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Activists Successfully End Federal Militarization of Los Angeles School Police Department

LOS ANGELES (May 30, 2016) – Dedicated activists in Los Angeles forced the end to federal militarization of law enforcement on a hyper-local level, demonstrating the power of a bottom up approach when confronting federal power. After 18 months of pressure and activism, the Labor/Community Strategy Center reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified…

Ohio House Passes Bill to Close Federal Asset Forfeiture Loophole

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 30, 2016) – Last week, the Ohio House passed a bill that would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in the majority of cases. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off…

Podcast: Big Brother and the Effects of the Surveillance State

In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I share a personal story that demonstrates the very real impact of the surveillance state on everyday behavior. Since the Edward Snowden revelations, Americans have become much more aware of the ever-growing surveillance state. But they don’t really seem to care. Many believe they have nothing to…

New Survey: Over Two-Thirds of California Voters Oppose Asset Forfeiture

One thing Californians agree on is their opposition to laws that allow law enforcement to seize and keep people’s cash and property merely for being suspects of a crime, also known as asset forfeiture (learn more here). That’s according to a two new surveys by the Public Policy Polling. The surveys found “overwhelming statewide and…

Massachusetts House Committee Passes Bill to Restrict ALPR Use; Help Block National License Plate Tracking Program

BOSTON, Mass. (May 27, 2016) – A Massachusetts House committee has passed a bill that would put limitations on the storage and sharing of information collected by law enforcement agencies using Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the…

New York Assembly Committee Passes Bill Allowing People to Opt Out of Smart Meters; Undermine Federal Program

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 27, 2016) – A second New York Assembly committee has passed a bill that would allow customers to opt out of installing “smart meter” technology on their homes and businesses. Final passage of this bill would allow New Yorkers to protect their own privacy, and it would take a step toward blocking…

California Assembly Passes Bill Taking on Drone Surveillance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 26, 2016) – On Monday, the California Assembly passed a bill that would restrict warrantless drone surveillance by state and local law enforcement. If ultimately signed into law, the legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state. Assemblyman Bill…

Police Militarization Program a Federally-Sponsored Gunshow that Never Ends

Despite growing awareness and even public outrage in the wake of unrest in Ferguson, the federal government continues to equip state and local police departments with military weapons. According to a new report by Open the Books, the feds transferred $2.2 billion worth of military gear to state and local agencies through Federal Program 1033…