January 17, 2020 Morgan Hill Joins Amah Mutsun Tribe in Opposing Proposed Sargent Ranch Gravel Mine By Michael Moore Although the city lacks authority to deny the project, its symbolic gesture adds to a growing movement to preserve the land. Read More 8
September 19, 2019 Three-Year Moratorium on Facial-Recognition in Cop Cams Awaits Gov. Newsom’s Signature By Nicholas Chan Proponents of the ban say it will prevent a tool meant to hold police accountable from turning into a means of spying on the public. Read More 2
September 16, 2019 New State Law Rewrites the Rules for Police Use of Force—But Not Much Changes for SJPD By Nicholas Chan While AB 392 raises the standard for when police can use deadly force, SB 230 will overhaul training manuals to reflect the new threshold. Read More 2
August 21, 2019 Gov. Newsom Signs Landmark Police Use-of-Force Bill Into Law By Nicholas Chan Come Jan. 1, 2020, California police will only be allowed to resort to deadly force if they have no other options. Read More 4
July 26, 2019 ACLU Plans to Sue President Trump Over Deportation Policy By Nicholas Chan The national civil rights nonprofit says the federal removal program will deprive migrants of their rights to due process. Read More 6
July 8, 2019 Can California Crack Down on Deepfakes Without Violating First Amendment Rights? By Ben Christopher It’s unclear whether a ban on convincing video forgeries, known as deepfakes, would pass constitutional muster. Read More 1
May 23, 2019 Vote on Jail Calls Contract Tests County’s Commitment to Landmark Surveillance Policy By Jennifer Wadsworth A proposal granting prosecutors on-demand access to inmate calls became a test of the county’s fidelity to its own oversight standards. Read More 7
May 15, 2019 Without Robust Grassroots Support, a Death Penalty Repeal May Be a Tough Sell in 2020 By Tom Gogola Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s moratorium on capital punishment, will California voters finally put the death penalty out of its misery? Read More 5
April 26, 2019 Law Enforcement Backs Down on Deadly Force Standard—For Now By Laurel Rosenhall, CALmatters The debate over how to curb police shootings shifted Tuesday as law enforcement groups agreed to drop a part of their bill. Read More 21
April 11, 2019 Factions Take Shape as California Advances Nationally Watched Police Shooting Bill By Laurel Rosenhall, CALmatters Fault lines among Democrats began to emerge this week, suggesting AB 392 will likely change as it moves through the Legislature. Read More 12
February 2, 2019 Can a New Law Curb Police Shootings? Lawmakers Plan to Put That Question to the Test By Laurel Rosenhall, CALmatters After months of lobbying by opponents, lawmakers shelved a reform bill over the summer—but promised to deliver a new version this year. Read More 11
November 13, 2018 Vote by Mail? Better Make Sure Your Ballot Wasn’t Rejected By Elizabeth Castillo, CALmatters Anyone who dropped off or mailed a ballot Nov. 6 should check its status, because a missing or a mismatched signature could void their vote. Read More 5
October 26, 2018 New California Laws Open Some Law Enforcement Records By Michael Moore Body-cams, 911 calls and dash cams will be more accessible under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown this month. Read More 2
September 19, 2018 California Ends Money Bail, But Reformers Say Landmark Law Gives Judges Too Much Power By Silicon Valley Newsroom What would have been a milestone for social justice advocates instead exposed deep divisions in the criminal justice movement. Read More 2
May 9, 2018 ACLU Denounces Defamation Threat Against Santa Clara County Schools Trustee By The Fly The ACLU is defending a South Bay school official who was threatened with litigation for asking critical questions about a charter petition. Read More 3
March 15, 2018 Silicon Valley Students Take a Stand Against Gun Violence By Silicon Valley Newsroom Thousands of students throughout the Bay Area walked out of their classes on Wednesday to take a stand against gun violence. Read More 2
