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SAN FRANCISCO — Before 1995, the state of California considered young people under the age of 16 as children by law. With the advent of the “tough on crime” era of the late 1990s, the law changed to allow for the adult prosecution of 14-and 15-year-old children who were shamefully described as “super predators”. Youth of color bore the brunt of this draconian law. Between 2007-2016, compared to... Read More

SACRAMENTO — Voting rights groups, the California Secretary of State, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) have filed a joint request for a stipulated federal court order outlining several steps the Secretary and DMV will take to correct errors related to the delayed transmission of voter registrations submitted to DMV, and to prevent such errors in the future. The League of Women Voters ... Read More

SACRAMENTO – Today, the ACLU of California, faith-based organizations, police reform advocates, labor unions, and families who have lost loved ones to police violence called on the legislature to pass AB 392: The California Act to Save Lives. The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) to bring California’s deadly use of force law in line with best practices to avoid dead... Read More

As a nation, we must address the brutal reality and deadly consequences of police violence. We have seen far too many people, particularly Black and brown people, killed by police. We have seen too many families and communities shattered by loss and tragedy. Enough is enough. We must limit when police officers can use deadly force and take someone’s life. Read More

Today, in a ruling in Contra Costa Superior Court, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) blocked an effort by six police unions that are seeking to prevent the enforcement of SB 1421 by keeping files private that were created before January 1, when the new law took hold. SB 1421 makes public previously secret information about officers who shoot, kill, or engage in serious misconduct like fals... Read More

Over the past few years, the Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District (KTJUSD) has become increasingly less transparent, less open to community input, and less accountable to parents, tribes, and community members. As the Executive Director of the Hoopa Tribal Education Association, I hear from frustrated parents and students almost every day. The wide range of alarming concerns tribal member... Read More

SAN DIEGO — Please attribute the following statement to Norma Chavez-Peterson, executive director of the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, speaking on behalf of the three California ACLU affiliates, with regards to Governor Gavin Newsom’s reassignment of National Guard troops from the state’s southern border: Read More

Download the Fall 2018 ACLU of Northern California Newsletter and read about our latest events and initiatives. Read More

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

The ACLU of Northern California filed suit against the city of Berkeley on behalf of Berkeleyside, an online publication that was denied police records under the police transparency bill SB 1421. On Jan. 2, 2019, Berkeleyside requested records now available under the historic new law. On Jan. 18, the Berkeley City Attorney responded and refused to release any records created before Jan. 1. T... Read More