American Civil Liberties Union

TO PROMOTE CIVIL LIBERTIES THROUGH COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION WITH AND BETWEEN THE CITIZENS AND LEGISLATORS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA

CRIMINAL JUSTICE THE ACLU OF FLORIDA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM CAMPAIGN AIMS TO SIGNIFICANTLY REFORM FLORIDA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO REDUCE INCARCERATION AND RACIAL DISPARITIES AND TO END DISCRIMINATORY SENTENCING AND TREATMENT. THE ACLU OF FLORIDA DEVELOPS EVIDENCE-BASED CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY GOALS AND IMPLEMENTS A COMPREHENSIVE, MULTI-FACETED ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH PLAN AIMED AT CREATING A JUST CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IN FLORIDA. OUR TEAM CONDUCTS QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH, POLLING, DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TO INFORM POLICYMAKERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT CHANGES NEEDED IN FLORIDA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

OTHER THE ACLU OF FLORIDA ENGAGES IN POLICY AND ADVOCACY WORK TO ADVANCE THE RIGHTS OF FLORIDIANS WHILE BLOCKING POLITICIAN'S EFFORTS TO LIMIT THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES ON IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT ARE CONFRONTING FLORIDIANS BUT FALL OUTSIDE OUR PRIMARY CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING: FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF INQUIRY AND LIBERTY OF EXPRESSION ARE HALLMARKS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, BUT OUR DEMOCRACY IS UNDER ATTACK IN FLORIDA. ACROSS THE STATE, CENSORSHIP IS BEING USED BY THOSE IN POWER TO DENY AND DISTORT HISTORY; HIDE THE LAWS AND POLICIES THAT CONTINUE TO BOLSTER SYSTEMIC INEQUALITY; SILENCE EXPERT GUIDANCE; CONTROL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ACTION; AND THREATEN OUR FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTIES. THROUGH POLICY, LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY, AND ORGANIZING THE ACLU OF FLORIDA WORKS TO DEFEND FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN FLORIDA. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS DESPITE THE FACT THAT TWO-THIRDS OF FLORIDIANS SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO ABORTION AND VOTERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY CAST THEIR BALLOTS TO PROTECT THAT RIGHT, FLORIDA POLITICIANS PASSED A DANGEROUS 6 WEEK BAN THIS YEAR. IT STRIPS FLORIDIANS OF THEIR RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, OFFERS LITTLE TO NO EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE OR INCEST, AND CRIMINALIZES DOCTORS WHO OFFER ABORTION CARE TO PATIENTS AFTER THAT POINT. THIS LAW HAS DEVASTATING EFFECTS DUE TO THE MYRIAD OF BARRIERS PEOPLE MUST NAVIGATE TO GET AN ABORTION. IN ORDER TO PROTECT FLORIDIANS' RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND LIMIT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE WITH ABORTION IN FLORIDA, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR DIRECT ADVOCACY WITH LEGISLATORS AND POLICYMAKERS SUPPORTED BY STRONG ISSUE AND MESSAGING RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION, AND ANALYSIS; AND WE WILL ENGAGE IN A ROBUST MOBILIZATION EFFORT IN SUPPORT OF AN ABORTION BALLOT INITIATIVE EFFORT ACROSS OUR COMMUNICATIONS, ORGANIZING, AND PAD TEAMS. LGBTQ+ RIGHTS THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN FLORIDA-WHO HAS LONG STRUGGLED FOR BASIC RECOGNITION OF THEIR RIGHTS, DIGNITY, AND PRIVACY-IS UNDER INCREASED ATTACK. LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN FLORIDA ARE BEING PUNISHED BY POLICIES THAT ESSENTIALLY BAN CLASSROOM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THEIR EXISTENCE, PREVENT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM USING THE APPROPRIATE RESTROOM OR RECEIVING LIFE- SAVING GENDER AFFIRMING CARE, SERIOUSLY RESTRICT PROPER PRONOUN USE, AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR TEACHERS TO BE SUPPORTIVE WHEN WE KNOW THAT A SINGLE SUPPORTIVE TEACHER CAN SAVE A QUEER STUDENT'S LIFE. THROUGH POLICY, ADVOCACY, AND MOBILIZATION WE WORK TO CREATE A FLORIDA FREE OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY. THIS MEANS A FLORIDA WHERE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE CAN LIVE OPENLY; WHERE OUR IDENTITIES, RELATIONSHIPS, AND FAMILIES ARE RESPECTED; AND WHERE THERE IS FAIR TREATMENT ON THE JOB, IN SCHOOLS, HOUSING, PUBLIC PLACES, HEALTH CARE, AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS.

IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS THE ACLU OF FLORIDA'S IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS CAMPAIGN WORKS TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS AND LIVES OF IMMIGRANTS IN FLORIDA. THE FOCUS OF THESE EFFORTS ENDEAVOR TO END UNCONSTITUTIONAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES, END MASS IMMIGRATION DETENTION, ENSURE DUE PROCESS, AND CREATE SAFER COMMUNITIES FOR IMMIGRANTS IN FLORIDA. THIS WORK ADVANCES RIGHTS FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL AS WITH GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATORS. OUR ORGANIZERS WORK ACROSS FLORIDA TO TRAIN AND MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS.

VOTING RIGHTS THE ACLU OF FLORIDA'S VOTING RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AIMS TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS FOR ALL ELIGIBLE FLORIDIANS AND ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE BALLOT BOX. THIS WORK IS ADVANCED THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC POLICY ARENA, INCLUDING THE LEGISLATURE, STATE AGENCIES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. STAFF ALSO TRAIN VOLUNTEERS TO ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY WORK THAT EXPANDS VOTING RIGHTS IN GEOGRAPHICALLY DEFINED JURISDICTIONS.