COMMUNITY VICTORY! Governor Newsom has signed AB 1071 (Kalra) into law! 

Thank you to this community and all of our co-sponsors for your relentless determination to build on and strengthen the Racial Justice Act!

AB 1071 “The Racial Justice Act: Court Procedures” authored by Assemblymember Kalra will build on the Racial Justice Act/Racial Justice Act 4 All by making clarifying changes to ensure that RJA claims are processed in accordance with the original intent of the law. 

AB 1071 (Kalra) will affirm a low threshold for the appointment of counsel, ensure access to discovery, and reaffirm the importance of the courts imposing remedies that eliminate bias and redress past harms. 

Background on the Racial Justice Act/ Racial Justice Act 4 All: The California Racial Justice Act (RJA), first enacted in Assembly Bill 2542 (Kalra), extends civil rights in the courtroom to empower individuals to challenge racist conduct against them in their criminal court proceedings. With its successor, Assembly Bill 256 (Kalra), signed into law in 2022, everyone can use the RJA to challenge racism in their California state convictions or sentences. The passage of AB 1071 strengthens the RJA even further. Stay tuned for continued efforts to fully realize the RJA! 

Co-Sponsors: American Friends Service Committee, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, California Public Defenders Association, Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), Initiate Justice, Silicon Valley DeBug, and USF Racial Justice Clinic.