[ACLU-CU ALERT] ACLU local newsletter July 2024--note the July 30 virtual event on Supreme Court

[Champaign County ACLU Announcements]

Greetings ACLU members and supporters in Champaign County!

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UPCOMING ACLU LOCAL AND STATE EVENTS

*1. Learn about recent Supreme Court decisions from experts*

ACLU Illinois, in partnership with legal allies, presents an annual review
of Supreme Court decisions once the court term is over. Attend in person or
virtually.

*Tuesday, July 30th from 12:00 – 1:30 PM in Chicago or on zoom. *

Learn more and register here:

https://www.aclu-il.org/en/events/2024-supreme-court-term-review



2. *Pride Fest Parade September 21*  We table and march every year at this
festive event! Plan to join us. Marching is always fun and we hand
out goodies to the crowd. Specific details later when the UP Center
finalizes the schedule.



3. *Know Your Rights - Voting with a Criminal Record*

*August 21 at First Followers, 1PM*

314 Cottage Ct, Champaign, IL 61820

*The ACLU Advocacy Team wants to make sure eligible voters know their
rights under **SB 2090*
<https://www.aclu-il.org/en/legislation/sb-2090-voting-jails-voting-rights-resource-provided-upon-release-prison-or-jail>*.
**Passed in 2019, this Illinois statute strengthened voting rights for
eligible voters detained in jail pre-trial and released from prisons and
jails. Please share and join us!*

Home | firstfollowerscu (firstfollowersreentry.com)
<https://www.firstfollowersreentry.com/>





4. *Free People Read Freely™: Literacy, Inclusion, and Democracy*
<https://www.carli.illinois.edu/Free-People-Read-Freely>

This event hosted by the University of Illinois System in partnership with
library associations will be held at the Krannert Center for the Performing
Arts and the I Hotel August 20-21.  You can register at this link.

Free People Read Freely™: Literacy, Inclusion, and Democracy | CARLI
(illinois.edu) <https://www.carli.illinois.edu/Free-People-Read-Freely>



5. *ACLU Champaign County Annual Meeting*

Late September early October

August local newsletter will confirm time and place.





*5. ACLU Illinois legislative agenda links*

2024 Summer Legislative Update | ACLU of Illinois (aclu-il.org)
<https://www.aclu-il.org/en/news/2024-summer-legislative-update>





*RECENT ACLU-CU ADVOCACY*
In the recent Urbana budget hearings we advocated for *greater social
service support and alternatives to police as responders*. A compromise on
budget allocations was reached to set aside funding for non-police support.
Steering committee member Jane McClintock was instrumental in organizing
awareness of this issue.



*The UIUC Palestinian Encampment Protests*

 If you noticed drones hovering around the encampment, as we did, you
should know that our chapter contacted the University of Illinois Police to
discover if this was official surveillance. It was *not* the UIUC police.



*ACLU Illinois shared our concerns in a statement on the felony charges
against encampment protestors this week. *



*ACLU of Illinois Responds to Charges Against Protestors on University of
Illinois Campus*



*We are aware of students from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
along with community members being charged in state court with felonies
related to their actions* *around encampments at the U of I campus at the
end of the last school year. The charges are brought under a “mob action”
law that the ACLU of Illinois opposed when it was first considered in the
Illinois General Assembly. We expressed concern at the time that the felony
penalties available to prosecutors under this statute would be used against
those engaged in protest. Despite repeated declarations by lawmakers that
this was not the purpose, we see this charge now being used in this way. *



*A felony conviction carries serious, lifelong consequences and prosecutors
should pursue felony charges only where necessary. *



*In response to the student encampments on campuses across Illinois, the
ACLU of Illinois has consistently urged restraint – from students and
administrators. We urge prosecutors to exercise that same restraint in
charging any violations emanating from the protests. *



ACLU Trump memo:  a response to the candidate's statements and policies.

aclu-trump-memos.pdf
<https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/aclu-trump-memos.pdf>



*JOIN US!* Many local steering committee members are bridges to ally
organizations that share our ACLU human and civil rights goals. No
experience is necessary except a desire to work for a more equitable
community. If you are interested in getting involved, join our monthly
(September-June) meetings at the Champaign Public Library. For more info
and to get involved with ACLU-CU, contact us at either
info at aclu-cu.org Or
carolleff1947 at gmail.com



Our website:  www.aclu-cu.org
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