CREDENTIALS
Crossover Day Action Alert: Protect the Right to Protest & Cashless Bail
We are so grateful to our supporters who have taken action to oppose Senate Bill 171, which criminalizes protesters, and Senate Bill 504, which expands cash bail. Last week, the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee passed both bills, ignoring the demands of advocates and community members to stop these bills. These dangerous proposals are now eligible for a vote by the full Senate and we need you to contact your state senator and demand that they vote NO on SB 171 and SB 504.
- SB 171 criminalizes the right to protest and authorizes violence against protesters. Audaciously named the “Safe Communities Act of 2022,” SB 171 undercuts community safety and violates the free speech and freedom of assembly rights guaranteed to Georgia’s citizens in both our state and federal constitutions. SB 171 would antagonize the thousands of Georgians who have acted courageously to organize for racial justice and an end to state-sanctioned violence in recent years. Learn more.
- SB 504 is the latest and most egregious attempt to punish poor people already disproportionately harmed in the criminal legal system by requiring cash bail for pretrial release. SB 504 would require judges to impose cash bail for every felony offense, entirely disregarding that those accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence. SB 504 will force poor people to languish in jail, while those with resources – charged with the exact same offenses – can purchase their release. The bill will also encourage recidivism by preventing many people from accessing treatment and services made available by pretrial diversion programs and accountability courts. Finally, SB 504 will further exacerbate the current crisis of COVID-19 ravaging the lives of incarcerated people. Learn more.
Phone calls are the best way to reach lawmakers right now. Complete the form below to automatically contact your senator and ask that they vote NO on SB 171 and SB 504. You can also find your senator’s name here and their contact information here.