News

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

SACRAMENTO – Today, Senator Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) unveiled amendments to bail reform legislation, Senate Bill 10, he introduced in 2016. Natasha Minsker, Center Director for the ACLU of California Center for Advocacy and Policy, issued the following statement in response to the changes in the bill: For years, California’s money bail system has been among the most egregious examples of a two... Read More

SAN FRANCISCO – Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.) today wrote to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demanding a meeting to discuss Amazon’s face surveillance product Rekognition. The letter comes after the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California released results of a test this morning revealing that Rekognition falsely matched 28 current members of Congress with image... Read More

Today the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California released the results of a test revealing that Amazon’s facial surveillance product Rekognition falsely matched 28 current members of Congress with images in an arrest photo database. In the ACLU’s test, legislators from both parties, from states across the country, were falsely matched. Congressional members of color we... Read More

SACRAMENTO — Today, a federal judge blocked the City of Sacramento's anti-panhandling ordinance. The ACLU Foundation of Northern California and the Legal Services of Northern California issued the following response: Today’s ruling is a resounding victory for free speech and fairness, and is the first in California to make clear that the government can’t arbitrarily enact anti-panhandling ordin... Read More

SB 1421 will open California police use of force records and records of officers found guilty of committing misconduct, like planting evidence and sexually assaulting members of the public. Read More

Today, the California Senate Appropriations Committee advanced legislation to open law enforcement misconduct and use of force records. Read More

The ACLU Foundation of Northern California and the Pacific Institute today released a report detailing the lack of access to sanitation faced by many communities in California, despite the state’s recognition of a right to water for sanitary purposes. Read More

Today the American Civil Liberties Foundation of Northern California submitted a Public Records Act Request seeking information about racial discrimination and harassment at Visalia Unified School District. Read More

California legislators heard and responded to the community’s call for action by introducing landmark legislation to change the law governing deadly use of force by police, and to require the disclosure of information about investigations into police use of force and misconduct. Read More

The ACLU Foundation of Northern California joins Sacramento community members in their outrage around the killing of 22-year-old Stephon Clark, who was fatally shot by Sacramento police on Sunday. Read More

The ACLU Foundation of Southern California and the ACLU of Northern California have filed suit against Bakersfield Police Department officers. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of passenger Robert Mitchell, who exercised his constitutional right to not give his identity or other information to the officers as he was not suspected of a crime. Read More