Today, we celebrate the defeat of two terrible bills that would have unleashed at least $4 billion dollars in prison & jail construction funding on communities across California.
This victory sends a clear message that Californians want a different future for their state and are willing to TAKE ACTION for a future that prioritizes jobs, education, housing, and healthcare over prisons and jails.
This victory against SB 1377 and AB 2356 reflects the fighting spirit and creative organizing of people all over California—from Los Angeles, to the Central Valley, from the Bay Area, to San Diego.
We are inspired by the determination of Californians organizing against the devastation of imprisonment, while also building up a vision of strong and healthy communities.
We hope the momentum created by this victory can help us defeat the new $500 million for jail construction and all other prison expansion projects that are still in this year’s proposed budget.
We hope that this victory can be another stepping stone in a new path forward for California communities.
Big thank you to the many individuals & organizations that joined the call against SB 1377 and/or AB 2356: All of Us or None – National, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American Friends Service Committee, A New Path, Architects Designers Planners for Social Responsibility, California Calls, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, California Families Against Solitary Confinement, Californians for Safety and Justice, California Partnership, Community Works: Project What!, Critical Resistance, Communities United Against Violence, Californians United for a Responsible Budget, Courage Campaign, Dignity and Power Now, Drug Policy Alliance, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Families to Amend California’s Three Strikes, Fair Chance Project, Friends Committee on Legislation California, Inland Congregations United for Change, Isidore Recycling, Justice Now, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Los Angeles Community Action Network, Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership, National Lawyers Guild- SF Bay Area Chapter, Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, PICO California, Returning Home, The Sentencing Project, Sin Barras, Starting Over, Students Against Mass Incarceration (SAMI), The Other Death Penalty Project, The Sentencing Project, UC Berkeley Black Student Union, United Against Police Terror San Diego, Violence Prevention Coalition, Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP), Women’s Council of the CA Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Women’s Foundation & Youth Justice Coalition.
