ACLU in CA legislative records

On Education: End suspension of students for willful defiance of authority

Legislative Summary: AB420: This bill would eliminate the authority to suspend a pupil in kindergarten or grades 1 to 3, and the authority to recommend for expulsion a pupil in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, for disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of those school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.

Analysis by ACLU of Northern California, Oct 20, 2014: Gov. Brown signed AB 420 which will eliminate the most extreme uses of harsh discipline under the category of "willful defiance." Gov. Brown's signature on AB420 represents a huge step forward for students in California. The enactment of AB 420 places our state at the front of the pack: we are leading in making meaningful advancements in civil liberties as other states turn in the opposition direction.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 24-8-8 on Aug/19/14; Passed Assembly 62-16-1 on Aug/21/14; Signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sep/27/14

Source: ACLU of Northern California: analysis of voting record AB420 Oct 20, 2014

On Government Reform: Neighborhood districting increases minority representation

ACLU argument in favor of AB 182: The California Voting Rights Act empowers citizens to challenge unlawful vote dilution in local at-large election systems where racially polarized voting exists. AB 182 extends these protections to single- member district systems & provides clearer guidance for judges on how to design appropriate remedies to ensure that jurisdictions do not continue to dilute the voices & votes of protected communities.

SFGate.com veto analysis:Gov. Brown said that existing laws "already ensure that the voting strength of minority communities is not diluted." The 2002 law allows minority groups to challenge at-large (city-wide) elections, increasing the likelihood of control by a white majority. [Since 2002] over 100 local governments switched to district elections. The [new] law could challenge district lines if intended to dilute minority votes.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 26-14-0; Passed Assembly 53-24-3; Vetoed on 10/10/15.

Source: ACLU on California voting record AB 182 Sep 22, 2015

On Abortion: Provide full reproductive services in jails and prisons

Support by ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union, Aug. 2020):Ensures that pregnant people who are incarcerated receive comprehensive, unbiased information about their reproductive options, get access to timely prenatal and postnatal care, and receive reasonable accommodations and support that help ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Summary by ACLU-SoCal:California law and the US Constitution require jails to provide health care for incarcerated persons, which includes reproductive health care. But pregnant people who are incarcerated often receive biased, coercive information about their reproductive options, get substandard prenatal and postnatal care that endangers their health, and are denied reasonable accommodations that help ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. That's why we need AB 732.

Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 33-1-6 on Aug/29/20; passed Assembly 63-0-16 on Aug/30/20; Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept/30/20

Source: ACLU summary of California Legislative voting record AB732 Aug 30, 2020

The above quotations are from Legislative voting records for California House and Senate. Click here for other excerpts from Legislative voting records for California House and Senate. Click here for other excerpts by ACLU. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Mar 09, 2024