News

SACRAMENTO – Today, the ACLU of California and a diverse coalition of civil rights, racial justice, and digital privacy organizations sent a joint letter urging the California Senate Public Safety Committee to support AB 1215: The Body Camera Accountability Act. AB 1215, introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), prevents California law enforcement from adding this surveillance tech... Read More

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Assembly voted to pass Assembly Bill 392: The California Act to Save Lives, critical legislation that will change the use of force standard in California to a “necessary” standard to reduce the number of police shootings. If passed and signed into law, AB 392 will transform California from a state with one of the most permissive use of force laws, to a state with... Read More

SAN FRANCISCO – In response to intensifying pressure from UCSF students and faculty, policymakers, and reproductive justice and LGBTQ advocates, the UCSF Chancellor and the President and CEO of UCSF Health today announced that they will not continue to pursue expanded affiliation with Catholic hospital system Dignity Health “as it had been envisioned.” Statement from Phyllida Burlingame, Reprod... Read More

SACRAMENTO — Today, California’s Assembly passed Assembly Bill 45, authored by Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) with a vote of 44 to 19. AB 45 eliminates medical and dental copayments and charges for health care appliances in prisons and jails. “People in here refuse medical service because of copays,” said Juan Moreno Haines, an incarcerated journalist and winner of the Silver Heart ... Read More

LOS ANGELES — The chemical agent known as pepper spray is so toxic that it’s classified in California law as a tear gas weapon. But in juvenile detention facilities in many parts of California, this weapon — which can cause not only intense pain, but also blistering of the skin, respiratory arrest, and even an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks — is alarmingly overused on youths as young ... Read More

SAN FRANCISCO — The ACLU Foundation of Northern California and Goodwin Procter LLP today filed a lawsuit against ICE transportation contractor G4S Secure Solutions on behalf of four women in ICE custody who were shackled by their hands and feet, then forced to ride in a boiling, windowless van for hours with no food, water, medication or toilet access. The suit is seeking damages for the women’... Read More

SACRAMENTO — Today, the California Senate Appropriations Committee refused to advance SB 561, a bill that would allow Californians to hold tech companies accountable for privacy violations. SB 561 is authored by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, at the request of Attorney General Becerra, and supported by consumer and privacy advocates. “The legislature just put Big Tech before Californians by killi... Read More

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance, a historic law that brings accountability and oversight to surveillance technology and makes San Francisco the first city in the United States to prohibit government use of face surveillance systems.  The law was authored by Supervisor Aaron Peskin. In response to today’s vote, the coali... Read More

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the San Francisco Rules Committee unanimously voted to advance the Stop Secret Surveillance ordinance, a bill that requires that there be public notice, clear use policies, and a vote by the Board of Supervisors before a city department can acquire surveillance technology. The ordinance also prevents city departments from using face surveillance technology. The ordinance ... Read More

Download the Spring 2019 ACLU of Northern California Newsletter and read about our latest events and initiatives. Read More

SACRAMENTO — Today, the California Senate Public Safety Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 230 with substantial amendments, including an amendment requiring that SB 230’s passage be contingent on the passage of AB 392: The California Act to Save Lives. AB 392 was introduced by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) to change California’s use of force standard from the “reasonable” standard... Read More

SACRAMENTO — Today, the California Assembly Privacy Committee will hear only consumer privacy bills promoted by tech companies to weaken the California Consumer Privacy Act. This comes after AB 1760, a bill to strengthen privacy protections authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and sponsored by civil rights organizations and digital privacy advocates was pulled when committee members would not to... Read More