ACTION ALERT - The California Racial Justice Act for All (AB256)

The California Racial Justice for All Act, AB256, sponsored by Assembly Member Ash Kalra (District 27), seeks to improve on the 2020 California Racial Justice Act, which prohibits the state from seeking or obtaining a criminal conviction, or from imposing a sentence, based upon race, ethnicity or national origin. That landmark act made it possible for a person charged or convicted of a crime to challenge racial bias in their case, but it wasn't made retroactive, as implementation of the law began on January 1st, 2021. AB 256 is designed to extend these overdue protections retroactively to include those currently impacted by racially biased and unfair convictions and sentences.

AB256

AB256 was released from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, but included a surprising amendment that allows the courts to find some forms of racial discrimination "harmless error."

Let us repeat that:

...allows the courts to find some forms of racial discrimination "harmless error."

We are urgently asking for your help in using your social media feeds to send the message LOUD AND CLEAR to the California Legislature that racism is never harmless.



Some sample tweets/posts:

Racism in our courts is never harmless. #ConfrontRacism Pass #AB256 California Racial Justice Act For ALL #CALeg #RJA4A

Racial discrimination in our courts is never harmless. It hurts the individual, it hurts the community, it hurts our system of justice. Pass #AB256 California Racial Justice Act For ALL #ConfrontRacism #CALeg #RJA4A

For some graphics to use on your tweet, visit this Google Doc.

To read more about AB256, visit the Bill Page on ACLU California Action.