Welcome to our new monthly newsletter! With the start of 2022, we are launching a fresh initiative that provides our allies with regular and comprehensive updates.
This Month: 2022 Legislative Session Begins
Alabama's 2022 Legislative Session begins TODAY. We're prepared to provide our community with all the tools you need to get involved this legislative session, starting with a virtual teach-in Werk The Lege on Tuesday, February 1.
RSVP now on our Facebook Event page to save the date!
Action Alert
Governor Ivey and other state lawmakers are still trying to spend $400 million dollars of COVID relief funds to build state prisons. Send a message to leadership in the Alabama Legislature to demand they do the right thing and reallocate these funds to address the real needs of the people of Alabama.
Tell the Legislature: People Need Covid Relief Money
News Highlights
Last year, we worked to fight against direct attacks on our communities. Some key moments include:
- Successfully challenging state legislative bills that would criminalize healthcare workers supporting trans youth and limit protections of trans children and their families. These bills ended up failing to pass during Alabama's 2021 Legislative Session.
- Our Campaign for Smart Justice reports that illustrated how:
- Alabama pardons have dropped by over 50 percent since 2019
- Almost 80 percent of pardon applications were denied in fiscal year 2021
- Publishing our inaugural "Alabama Statehouse-to-Prison Pipeline" report that examines the correlation between punitive consequences of state legislation and the over-incarceration of Alabamians.
- Filing two lawsuits to challenge Alabama's newly drawn gerrymandered voting maps for state legislative and congressional districts. We are now in court to end Alabama's decades' long pattern of using racial discrimination to maintain power.
We know that blatant attempts to dismantle Alabamians'' civil rights and liberties will not stop in 2022 – the challenges to our civil liberties are critical in these times, which is why we need you with us every step of the way.
Your voice, advocacy, and support will be crucial in making positive progress and securing wins. Let's continue making an impact together.
