There are many who seek to consolidate their power at the expense of others, and the ACLU helps balance the scales by defending justice, freedom and fairness.
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VICTORY! US Supreme Court invalidates patents on BRCA1 and BRCA2
Should companies be able to patent human genes? Today, the Supreme Court answered that profound question with a resounding NO. Seems like common sense, right? But over the last 30 years, the U.S. Patent Office has issued patents on thousands … Continue reading
Press Release: Bill supporting transgender students goes to the senate floor
SACRAMENTO—Today, the California Senate Education Committee passed AB 1266 (Ammiano), the School Success and Opportunity Act, a bill that provides crucial support for transgender students, by a vote of 5-2. Bill Supporting Transgender Students Goes to the Senate Floor
Press Release: Clovis parents ask school district to reject inadequate sex ed proposal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 12, 2013 Parents are asking the Clovis Unified School District to reject a proposed high school sex education curriculum, saying that it is inadequate and still contains dangerous misinformation about sexual health. The school board is … Continue reading
ACLU challenges NSA’s Patriot Act phone surveillance
In the wake of the past week’s revelations about the NSA’s unprecedented mass surveillance of phone calls, today the ACLU filed a lawsuit charging that the program violates Americans’ constitutional rights of free speech, association, and privacy. This lawsuit comes … Continue reading
Press Release: ACLU/SC commends LA DA Jackie Lacey for new policies on disclosure of exculpatory evidence
LOS ANGELES – The ACLU of Southern California commends LA District Attorney Jackie Lacey for adopting new policies that address the way that the DA’s office maintains and discloses evidence of misconduct by police officers and other governmental employees. The … Continue reading
ACLU calls for end to program, disclosure of program’s scope, congressional investigation
NEW YORK – Using the Patriot Act, the U.S. government has been secretly tracking the calls of every Verizon Business Network Services customer – whom they talked to, from where, and for how long – for the past 41 days, … Continue reading
Press Release: ACLU Challenges Immigration Enforcement Agencies’ Practices of Tearing Families Apart Through Coercion
LOS ANGELES — Using misinformation, deception, and coercion, Border Patrol and ICE officers have pressured hundreds, if not thousands, of Mexican nationals with deep roots here in the United States into forfeiting their right to a fair hearing and a … Continue reading
The War on Marijuana in Black and White: Billions of Dollars Wasted on Racially Biased Arrests
NEW YORK – Black people are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people despite comparable usage rates, according to a report released today by the American Civil Liberties Union. The report also found that … Continue reading
Sandra Fluke and Others Honored at the ACLU/SC 19th Annual Law Luncheon
LOS ANGELES – The ACLU of Southern California hosted its 19th Annual Law Luncheon, today, where it honored individuals dedicated to civil liberties. Attorney and advocate Sandra Fluke received the Courageous Advocacy Award and delivered the keynote address to over … Continue reading
CA Assembly Passes Bill to Expand Abortion Access
SACRAMENTO – Today the California Assembly passed AB 154 – the Early Access to Abortion bill – by a vote of 48-24. The bill moves on to the state Senate. Authored by Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), AB … Continue reading
ACLU of California Challenges Dept of Corrections’ Plans to Restrict Access to Religious Items
LOS ANGELES – Proposed regulations by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that deny American indigenous inmates access to numerous religious items need to be rejected, the ACLU of California said in a comment letter sent late yesterday. The regulations … Continue reading
EFF and ACLU sue Los Angeles law enforcement agencies over automatic license-plate reader records
Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department withheld data in violation of the California Public Records Act LOS ANGELES – The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California (ACLU/SC) today … Continue reading
Federal Court Strikes Down City Ordinance Limiting Free Speech
PASADENA — The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a major decision in a case the ACLU of Southern California filed in 2006. It struck down an ordinance in the city of Costa Mesa that limited free speech at its … Continue reading
Students, Parents, and Teachers Sue the State of California over Widespread Denial of Instruction to English Learner Students
Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit after State Education Officials Failed to Act in Response to January 2013 Report Documenting the Illegal Practice LOS ANGELES — The ACLU of California (ACLU), the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), and the law … Continue reading
Federal Court Orders Legal Representation for Immigrant Detainees With Mental Disabilities
California Court Says Vulnerable Immigrants in Removal Proceedings Unable to Represent Themselves Must Get Counsel and a Hearing LOS ANGELES – A federal district judge has ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Attorney General, and the Executive Office … Continue reading
