News & Commentary

The ACLU of Northern California today submitted an analysis of the City of Alameda’s draft policies for automated license plate readers (ALPR), which the city will discuss next Monday night at a public forum hosted by the city council.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today sent a letter to members of an Oakland City Council committee demanding there be more transparency and oversight over the city’s ongoing plans to build a domain awareness center (DAC) – essentially a central surveillance hub for law enforcement.

On Jan. 16, Congress introduced the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 — a modern-day bill to strengthen voter protections nationwide. The bill is in response to last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County v. Holder that invalidated a critical part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA): the coverage formula that determined which states and political subdivisions were subject to the law’s preclearance requirement.

Hard to believe, but until recently, all detained immigrants appearing in the civil immigration court in San Francisco were forced to give critical testimony while restrained by shackles and chains at the wrists, waist, and ankles. The inhumane practice was particularly problematic for asylum seekers and immigrants who had suffered from torture and domestic violence in the past—and it was unnecessary since the majority of immigrant detainees appearing in civil court proceedings are peaceful individuals.

We are very pleased that following our shareholder proposal, Verizon released its first transparency report today.

From all over California, people in need of abortion care travel for hours leaving behind children, partners, and dependent parents. Abortion still remains one of the safest and most sought-out medical procedures.

If there is a common theme running through the hundreds of bills restricting access to abortion passed throughout the country, it’s that women cannot be trusted to decide whether to have a baby.
But California, happily, recognizes that women are fully capable of making moral decisions about pregnancy.

This Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission will decide an important issue - whether to initiate a rulemaking to update privacy protections for the modern smartphone age. Join the ACLU of California and the Electronic Frontier Foundation and ask them to stand up for your cell phone privacy.

Nine years ago, as a result of an ACLU lawsuit, California promised $800 million help address school facility conditions that pose urgent threats to students' health and safety. The state has failed to honor that commitment. But on Friday, the governor proposed $188.1 million for the Emergency Repair Program in his budget.