the Bush Administration’s policies on Americans’ constitutional freedoms. The tally: Bush Administration, 20; Constitution, 0.

ACLU AND RELMAN & ASSOCIATES SUE FOUR MAJOR AIRLINES FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PASSENGERS

Tue, 04 Jun 2002 12:06:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO--Five civil rights lawsuits filed across the country today accuse American, Continental, Northwest and United Airlines of blatant discrimination against passengers who were ejected from flights based on the prejudice of airline employees and passengers and for reasons wholly unrelated to security.

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR FEDERAL LITIGATION TO END RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION BY AIRLINES

Tue, 04 Jun 2002 12:06:00 PST

COMMUNITY GROUPS DEMAND IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION OF EXCESSIVE FORCE BY POLICE AGAINST AN 11 YEAR-OLD

Thu, 30 May 2002 12:05:00 PST

So-called “Racial Privacy” Initiative Will Fail to Qualify for November 2002 Ballot

Thu, 30 May 2002 12:05:00 PST

ACLU CALLS ON SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY TO INSURE A SAFE AND TOLERANT ENVIRONMENT IN THE WAKE OF RECENT STUDENT DEMONSTRATIONS

Fri, 17 May 2002 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – In the wake of the May 7 student protests at San Francisco State University, the ACLU of Northern California is urging the University to undertake a serious review of “its policies and practices to create an environment conducive to peaceful protest and education.” The two May 7 demonstrations, expressing opposing views on the Middle Eastern crisis, apparently degenerated into name-calling and intimidation. As a result, the University turned over tapes of the protests to the District Attorney’s office for possible hate crimes violations.

UC BERKELEY’S REACTION TO STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE PROTEST HAS HAD A CHILLING EFFECT ON FREE SPEECH – SAYS ACLU IN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHANCELLOR

Tue, 07 May 2002 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Citing the “chilling effects on freedom of speech and association on the UC Berkeley campus” the Berkeley Campus American Civil Liberties Union (Berkeley ACLU) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLUNC) today sent a letter to the UC Berkeley Chancellor expressing serious concerns about the University’s reaction to the campus sit-in after a rally organized by the Students for Justice in Palestine. The University is threatening to suspend for an entire year the 41 students who were arrested for trespass. We are encouraged that the University has rescinded the interim suspension of the student group Students for Justice in Palestine. However, the ACLU questions the fairness and legality of the University’s actions against the 41 students that treats the pro-Palestinian protestors more harshly than similar protests in the past.

"First Amendment Extends into Cyberspace," Argues ACLU in Two Pivotal Cases

Mon, 06 May 2002 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Continuing its strong advocacy of free speech in cyberspace the American Civil Liberties Union today filed appeals court briefs in two pivotal cases. The first case, to be filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal on Monday, May 6th deals with the French government’s attempt to censor web content that originates in the United States.

Doctors, Educators, Civil Rights Leaders Across California Vow to Defeat Connerly's “Dangerous” New Initiative

Tue, 23 Apr 2002 12:04:00 PST

Supreme Court Strikes Down Another Attempt by Congress to Restrict Free Speech

Tue, 16 Apr 2002 12:04:00 PST

NEW YORK--The U.S. Supreme Court today struck down Congress's attempt to expand the definition of child pornography, saying that the law "prohibits speech despite its serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value," a ruling the American Civil Liberties Union today hailed as a forceful defense of First Amendment principles.

ACLU APPLAUDS CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEFS FOR EXPRESSING STRONG VIEW THAT LOCAL POLICE SHOULD NOT ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS

Mon, 15 Apr 2002 12:04:00 PST

Federal Appeals Court Heard Arguments in Medical Marijuana Case with National Impact

Mon, 08 Apr 2002 12:04:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO-In a case that will likely decide the fate of most of the nation's medical marijuana laws, today the American Civil Liberties Union is urging a federal appeals court to uphold a ruling that the government cannot revoke the licenses of California doctors who recommend the medical use of marijuana to their patients.

Federal Appeals Court to Hear Arguments Monday in Medical Marijuana Case with National Impact

Thu, 04 Apr 2002 12:04:00 PST

In Letters to Northern California Police Departments, Civil Rights and Community Groups Denounce Latest Federal Dragnet Interview Plan

Wed, 03 Apr 2002 12:04:00 PST

ACLU, Bay Area Urban League, PUEBLO and Other Groups Urge Mayor Jerry Brown to Fill Oakland Citizen's Police Review Board

Thu, 28 Feb 2002 12:02:00 PST

Civil Rights, Human Rights Groups and Community Organizations Call for a Stop to the INS Special Registrations

Mon, 18 Feb 2002 12:02:00 PST

As Controversial Execution Looms, ACLU Asks for Clemency for Stephen Wayne Anderson, Calls for a State Moratorium on Executions

Fri, 25 Jan 2002 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO – Citing the inadequacy of the counsel provided to Stephen Wayne Anderson, who is scheduled for execution at San Quentin State Prison on January 29, the ACLU called today on Governor Gray Davis to grant clemency in the case. Anderson, 48, was convicted of the 1980 murder of Elizabeth Lyman in San Bernardino County. Members of Lyman’s family strongly oppose the execution of Anderson.

ACLU AND EMPLOYMENT LAW CENTER LAUNCH STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN ABOUT NEW LAW PROHIBITING "SPEAK-ENGLISH-ONLY" WORKPLACE RULES

Thu, 24 Jan 2002 12:01:00 PST

ACLU, SEIU CHALLENGE NEW CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT FOR AIRPORT SCREENERS

Thu, 17 Jan 2002 12:01:00 PST

ACLU RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR DAVIS’S STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH

Fri, 11 Jan 2002 12:01:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO-- In his State of the State speech, Governor Gray Davis pledged to give new powers to state and local law enforcement to obtain wiretaps, use “roving wiretaps,” and monitor e-mail. The ACLU believes these measures are unnecessary because they mirror existing federal law and are harmful to civil liberties because they could lead to surveillance of innocent Americans.

CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT IS SCHEDULED TO HEAR ARGUMENT IN LANDMARK PROPOSITION 21 CASE

Fri, 30 Nov 2001 12:11:00 PST

ACLU CALLS ON FRESNO AIRPORT TO REMOVE CONTROVERSIAL FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

Tue, 20 Nov 2001 12:11:00 PST

As Government Prepares to Investigate Thousands, ACLU Issues Multi-Lingual “Know Your Rights!” Pamphlet to Educate Public

Thu, 15 Nov 2001 12:11:00 PST

CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS SUE GOVERNOR DAVIS FOR ELIMINATING KEY RACIAL PROFILING DATA COLLECTION PROVISIONS FROM STATE’S BUDGET

Thu, 01 Nov 2001 12:11:00 PST

ACLU APPLAUDS MONTEREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES

Tue, 09 Oct 2001 12:10:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California applauds the Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimous vote on October 9 to provide domestic partner benefits to gay and lesbian employees. By doing so, the County is demonstrating its commitment to diversity and respect for all employees. Monterey County joins other counties throughout the state that are providing domestic partner benefits including Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Ventura County.

California Civil Rights Leaders Call For Unity and Caution Against Racial, Religious, or Ethnic Scapegoating

Thu, 20 Sep 2001 12:09:00 PST

ACLU, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION FILE BRIEF ARGUING THAT PROPOSITION 21 IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Thu, 06 Sep 2001 12:09:00 PST

As Medical Marijuana Battle Moves to Appeals Court, ACLU Urges Protection of Doctors and their Patients

Fri, 31 Aug 2001 12:08:00 PST

Governor Davis Eliminates Key Racial Profiling Data Collection Provisions from State's Budget

Fri, 24 Aug 2001 12:08:00 PST

New Poll Shows Surprisingly Forgiving Attitude Toward Non-Violent Crime and Punishment

Fri, 20 Jul 2001 12:07:00 PST

A new national poll commissioned by the American Civil Liberties Union released today reveals a strong dissatisfaction with the current state of the criminal justice system in America and a growing public confidence in rehabilitation and alternative punishments for non-violent offenders.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UNIONS, RELIGIOUS GROUPS AND YOUTH COME TOGETHER TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST POLICE MISCONDUCT AND RACIAL PROFILING IN OAKLAND

Fri, 13 Jul 2001 12:07:00 PST

BROAD-BASED COALITION GATHERS TO DEMAND COMPREHENSIVE DATA COLLECTION AND AN END TO RACIAL PROFILING IN SAN JOSE

Thu, 28 Jun 2001 12:06:00 PST

CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS MOVE TO UNSEAL COURT DOCUMENTS IN THE WEN HO LEE CASE

Fri, 08 Jun 2001 12:06:00 PST

BAY AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WINS NATIONAL ACLU COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR YOUTH ACTIVISM

Thu, 24 May 2001 12:05:00 PST

PROPOSITION 21: LAWMAKING, CALIFORNIA STYLE

Tue, 22 May 2001 12:05:00 PST

ACLU’S INITIAL ANALYSIS OF OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT’S DATA COLLECTION ON RACIAL PROFILING

Fri, 11 May 2001 12:05:00 PST

OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUCES RESULTS OF RACIAL PROFILING DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM PRAISED BY ACLU

Fri, 11 May 2001 12:05:00 PST

ACLU OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ARGUES TENANTS’ FREE SPEECH CASE BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT

Fri, 04 May 2001 12:05:00 PST

The California Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case about the free speech rights of tenants and private property ownership. In the case, Golden Gateway Center v. Golden Gateway Tenants Association, a large commercial landlord in San Francisco has banned tenants from distributing newsletters and leaflets to other tenants. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5th at 2:00 pm, in the Ronald Reagan State Office Building, 300 South Spring Street, 3rd Floor, North Tower, Los Angeles, California. Alan Schlosser, Managing Attorney of the ACLU of Northern California will participate in the argument as amicus in support of the Tenants Association. The Tenants Association will be represented by Robert De Vries, a San Francisco attorney.

California Highway Patrol Bans Consent Searches Following Review of Data Collection Showing Discriminatory Pattern

Sun, 22 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

Religious Groups Challenge Governor Davis' No Parole Policy

Wed, 18 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

Three religious denominations, represented by the ACLU of Northern California, the ACLU of Southern California, and the law offices of Latham & Watkins filed a friend-of-the-court brief today in support of Robert Rosenkrantz, who is challenging in court Governor Davis' decision to deny him parole. The religious groups, along with Albert M. Leddy, former Chairman of the California Board of Prison Terms, say that Rosenkrantz is a victim of Governor Davis' no parole policy that violates state and federal law. The religious groups include the California Council of Churches, the Board of Rabbis of Northern California, and the California Province of the Society of Jesus. The brief was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

ACLU Files Suit Challenging California's Voting System

Tue, 17 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

ACLU Files Brief in California Supreme Court Concerning Fourth Amendment Rights of a Probationer

Tue, 10 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

ACLU wins Victory in Visalia School District Harassment Case

Tue, 10 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

ACLU wins Victory in Visalia School District Harassment Case

Tue, 03 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

The ACLU successfully defeated a motion to dismiss the Gay Straight Alliance Network, a plaintiff in the case Loomis v. Visalia Unified School District, and several other claims from a federal civil rights lawsuit filed on behalf of George Loomis, a former high school student, and the GSA Network

Two Women Who Filed a Complaint Against a California Highway Patrol Officer Now Face Criminal Charges

Tue, 03 Apr 2001 12:04:00 PST

Victory for Free Speech on the Internet - Court of Appeals Uphold Library's Right to Provide Uncensored Internet Access

Thu, 08 Mar 2001 12:03:00 PST

In a resounding victory for civil liberties, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco has held that a parent may not force a public library to censor the Internet access of its patrons in order to control her own child's use of the Internet.

New Bill Defines Racial Profiling Under State Law - Provides Victims Greater Protection

Thu, 01 Mar 2001 12:03:00 PST

Court of Appeal Overturns Key Provision of Proposition 21 - Says Decision to Try Juveniles in Adult Court Belongs to Judges not Prosecutors

Fri, 09 Feb 2001 12:02:00 PST

Federal Court to Consider Whether to Certify Racial Profiling Case Against California Highway Patrol as a Class Action

Fri, 09 Feb 2001 12:02:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Back in Court on Landmark Education Case

Thu, 08 Feb 2001 12:02:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Back in Court on Landmark Education Case

Thu, 08 Feb 2001 12:02:00 PST

ACLU Sues Visalia School District for Failing to Provide Safe Environment

Wed, 24 Jan 2001 12:01:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California filed an expanded lawsuit today in U.S. District Court on behalf of a former high school student and the Gay Straight Alliance Network in an effort to end the severe harassment and discrimination of students who are gay or lesbian or who are perceived to be gay or lesbian in the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD). The lawsuit charges that students are pervasively harassed because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation by school administrators, teachers, and classmates, who refer to them in school as "faggots," "queers," and "homos." Some students are even physically assaulted by other students based on their sexual orientation. The lawsuit seeks to eliminate the hostile and intolerant climate through reforms that will change the current policies and practices in the Visalia Unified School District.

ACLU Sues Visalia School District for Failing to Provide Safe Environment for All Students

Wed, 24 Jan 2001 12:01:00 PST

Court of Appeal to Hear Argument in Parent's Attempt to Require Library to Censor Internet Access

Mon, 22 Jan 2001 12:01:00 PST

In a first of its kind case, the First District Court of Appeal will hear argument over whether a parent can force a public library to censor the Internet access of its patrons in order to control her own child's use of the Internet. Kathleen R. sued the City of Livermore when her 12 year-old-son downloaded a number of explicit pictures at the Livermore library and then took the disk to the home of a relative, and printed the pictures.

Civil Rights Groups Respond to Governor Gray Davis' Action to Sue 18 School Districts in Landmark Education Lawsuit

Wed, 10 Jan 2001 12:01:00 PST

ACLU to Support Constitutional Challenge of Automatic Adult Trials Under Proposition 21

Fri, 15 Dec 2000 12:12:00 PST

ACLU Calls on Davis to Support Mandatory Data Collection Next Year

Sat, 09 Dec 2000 12:12:00 PST

In light of Gallup Poll findings released today on racial profiling, in an open letter to the governor, the ACLU of Northern California calls on Governor Davis to support mandatory data collection legislation next year. The Gallup Poll reports that approximately 60% of national adults aged 18 and older say that racial profiling is widespread, and 81% of all adults believe the practice is wrong. The poll further indicates that 77% of African Americans believe that racial profiling is widespread, and that 4 out of 10 African Americans have been victims of the practice.

ACLU Calls on Davis to Support Mandatory Data Collection Next Year

Sat, 09 Dec 2000 12:12:00 PST

ACLU Calls on Davis to Support Mandatory Data Collection Next Year

Sat, 09 Dec 2000 12:12:00 PST

PUEBLO And ACLU Strengthen Police Accountability in Oakland

Wed, 29 Nov 2000 12:11:00 PST

ACLU LAUNCHES SPANISH LANGUAGE AD CAMPAIGN PROMOTING THE DRIVING WHILE BLACK/BROWN HOTLINE 1-877-PARALOS

Mon, 13 Nov 2000 12:11:00 PST

ACLU Applauds Los Angeles City Council For Opposing Youth Crime Measure

Fri, 10 Nov 2000 12:11:00 PST

First Hearing in Landmark Education Lawsuit Scheduled for Monday October 30

Mon, 30 Oct 2000 12:10:00 PST

Ninth Circuit to Hear Arguments on Behalf of High School Students Subjected to Anti-Gay Harassment

Thu, 05 Oct 2000 12:10:00 PST

Ninth Circuit to Hear Arguments on Behalf of High School Students Subjected to Anti-Gay Harassment

Wed, 04 Oct 2000 12:10:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California represents six former students at Live Oak High School who were the victims of cruel and unrelenting anti-gay harassment by their peers. The students have sued the Morgan Hill Unified School District and six of its administrators in federal court alleging that the school district discriminated against the students on the basis of their sexual orientation because of the administrators' deliberate indifference to the known verbal and physical attacks on the students.

City College Teachers Voluntarily Agree to Dismiss Lawsuit Against "Teacher Review" Webmaster

Tue, 03 Oct 2000 12:10:00 PST

Just days before a scheduled hearing in San Francisco Superior Court, the ACLU of Northern California achieved a victory in Curzon Brown v. San Francisco Community College District when City College professors Daniel Curzon Brown and Jesse David Wall voluntarily agreed to dismiss their lawsuit against the operator of an Internet website where students can post critiques of their teachers. The defendant, Ryan Lathouwers, was represented by Bernard Burk and Amy Margolin of Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin, and ACLU-NC staff attorneys Ann Brick and Margaret Crosby.

CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS VOW TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR DATA COLLECTION IN CALIFORNIA

Wed, 27 Sep 2000 12:09:00 PST

BACK TO SCHOOL WITHOUT BOOKS:CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS DEMAND AN ACCOUNT

Tue, 12 Sep 2000 12:09:00 PST

ACLU Wins Victory in Medical Marijuana Case

Fri, 08 Sep 2000 12:09:00 PST

COURT LIFTS GAG ORDER: FREE SPEECH VICTORY FOR INTERNET

Fri, 08 Sep 2000 12:09:00 PST

In a victory for free speech on the Internet, on September 13th the Alpine County Superior Court vacated a "gag" order that required all public court documents to be taken down from a controversial website. The Superior Court's action came in response to a ruling last month by the Third District Court of Appeal agreeing to review the constitutionality of the gag order unless it was vacated by the Superior Court.

ACLU Files Amended Complaint in Prop 21 Challenge in San Francisco Superior Court

Thu, 31 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California filed an amended complaint on today in San Francisco Superior Court stating that Proposition 21 - the most sweeping crime-related initiative in California history - is unconstitutional because it circumscribes the judiciary's discretion to determine whether a case should be heard in juvenile or criminal court.

ACLU Urges Appeals Court to Reconsider Napster Ruling, Citing Censorship Effect on Internet Users

Fri, 25 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO-- In a friend-of-the court brief filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals here today, the American Civil Liberties Union urged the court to lift the injunction issued against Napster, the popular music-sharing Internet site, and to direct the lower court to hear evidence in the case before deciding the difficult issues presented.

Civil Rights Leaders Applaud Demise of "Toothless" Profiling Bill

Thu, 24 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Expand Landmark Education Suit

Tue, 15 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Support Dr. Wen Ho Lee Legal Defense; Seek Information on Anti-Asian Bias in Scientist's Prosecution

Fri, 11 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

ACLU Reaffirms Protestors' Right to Demonstrate at the Democratic National Convention Next Week

Thu, 10 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California supports the right of protesters to demonstrate next week at the National Democratic Convention as thousands converge in Los Angeles. Today in Federal Court, the ACLU of Southern California is seeking a temporary restraining order demanding that the Los Angeles police immediately stop the harassment of protestors at their organizing headquarters. Protestors have been targets of police surveillance, selective enforcement of traffic laws and police visits without warrants.

Civil Rights Leaders Urge California's Gov. Davis To Drop Opposition to Data Collection on Racial Profiling

Tue, 08 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

ACLU Urges Federal Court to End Government Persecution Of Doctors Over Medical Marijuana

Thu, 03 Aug 2000 12:08:00 PST

ACLU Challenges Proposition 21 - Juvenile Justice Initiative

Wed, 07 Jun 2000 12:06:00 PST

Civil Rights Community Unites to Oppose Senator Kevin Murray's Racial Profiling Bill (SB 66)

Tue, 06 Jun 2000 12:06:00 PST

ACLU Supports Policy of Open Access to Speed Cable Internet Service

Mon, 22 May 2000 12:05:00 PST

Landmark Education Case Will Hold State Responsible for Pervasive Substandard Conditions in Public Schools

Wed, 17 May 2000 12:05:00 PST

ACLU Investigates Political Bias by the Medical Board of California

Tue, 16 May 2000 12:05:00 PST

The ACLU is releasing a study entitled "Preventing Unfair Prosecution of Abortion Providers: An Investigation into Political Bias by the Medical Board of California" that examines the case of Dr. Bruce Steir, who was referred by the Medical Board for criminal prosecution after a patient died following a second-trimester abortion. In an effort to determine why Dr. Steir was singled out for criminal prosecution, the report compares the Medical Board's treatment of Dr. Steir to its treatment of other doctors whose patients died in their care.

Intel's Attempt to Muzzle Ex-Worker's E-mails Violates First Amendment, ACLU Says

Fri, 12 May 2000 12:05:00 PST

In a case with important ramifications for workers' rights and for the right of ordinary people to communicate by e-mail, the ACLU of Northern California and the national ACLU announced today that they have filed a friend of the court brief endorsing the right of Ken Hamidi, a former Intel employee, to air his grievances with the company by sending e-mails to his former co-workers using their work e-mail addresses.

ACLU Blasts Governor Davis and Senator Murray for Gutting the Racial Profiling Data Collection Bill

Thu, 27 Apr 2000 12:04:00 PST

Major Demonstration at State Capitol Urges Governor to Sign Driving While Black/Brown Bill

Thu, 27 Apr 2000 12:04:00 PST

ACLU, The League of Women Voters of California File Lawsuit Challenging Proposition 21

Thu, 20 Apr 2000 12:04:00 PST

April 27th Protest Against Racial Profiling at the State Capitol

Fri, 14 Apr 2000 12:04:00 PST

Background infomation of the Racial Justice Project

Mon, 10 Apr 2000 12:04:00 PST

Driving While Black or Brown Town Hall Meeting in Oakland

Thu, 23 Mar 2000 12:03:00 PST

New Racial Justice Coalition Launches Campaign Against Racial Profiling

Mon, 13 Mar 2000 12:03:00 PST

New Racial Justice Coalition Launches Campaign Against Racial Profiling

Mon, 13 Mar 2000 12:03:00 PST

New Racial Justice Coalition Launches Campaign Against Racial Profiling

Mon, 13 Mar 2000 12:03:00 PST

Major civil rights organizations, grassroots organizations, and others announce today the formation of the Racial Justice Coalition, and the coalition's statewide campaign against racial profiling. The coalition is launching a series of townhall meetings regarding racial profiling and a statewide demonstration scheduled for April 27th at the California State Capitol.

Latinos Oppose Proposition 22 Saying It Is Anti-Family

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 12:03:00 PST

Latinos Against Proposition 22, a group of Latino civil rights advocates and members of the religious community, are placing a full-page ad on March 2 in California's largest Spanish-language newspaper, La Opinion. Proposition 22 is a ballot initiative that would ban recognition of same-sex marriages. In recent weeks, supporters of Proposition 22 have turned their attention to the Latino community in efforts to win their vote.

Latinos Oppose Proposition 22 Saying It Is Anti-Family

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 12:03:00 PST

High School Youth Investigate Corporate America's Impact on Civil Liberties in Statewide Tour

Fri, 18 Feb 2000 12:02:00 PST

ACLU Youth Conference in Stockton Focuses on Proposition 21 The Juvenile Crime Initiative

Fri, 11 Feb 2000 12:02:00 PST

FORMER INTEL EMPLOYEE'S FIRST AMENDMENT E-MAIL CASE GOES BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL

Fri, 11 Feb 2000 12:02:00 PST

In a case with important ramifications for employees and the right of people to communicate by e-mail, the California Court of Appeal in Sacramento will hear argument in the case of Ken Hamidi, a former Intel employee. The case arises from six e-mails criticizing the corporation that Hamidi sent to his former colleagues over a two-year period.

U.S. District Court Trial on Access of the Press and Public to Observe Executions

Thu, 10 Feb 2000 12:02:00 PST

On February 14th, California First Amendment Coalition v. Calderon will go to trial before U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker. The ACLU-NC argues that journalists and public witnesses have a First Amendment right to witness executions in their entirety and that there is no evidence that media presence jeopardizes prison security or the safety of prison personnel. The trial begins only weeks before California's next execution, scheduled for March 15th.

ACLU Urges the City to Support the Breast Cancer Fund's Ad Campaign

Mon, 07 Feb 2000 12:02:00 PST

Today the San Francisco Board of Supervisor's will vote on a proposed resolution expressing their support for the Breast Cancer Fund's ad campaign, "Obsessed with Breasts." Outdoor Systems, the company that administers advertising displays at the city's bus shelters, has rejected the ads saying they are "too shocking" and "too provocative."

ACLU Defends Student Website in San Francisco Superior Court

Mon, 31 Jan 2000 12:01:00 PST

In a case with important implications for free speech on the Internet, the ACLU- NC has asked the San Francisco Superior Court to dismiss a lawsuit aiming to shut down a website that provides student reviews of the teachers at San Francisco City College.

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down English-Only Driving Test

Wed, 08 Dec 1999 12:12:00 PST

ACLU Files Class Action Lawsuit Against California Highway Patrol and Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement for Racial Profiling

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 12:11:00 PST

Yerba Buena Tenants Win Victory in the Courts

Thu, 18 Nov 1999 12:11:00 PST

ACLU Urges Monterey County Municipal Court to Lift an Order Violating the Constitutional Rights of a Worker

Mon, 25 Oct 1999 12:10:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California, in a letter to Honorable Judge Marla O. Anderson, of the Monterey County Coordinated Court, is urging the Court to strike the order issued on September 9th, 1999, barring Hallie Lake Cox, as a condition of bail reduction, from engaging in peaceful picketing, passing out leaflets or petitions on a public sidewalk, or attending union rallies.

ACLU 9th Annual Youth Rights Conference focuses on Two Dangerous Initiatives slated for March 2000 Ballot

Thu, 21 Oct 1999 12:10:00 PST

ACLU in Court Again to Defend Library Against CA Parent Seeking Internet Censorship

Tue, 19 Oct 1999 12:10:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--In a friend-of-the-court brief filed before the California Court of Appeal, the American Civil Liberties Union is once again joining a unique legal battle over whether a parent can force a public library to censor Internet access of all its patrons in order to control her own child's use of the Internet.

ACLU-NC ASKS STATE HIGH COURT TO OPPOSE RACIAL SLURS IN THE WORKPLACE

Thu, 05 Aug 1999 12:08:00 PST

Court Orders Hearing For Unlawfully Imprisoned Deportee

Wed, 14 Jul 1999 12:07:00 PST

Ruling that the Immigration and Naturalization Service has been unlawfully incarcerating Salvadoran immigrant Miguel Rivera for over a year, on July 13, U.S. District Court Judge Thelton Henderson ordered the San Francisco Office of the INS to grant Rivera a hearing within seven (7) days to determine whether the asylum applicant could be released while his immigration case is pending.

Civil Rights Organizations Applaud Settlement on Language Rights Complaint

Thu, 03 Jun 1999 12:06:00 PST

Invitation to a Press Conference-- ACLU Files Racial Profiling Lawsuit Against Major California Law Enforcement Agency

Thu, 03 Jun 1999 12:06:00 PST

ACLU Launches "Driving While Black or Brown" Campaign for Spanish Speaking Persons Stopped by Police

Wed, 19 May 1999 12:05:00 PST

Town Hall Meeting on Racial Profiling Sponsored by PUEBLO and the Oakland ACLU

Tue, 11 May 1999 12:05:00 PST

ACLU Launches Statewide Campaign for Persons Stopped by Police for "Drive While Black or Brown" and Urges Support for SB 78

Wed, 14 Apr 1999 12:04:00 PST

ACLU-NC Urges Board of Supervisors to Oppose Proposed Sign Ordinance

Mon, 05 Apr 1999 12:04:00 PST

Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 6, 10 AM) ACLU-NC staff attorney Robert Kim will testify at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' Housing and Social Policy Committee against the proposed revisions to the San Francisco Municipal Code regulating the posting of signs, handbills and banners.

ACLU-NC Urges Board of Supervisers to Uphold Street Permit for Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Fri, 26 Mar 1999 12:03:00 PST

ACLU Student Rights Conference -- More than 600 Students Participate from 25 Schools Throughout Northern California

Thu, 18 Mar 1999 12:03:00 PST

Fresno Manufacturing Workers File Charges Against Company for Termination Based on English Proficiency

Thu, 18 Mar 1999 12:03:00 PST

Reproductive Rights Panel at National

Mon, 01 Mar 1999 12:03:00 PST

Alaska ACLU Files Suit Against State's English-Only Initiative

Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:02:00 PST

Minority Students Sue U.C. Berkeley for Discrimination: Admissions Process Violates Federal Civil Rights Laws

Tue, 02 Feb 1999 12:02:00 PST

ACLU Applauds Two Court Decisions Supporting Language Rights

Fri, 15 Jan 1999 12:01:00 PST

Court Upholds Livermore Library's Uncensored Internet Access Policy

Thu, 14 Jan 1999 12:01:00 PST

In a first of its kind ruling endorsing on-line free speech in libraries, the Alameda County Superior Court today (January 14, 1999) dismissed a lawsuit seeking to require the Livermore Library to censor Internet use at the library. Today's ruling in Kathleen R. v City of Livermore marks the second time that the court has rejected an attempt by Kathleen R. to force the Livermore library to abandon its open access policy governing Internet use.

ACLU Defends Library Against Censorship

Tue, 22 Dec 1998 12:12:00 PST

Police Officer Drops His Retaliation Suit Against Citizen Complainant

Mon, 21 Dec 1998 12:12:00 PST

Attorney Robert Kim Joins ACLU Legal Staff to Focus on Gay Rights, HIV/AIDS, and Criminal Justice Issues

Mon, 14 Dec 1998 12:12:00 PST

Robert Kim has joined the staff of the ACLU of Northern California and will be concentrating his legal work on gay rights, HIV/AIDS, and criminal justice issues.

Attorney Robert Kim Joins ACLU Legal Staff to Focus on Gay Rights, HIV/AIDS, and Criminal Justice Issues

Mon, 14 Dec 1998 12:12:00 PST

Attorneys Move to Block Police Retaliation Against Citizen Complaints -- Motion Filed to Dismiss Police Defamation Suit

Thu, 12 Nov 1998 12:11:00 PST

Federal Court Upholds Students' Right to Sue Morgan Hill School District

Thu, 05 Nov 1998 12:11:00 PST

Federal Court Upholds Students' Right to Sue Morgan Hill School District

Thu, 05 Nov 1998 12:11:00 PST

In an order issued from San Jose, U.S. District Court Judge James Ware has upheld the right of five former Live Oak High School students to sue the Morgan Hill Unified School District for harassment. The students, represented by the ACLU of Northern California, the national ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and cooperating attorney Diane Ritchie of San Jose, charged that school officials refused to take any action to protect them from an ongoing barrage of harassment on the basis of gender and perceived sexual orientation.

ACLU Denounces Passage of Anti-Gay Marriage Initiative(s) in Hawaii (and Alaska)

Wed, 04 Nov 1998 12:11:00 PST

The ACLU of Northern California is extremely disappointed that the voters of Hawai'i [Alaska] have agreed to write discrimination into their state constitution and prohibit same-sex marriage. We believe that marriage is a personal choice as well as a basic human right and should be available to all Americans who are in deeply committed relationships.

Contra Costa County to Pay $1.2 Million to Settle Challenge to Use of Written 'Drug Test' as Requirement for General Assistance

Fri, 30 Oct 1998 12:10:00 PST

ACLU Launches Toll Free Hotline for Persons Stopped by Police for "Driving While Black or Brown"

Wed, 07 Oct 1998 12:10:00 PST

Fairness Hearing on Settlement in Suit Against Employee "Political Litmus" Test Used by Nation's Largest Security Guard Firm

Wed, 09 Sep 1998 12:09:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Challenge Governor's Veto of Budget Provision for Crucial Data Collection on Race, Gender

Wed, 26 Aug 1998 12:08:00 PST

Settlement in Class Action Suit Vindicates Constitutional Rights of Vallejo Welfare Recipients Subjected to Dawn Raid

Tue, 11 Aug 1998 12:08:00 PST

In a significant vindication of constitutional rights, on August 10, the U.S. District Court in Sacramento entered a consent decree which bars raids similar to that which occurred in Vallejo in March 1997. The settlement agreement also provides that defendants will pay compensation to the individual plaintiffs for damages inflicted by this intrusive operation.

Civil Rights Advocates Sue Contra Costa County for Excluding Women and Minority Businesses in Violation of Federal Anti-Discrimination Law; First Case Post-Proposition 209

Wed, 29 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

ACLU-NC Calls on Commission on Judicial Performance to Dismiss Charges Against Justice Anthony Kline

Fri, 24 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups File Appeal to Delay Implementation of Proposition 227

Fri, 24 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups, Minority Law Enforcement Join in Supporting AB 1264 - California "Driving While Black or Brown" Law

Fri, 24 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

ACLU Sues Oakland to Block Enforcement of Unconstitutional Vehicle Seizure Ordinance

Tue, 21 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

High School Students to Research tribal Sovereignty

Sat, 18 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Respond to Proposition 227 Ruling

Wed, 15 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

ACLU Defends CA Library Against Parent Seeking to Compel Internet Censorship

Fri, 10 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

LIVERMORE -- Moving to defend online free speech in libraries, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, today filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting a California library's policy of providing uncensored access to the Internet.

Hearing Set for July 15th in Legal Challenge to Proposition 227

Thu, 09 Jul 1998 12:07:00 PST

Motion Filed to Block Implementation of Proposition 227; Hearing Set for July 15th

Fri, 12 Jun 1998 12:06:00 PST

Nation's Largest Security Guard Firm to Pay Up to $2.1 Million to Settle Class Action Against Employee "Political Litmus" Test

Thu, 04 Jun 1998 12:06:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Announce Class Action

Wed, 03 Jun 1998 12:06:00 PST

ACLU, PUEBLO Charge Oakland City Council with Convening Illegal Closed Door Meetings

Wed, 27 May 1998 12:05:00 PST

Students Sue Morgan Hill School District for Harassment

Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:04:00 PST

Students Sue Morgan Hill School District for Harassment

Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:04:00 PST

SAN JOSE, CA -- Five present and former high school students today filed a lawsuit in federal District Court here charging that an area school district refused to take any action to protect them from ongoing harassment on the basis of gender and perceived sexual orientation.

ACLU Applauds Ruling on San Francisco's Domestic Partners Equal Benefits Ordinance

Fri, 10 Apr 1998 12:04:00 PST

Civil Rights Groups Sue Governor For Blocking Information on Discrimination

Thu, 02 Apr 1998 12:04:00 PST

Vehicle Seizure and Forfeiture Law Deemed Illegal in Oakland

Tue, 31 Mar 1998 12:03:00 PST

High School Students Head to Sacramento to Investigate Legislative Process and Civil Rights at ACLU Student Conference

Thu, 26 Mar 1998 12:03:00 PST

At the seventh annual "Say What??!! Students Celebrating Freedom of Expression Conference" 700 high school students from 30 high schools throughout northern California will investigate youth civil rights issues and discuss strategies on how they can impact the Legislature on bills which affect young people. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 31, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Sacramento Convention Center.

ACLU Asks SF Mayor to Ensure City Employees' Free Speech Rights

Wed, 11 Feb 1998 12:02:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The ACLU of Northern California today asked San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to issue a directive to ensure that "city employees who wish to exercise their constitutional rights may do so without fear of reprisal."

ACLU Hails Victory as California Library Agrees to Remove Internet Filters from Public Computers

Wed, 28 Jan 1998 12:01:00 PST

ACLU Warns of Legal Action if CA Library Keeps Internet Filters on Public Computers

Wed, 21 Jan 1998 12:01:00 PST

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- In a letter sent today to city officials in Kern County, California, the American Civil Liberties Union said it may take legal action if officials do not remove Internet filtering software from public library computers within 10 days.

Teacher Exonerated for Allowing Discussion of "Ellen" TV Show

Tue, 16 Dec 1997 12:12:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing has closed the file on the complaint filed against Alameda teacher Victoria Forrester, because she allowed a short student-initiated discussion about the TV show "Ellen" in her classroom.

Ninth Circuit to Hear Arguments on Journalists' Access to Executions

Mon, 08 Dec 1997 12:12:00 PST

On December 11, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in the ACLU-NC case on behalf of journalists challenging the state's shielding execution procedures from the view of journalists and other witnesses as a violation of the First Amendment. The case will be argued by ACLU-NC cooperating attorney David Fried.

Individuals Convicted for Consensual Gay Sex before 1976 to Be Dropped from Sex Offender Registry

Wed, 12 Nov 1997 12:11:00 PST

Justices Decline to Hear Challenge To California's Anti-Affirmative Action Initiative

Mon, 03 Nov 1997 12:11:00 PST

Supreme Court Allows Implementation of California's Prop. 209

Thu, 04 Sep 1997 12:09:00 PST

California High Court Strikes Down Parental Consent Law

Wed, 06 Aug 1997 12:08:00 PST

Medical Groups, Women's Advocates Applaud California Supreme Court Abortion Ruling

Tue, 05 Aug 1997 12:08:00 PST

CA County Barred From Forcing Welfare Applicants From Taking Written "Drug Test"

Mon, 04 Aug 1997 12:08:00 PST

Students to Investigate CA's Juvenile Justice System

Mon, 04 Aug 1997 12:08:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- From a boy's boot camp in Sloughouse to the prison cells of Chowchilla, 27 high school students will later this month embark on an intense trip through California's juvenile justice system.

Court Orders San Francisco to Pay Legal Fees in Begging Case

Fri, 11 Jul 1997 12:07:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- In the final installment of an eight-year legal battle that resulted in a landmark decision that the First Amendment protects the right of poor people to request funds, US District Judge William Orrick has ordered the City to pay $323,785.56 in fees and costs in Blair v. Shanahan.

Federal Court to Hear Suit on Cutoff Of SSI Benefits for Elderly, Disabled Immigrants

Tue, 17 Jun 1997 12:06:00 PST

Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Concerning Rights of Baptized Sikh Students to Wear Symbolic Ceremonial Knives to School

Thu, 12 Jun 1997 12:06:00 PST

The Livingston Union School District and the ACLU of Northern California announced today that they have resolved a lawsuit concerning the rights of baptized Sikh students to wear symbolic ceremonial knives -- known as kirpans -- to school.

Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Concerning Rights of Baptized Sikh Students to Wear Symbolic Ceremonial Knives to School

Thu, 12 Jun 1997 12:06:00 PST

Appeals Court Bars INS From Deporting Palestinians

Wed, 11 Jun 1997 12:06:00 PST

San Francisco Housing Authority Challenged For Use of Juvenile Arrest Records in Evictions

Thu, 05 Jun 1997 12:06:00 PST

ACLU: Oakland Should Ask Hard Questions

Wed, 21 May 1997 12:05:00 PST

Judge Denies California Governor's Motion To Stop Lawsuit Against Regents

Mon, 19 May 1997 12:05:00 PST

Berkeley Drops Anti-Solicitation, Anti-Sitting Laws; Council's Vote Will Settle ACLU Class Action Lawsuit

Wed, 14 May 1997 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a move applauded by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and other advocates for the rights of the poor, the City of Berkeley City Council has agreed to repeal its controversial ordinances that prohibited sitting and peaceful solicitation on the streets of Berkeley.

Civil Rights Advocates Ask U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Case on Civil Anti-Gang Injunctions

Thu, 01 May 1997 12:05:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- Civil rights advocates have filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking review of the California Supreme Court’s January 30 decision in People ex rel. Gallo v. Acuna, which upheld a preliminary injunction -- based on public nuisance law -- against young Latinos who the City of San Jose branded as gang members.

CA Top Court to Rehear Key Abortion Rights Case

Wed, 30 Apr 1997 12:04:00 PST

Civil Rights Advocates Appeal Decision on 209; Say Panel's Ruling "Ignores Law, Society's Racism"

Tue, 22 Apr 1997 12:04:00 PST

CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES WILL APPEAL DECISION ON 209 THREE-JUDGE PANEL'S RULING "IGNORES LAW, SOCIETY'S RACISM"

Tue, 08 Apr 1997 12:04:00 PST

Civil Rights Lawyers File Suit in U.S. District Court to Protect Elderly, Blind and Disabled Immigrants from Losing SSI Benefits

Wed, 26 Mar 1997 12:03:00 PST

ACLU Files Suit Against Galt High School Charging Use of Drug-Sniffing Dogs and Unreasonable Searches and Seizures Violate Students' and Teachers' Rights

Wed, 19 Mar 1997 12:03:00 PST

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear San Francisco's Appeal in Mt. Davidson Cross Case

Mon, 17 Mar 1997 12:03:00 PST

Federal District Court Bans San Quentin's Secret Execution Procedures

Thu, 13 Mar 1997 12:03:00 PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has upheld the First Amendment right to view California’s executions by lethal injection in the case California First Amendment Coalition v. Calderon.

U.S. District Court Rules On San Quentin's Secret Execution Procedures

Mon, 03 Mar 1997 12:03:00 PST

On February 28, 1997, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker upheld the First Amendment right to view California's executions by lethal injection in the case California First Amendment Coalition v. Calderon. Walker ruled that public witnesses - including the media - have a constitutionally protected right to observe executions and that there was no evidence that media presence jeopardizes prison security or the safety of prison personnel.

A New Frontier of Reproductive Freedom for U.S. Women

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:08:00 PST

Imagine you’re a soldier stationed overseas and discover you’re pregnant. If you want to have an abortion but are living in a country where it’s illegal, you might as well be living in pre-Roe v. Wade America. Why? Current federal law prohibits almost all abortion services at U.S. military hospitals, even if a woman pays for the procedure herself. So, like a woman in the 1950s, you can fly to another country to obtain safe, legal abortion care (if you can afford to travel and can arrange leave) or take your chances with an unsafe, illegal, local or self-induced abortion.

Oakland Gang Injunction is a False Solution

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:05:00 PST

The Oakland City Attorney's proposed gang injunction is a misguided tactic for curbing violence, and a misappropriation of scarce public safety dollars. Being smart on crime requires winning strategies to enforce existing laws today and invest in community programs that change the climate of violence over the long term. Oakland faces a serious problem with violent crime, but also deserves meaningful, long-term solutions to its problems.

As Death Penalty Cases Fade, L.A. County Pays to Buck the Trend

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:04:00 PST

As California's economic crisis forces courtrooms and courthouses around the state to close their doors, access to justice is becoming scarcer. L.A. County, home to California's largest trial court system, has been feeling the pain of those court closures most. Meanwhile, a parallel trend is exacerbating the budget crisis: L.A. County has become the leading death penalty county in the U.S. In 2009 more people were sentenced to death in L.A. County than even the state of Texas, the longtime leader in this grim statistic.

Electronic Privacy Law Needs a Facelift

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:04:00 PST

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) is the federal law that is supposed to protect digital privacy, but was enacted in 1986 and has never been revised. As daily activities become more digital, from communicating with clients and friends online to using GPS-enabled phones, obsolete electronic privacy law increasingly exposes personal information. We must modernize ECPA so that we do not have to choose between new technologies and privacy.

Prisons and the Budget: Key Reforms Can Still Save Billions of Dollars

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:10:00 PST

When Legislators returned from their summer break in mid-August, the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) greeted them with its "Prison Population and Budget Reduction Package." The package came complete with the seal of approval from the Republican Governor and the Democratic leaders of the Senate and Assembly. It promised to reduce California's prison population by 37,000 over two years, and the associated costs by $1.2 billion this fiscal year. And the plan came awfully close to achieving the mandate of the three-judge federal panel, which ordered the state to reduce its prison population by 40,000 in two years.

A Lesson From Berkeley on School Desegregation

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:09:00 PST

Despite strong public support for school diversity and a growing body of research showing that integrated schools benefit all of our children, students nationwide return this fall to public schools more segregated than they were in 1970.

Getting Smart on Crime Could Help Save State Budget

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:08:00 PST

Fiscal realities may finally motivate elected officials to become “smarter on crime.” In California, the ACLU actively lobbied for parole and sentencing reforms as part of the budget solution. Any dollar saved could be allocated for more pressing social needs.

Thousands of Reasons to End the Death Penalty

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:08:00 PST

Hundreds of people traveled to Sacramento from all corners of the state on June 30 to offer impassioned and often intensely personal testimony about why they believe the time has come to end California’s death penalty system.

Keep local law enforcement out of immigration matters

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:07:00 PST

As the Obama administration and Congress consider comprehensive immigration reform, the goal will be to reach a middle ground that ensures strong immigration enforcement while providing opportunities for millions of undocumented residents to come out of the shadows.

CLOSE TO HOME: Sex mis-education in schools

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:06:00 PST

American culture pelts young people with confusing images of sex in movies, music and advertising. The last thing teenagers need is to receive more misinformation about sex in school. That’s the crux of the controversy over Free to Be, an agency teaching in Sonoma public schools.

The Death Penalty is a Waste

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico recently told reporters that he is reconsidering his view of the death penalty and he may well sign a bill to end the practice in New Mexico. Just a few years ago, Richardson’s support for the death penalty remained strong. But a lot has changed in the last few years—across the country and here in California—and those changes are making more and more people reconsider the death penalty.

Pena Capital es un Despilfarro

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:03:00 PST

Es posible que sea políticamente conveniente para algunos procuradores de distrito asegurar que los contribuyentes deberían estar dispuestos a pagar los gastos de la pena de muerte, sin importar el costo. Pero cada vez más ex fiscales, agentes del orden público y familias de las víctimas están pidiendo que se ponga fin al engaño. Los familiares de 15 víctimas de asesinato dijeron a la comisión, patrocinada por el Senado, que la pena de muerte gasta el dinero que se necesita para otras prioridades relacionadas con la seguridad pública; por ejemplo resolver más asesinatos y sacar a más personas peligrosas de la calle. Casi 50 ex fiscales, jueces y agentes del orden público repitieron esos comentarios. Todos ellos están de acuerdo con que tenemos más necesidades fundamentales relacionadas con la seguridad pública y no tenemos más dinero para despilfarrar con la pena de muerte.

Shed Sunshine on Police Records of Drunk Arrests

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:12:00 PST

Amid the swirling controversy over the San Jose Police Department's practice of arresting large numbers of people — especially Latinos — under the state public-intoxication law, the department is damaging its reputation by choosing secrecy over transparency.

THE DECEPTIVE DANGERS OF PROP 4

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:10:00 PST

ACLU-NC attorney Margaret Crosby's analysis of Prop 4 (parental notification/teen safety).

Letter to the Editor - Crime cameras useless, anyway

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:06:00 PST

Your article and front page headline on budget cuts to San Francisco’s surveillance camera program suggest that the program has somehow been successful (“Crime cameras out of the picture?” June 27). This is not the case.

Letter to the Editor - Teen behavior

Sat, 24 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

Editor - As Nanette Asimov's article notes ("Violence suspensions signal trouble in schools," May 19), violence and bullying in schools is a real and disturbing phenomenon. In addressing this issue, however, it is important to adopt solutions that are appropriate and effective and that do not result in unintended consequences.

What to do when marriage ruling is announced

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

The clock is ticking down on the California Supreme Court's ruling on whether same-sex couples can marry. The court heard oral arguments on March 4 and can issue a decision between now and June 2.

Meanwhile, anti-gay groups aren't waiting on the decision to mobilize. They've reportedly gathered enough signatures for a November ballot measure that would write discrimination into the California Constitution by barring same-sex couples from marriage.

Letter to the Editor - Condemned by a lie

Sat, 10 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

Editor - Tuesday's decision by the California Supreme Court to reverse the death sentence of Adam Miranda shows why the governor was so wrong when he vetoed bills to prevent wrongful convictions and wrongful death sentences ("Death sentence overturned").

Letter to the Editor - Prevent convicting innocent people

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:05:00 PST

The California Supreme Court's decision to reverse the death sentence of Adam Miranda shows why the governor was so wrong when he vetoed bills to prevent wrongful convictions and wrongful death sentences. Miranda spent 26 years on California's death row because of the lies of an informant, who testified that Miranda had committed a murder the informant himself had committed.

Police chiefs should support bill

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:03:00 PST

This week, police chiefs from throughout California are gathering in Fresno for the annual meeting of the California Police Chiefs Association (Cal Chiefs). While Cal Chiefs serves as an important forum for law enforcement leaders to exchange best practices, build relationships and learn about trends in law enforcement, Cal Chiefs also takes positions on legislation and is currently opposing transparency and openness around police misconduct in a way that is contrary to the public interest. Cal Chiefs is opposing SB 1019, a bill written by Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles. The bill would restore public access to information about police misconduct, which was made secret by the August 2006 California Supreme Court case Copley Press v. Superior Court.