<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Hi everyone</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On behalf of the ACLU Champaign County we would like to make
you aware of a volunteer action to defend against the weakening of the Illinois
Pretrial Fairness Act including Bail Reform that passed in 2021 and is slated
to go into effect January 1 2023. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As an informational
item, there is a link to the contents of the act below. ACLU locally and our ACLU Illinois headquarters
in Chicago supported and lobbied strongly for this measure. We are aligned with the Bail-out Coalition that sent the message below. There will also be a statewide ACLU on-line teach-in in the fall to raise awareness before the fall veto
session/legislative session where there might be push-back.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As a volunteer possibility, what is hoped is to train some volunteers
to do court watching here at the courthouse in August to document current arraignment
and bail procedures. The training is this
Saturday for an hour (see below to register ). Of course, if you have an 8 or 9
to five job, this may not work to do court-watching, but
students/faculty/teachers, retirees and others on summer or general flex time might
be interested.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Thanks to all those who mobilized for ACLU participation in
the July 4 parade—VERY HOT but it was heartening to see both the size of our
contingent and the positive reception it got, especially given the wedge issues today. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Glad to answer questions but if so, perhaps easier and faster to
contact Carol Leff, current local CU-ACLU
president directly at <a href="mailto:carolleff1947@gmail.com" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">carolleff1947@gmail.com</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><br></p><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Champaign County Bail Out Coalition</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:champaign.county.bail.out@gmail.com">champaign.county.bail.out@gmail.com</a>></span><br>Date: Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 11:34 AM<br>Subject: Volunteering Opportunity to Defend the Pretrial Fairness Act<br>To: <br></div><br><br><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><div>Hello everyone,</div><div><br></div><div>Champaign County Bailout Coalition (CCBC), in collaboration with the <a href="https://endmoneybond.org/illinois-network-for-pretrial-justice/" target="_blank">Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice</a> (INPJ) and <a href="https://lucyparsonslabs.com/" target="_blank">Lucy Parsons Labs,</a> is organizing some courtwatching in preparation to defend the <a href="https://endmoneybond.org/pretrialfairness/" target="_blank">Pretrial Fairness Act</a>, which will eliminate money bail in Illinois in January 2023, and we're calling for volunteers to help with the endeavor. Our goal is to show that the pretrial system causes harm to our community and that the Pretrial Fairness Act is the best current solution to that system's injustices.</div><div><br></div><div>The commitment will involve going to bail hearings in person during the month of August, and observing and recording basic information about them. These hearings start at 1:30 PM, Monday-Friday, and will take up about an hour of your time (possibly more on busier days). To make the process as easy as possible, INPJ has provided data collection sheets where we can document quantitative information about the race, gender, charges, bail amount, and representation of defendants going through the system.<br></div><div><br></div><div>We would like to schedule two individuals for each hearing, but three will be ideal. These numbers will help ensure that no volunteer enters the court alone and will help capture information during the fast-paced arraignments.</div><div><br></div><div>INPJ will be hosting an online training session on July 30, 12:30-1:30<b>, </b>customized for Champaign County. <b>You can sign up for this one-hour training session <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrtmOfmv_Vs-O5hU5el1eI1PcDZ0WB4aqNeJSQIdeMKG14Xg/viewform" target="_blank">here</a>.</b> Just fill out your info, check "Champaign County," and indicate your availability to courtwatch. I'll be in touch directly soon.</div><div><br></div><div>This action is an opportunity to defend the Pretrial Fairness Act against conservative attacks in the next Illinois legislative session, which threaten to undermine our grassroots efforts to build a society that prioritizes health, safety, and care. Organizations across Illinois will simultaneously be participating in similar actions, and our work in Champaign County is also an opportunity to contribute to a coordinated state-wide effort to protect the gains we've made for justice.</div><div> </div></div><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal">Please let me know if you have any questions.</div><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><br></div><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal">On behalf of CCBC,</div><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><br></div><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal">Phillip</div><div style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr">Champaign County Bailout Coalition<div><span style="font-family:Roboto,arial,sans-serif">202 S Broadway Ave, Urbana, IL 61801</span><br></div><div><span style="font-family:Roboto,arial,sans-serif">(765) 231-5682</span></div><div><a href="https://champaigncountybailoutcoalition.wordpress.com" target="_blank">https://champaigncountybailoutcoalition.wordpress.com</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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