Here’s an update of our current and upcoming work to enhance and defend the civil rights and civil liberties of all Georgians.
We continue to urge officials to not detain people in Fulton County Jail before their trials. We are fighting to overturn voter-suppression laws, advocating for gender-affirming care for transgender youth, and seeking an end to pervasive racism at a high school in the state. And we are out in the community meeting and talking with many of you at community festivals and other events.
Policy & Advocacy
- Our advocacy continues for Fulton County to significantly reduce the number of people held in pretrial detention. In late July, we filed an open records request to obtain the jail’s maintenance records. The request is part of our efforts to improve conditions at the jail and reduce the number of people held there.
- Our Policy Counsel Ben Lydne wrote a blog explaining a harsh truth — punishing political dissent is nothing new, but it’s also not a reason to give up hope. His blog was written in response to the state pursuing charges against protestors, as well as bail fund organizers, opposed to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
- We are also pushing for the passage of a digital privacy protection law to protect Georgians’ personal information. Read more about the type of protective legislation we want in Georgia here. Everyone should know how their biometric data (fingerprints, eye patterns, facial structures, etc.) is stored, shared, and used; the data invades all aspects of modern life, even finding a new home.
Voting
There is still much work to be done to protect all eligible voters’ access to the polls.
- We sent a letter to the Irwin County Board of Elections and Registration because of its proposal to eliminate two out of three existing polling locations in the county, which would make it significantly harder for voters to cast ballots.
- Our attorneys have been educating the public about how Georgia's voting law, Senate Bill 202, will disenfranchise voters with disabilities in the 2024 election cycle and beyond. Read more about that topic here. On Friday, a federal judge blocked portions of the bill that banned Georgians from providing food and water to voters waiting in lines, and that required voters to include their birthdate on absentee ballot envelopes.
- A federal court judge ruled in late July that the lawsuit, Finn v. Cobb County Board of Elections, which challenges the racially discriminatory Cobb County School Board map, will move forward despite the defendants’ opposition.
Legal
- July 20 marked one year since Georgia’s law banning abortion at roughly six weeks of pregnancy took effect. While we await a decision from the Georgia Supreme Court in our lawsuit challenging the restrictions, the legal team has added other important cases to their workload:
- Four Georgia families have filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to stop Georgia Senate Bill 140 from taking effect. SB 140 strips parents of their right to make critical decisions about gender-affirming care. On Sunday, a judge blocked a provision of the law from taking effect before the lawsuit's outcome.
- On behalf of current and former Effingham County School District students who experienced racial discrimination, freedom of speech violations, and a hostile educational environment, we and Troutman Pepper law firm have filed a federal lawsuit.
Our 60th Anniversary Celebration and more!
Festival season has once again meaningfully connected us with community members, supporters, and volunteers. Things are winding down, but there’s one more big event we encourage you to attend to close out summer.
- On September 28, we’ll host our 60th Anniversary Celebration. The night will feature a reception, dinner, and a program highlighting the organization's legacy. Get your tickets.
- Thanks to everyone who attended our Annual Membership Meeting this weekend. We had a tremendous turnout of civil liberty supporters and activists.
- The Inman Park Festival was our first festival of the season. The streets were packed as we handed out swag and informed some neighborhood regulars about our work.
- Staff and volunteers had a presence at both Juneteenth Atlanta and Juneteenth Cobb this year. Visitors to our booths were informed about how to get involved in civil liberties issues. Marching alongside allies in Atlanta’s parade was particularly memorable.
