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Who are the Heroes of Alaska Liberty? 2011 marks
the 40th anniversary of the ACLU of Alaska, and we’ll be
honoring 40 Heroes
of Alaska Liberty. Who do YOU think helped create or expand
the constitutional freedoms we enjoy? Nominate a hero at
hero@akclu.org.
Tell us about an individual who made Alaska a uniquely free state,
with special protections for our privacy and individual liberty.
Welcome!
The
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is our nation’s
guardian of liberty. We work daily in courts, legislatures
and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights
and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by
the Constitution and laws of the United States. Read
more >>>
TOP STORIES —
 Former
State Senator from Rampart, Georgianna Lincoln, is voting NO ON BALLOT MEASURE
2 on August 24. Hear
what she has to say >>>
ACLU
Seeks Records About FBI Collection Of Racial And Ethnic Data. According
to an FBI operations guide, FBI agents have the authority to collect information
about and create maps of so-called "ethnic-oriented" businesses,
behaviors, lifestyle characteristics and cultural traditions in communities
with concentrated ethnic populations. While some racial and ethnic data collection
by some agencies might be helpful in lessening discrimination, were the FBI
to collect and map demographic data using race-based criteria for targeting
purposes it would invite unconstitutional racial profiling by law enforcement.
You can review the FOIA Request
to the Anchorage Field Office or read
further details.
Three
Alaska Same-Sex Couples Challenge Discriminatory Tax Law. The State
of Alaska’s tax-assessment rules discriminate
against same-sex couples by denying them equal access to a property tax exemption
for senior citizens and disabled veterans. Lesbian or gay families who qualify
are only permitted to half the exemption available to opposite-sex married
couples because they are treated as “roommates.” The law firm
of Davis Wright Tremaine and the ACLU have filed
suit
against this unconstitutional practice. The ACLU had asked the State in July
of 2009
and January
of 2010
to end this discrimination without litigation, in light of the Supreme
Court’s ruling in ACLU v Alaska. The State declined
to act. Further details can
be read here.
Court
Grants TRO Against Provision of Governor’s Bail Bill. The
ACLU and Alaska Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers won a Temporary Restraining
Order in their lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of certain provisions
of HB 324, the Governor’s “Bail Bill.” The ACLU argued
to the court that, as the Alaska Constitution guarantees the right to bail,
allowing the Bail Bill to be implemented would have improperly denied Alaskans
charged with certain crimes of their liberty, and that such a denial required
emergency action. Details may be read in the recent press
release, or the Judge’s
Order.
Court
Grants TRO Against Anchorage “Camping Ordinance.” The
Superior Court in Anchorage found serious questions as to constitutionality
of Anchorage Municipal Ordinance AO 2010-43(S), and granted the ACLU’s
request for a Temporary Restraining Order. Agreeing with our contentions that
all persons are constitutionally guaranteed actual notice, and a real opportunity
to be heard, the judge blocked enforcement of the newly revised law. Further
details are available along
with a copy of the link.
ACLU
has filed a lawsuit asking the courts to declare provisions of H.B. 324,
the Governor’s “Bail Bill,” unconstitutional. The
Alaska Constitution guarantees the right to bail, and in our judicial system,
all persons are entitled to a fair trial and are presumed innocent until
proven guilty. The Bail Bill dismantles constitutional protections Alaskans
have come to expect. The ACLU is representing the Alaska Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers along with experienced individual defense attorneys throughout
the state. Follow these links to read the complete
story, or the complaint and Motion
for Temporary Restraining Order.
ACLU
Seeks Return of Seized Medical Records, and Challenges Improper Denial of
Parole Hearing. In two new court filings the ACLU of Alaska is seeking
Court intervention to protect medical record privacy, and to halt an improper
denial of parole board review of a mentally ill prisoner. In Cadle v. Dept.
of Law, Div. Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the ACLU
and the Ketchikan law firm of Keene & Currall are challenging the unconstitutional
state seizure of over 400 entire patient files, along with reports that private
information in the files was read and then disclosed. Follow these links
to read
more about the suit or review
the Complaint. In the Palmer court, the ACLU along with the Disability
Law Center of Alaska are asking that the right of a 68 year old prisoner,
who has suffered from a mental illness, be afforded fair procedures to determine
whether parole is appropriate. Follow these links to review
the Complaint or learn more about the
background of the State’s denial.
ACLU
of Alaska issues a Travel Alert informing Alaskans of their rights when stopped
by law enforcement when traveling in Arizona. Resources
provided in response to civil liberties threats caused by the recent passage
of Arizona’s unconstitutional racial profiling law – SB 1070 – which
requires law enforcement agents to demand "papers" from people
they stop who they suspect are not authorized to be in the U.S., include: “Alert
to Travelers”, “Alerta
a Viajeros”, and a wallet sized card with information on what to
do when stopped by police in both English (bust
card) and Spanish. Additional
details are available in the
full press release.
ACLU
to Testify Before Anchorage Assembly Regarding Legal Requirements for Protection
of Homeless Persons’ Property. On Tuesday,
May 25 after 6:00 p.m. at the Loussac Library in Anchorage, the ACLU will provide
testimony to the Assembly regarding necessary changes to the Municipal Ordinance
on posting homeless encampments for property removal. Click
here for a copy
of the ACLU’s written testimony and the complete story.
ACLU
and Alaskans Against Government Mandates Urge You to Vote NO ON 2 in the August
24 Primary! Alaskans are facing a dangerous initiative that attempts
to force government mandated family communication and require parental notification
or consent for a minor’s abortion. No law can mandate family communication
and Measure 2 threatens teen health and safety. To find out what you can do,
and for more information, click here.
ACLU
Challenges Unconstitutional Destruction of Homeless Property. The
ACLU filed suit in the Superior Court in Anchorage seeking an order prohibiting
the Municipality of Anchorage, and the Anchorage Police Department, from raids
on homeless camps, and the seizure and destruction of homeless individuals’ tents,
clothing, and other personal items with as little as 12-hours’ notice.
You can read the COMPLAINT or
review the whole
story.
The
ACLU of Alaska remembers and honors Irwin Ravin, the champion of privacy
rights. Irwin Ravin, the attorney who put himself on the line to
challenge Alaska’s marijuana laws, died recently at the age of 70. “The
case brought on behalf of Irwin Ravin was about more than smoking marijuana.
Irwin Ravin stood up for the privacy rights of all Alaskans, the right, in
Justice Brandeis’s words, ‘to be let alone’. Irwin Ravin
helped to define the meaning of the unique right to privacy in the Alaska
Constitution. The Ravin case has been cited favorably by Alaska courts 86
times and remains the law of the land, having never been overruled. Irwin
Ravin’s case has been used to establish the rights of Alaskans to privacy
from unwarranted government intrusion in other spheres, including their reproductive
choices, their rights against warrantless searches, and their right to bodily
integrity” (Thomas Stenson, Prison Rights Attorney, ACLU of Alaska).
YOUR CALLS NEEDED NOW
TO STOP ALASKA’S PATRIOT ACT! The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska calls on the Senate Finance Committee to reject
a proposed PATRIOT ACT-type provision that would allow the Attorney General to issue his own subpoenas without any court
review. Section 19 of Senate Bill 222, calendared for consideration in the Senate Finance Committee on April 9, would
authorize the attorney general to issue his own subpoenas. Internet service providers would be forced to turn over records
of Alaskans, and no judge would review the request. Click here for complete story.
LINK to the ACLU’s complete
testimony on SB 222.
Court
Rules Summary on Initiative Misleading; Orders Lieutenant
Governor Rewrite: The Court today issued its ruling in the matter
of Planned Parenthood and Wingrove v. Campbell, and agreed that
Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Alaska were right to bring
the lawsuit challenging certification of the proposed initiative,
which seeks to impose government restrictions on medical care.
The Court stated that that the summary prepared by the Lieutenant
Governor was misleading and must be corrected, because it did
not tell the voters the full story. For the full press release, click
here. A copy
of the ruling is also available.
ACLU
announces publication of Rethinking Alaska’s
Corrections Policy: Avoiding an Everyday Crisis. The
culmination of a two-year project reviewing the general conditions
in the correctional system in Alaska, the ACLU team interviewed
more than 150 prisoners. The Department of Corrections cooperated
and supplied substantial information. The report addresses issues
including: overcrowding; contract facility understaffing; quality
of medical care; prisoners with mental illness; rehabilitative
programs; and treatment of Alaska Natives and women. The ACLU
intends the Report to support continuing improvement in the criminal
justice and correctional systems in Alaska. Click
here for a
full e-copy of the Report.
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Bristol Bay Area
Women’s Health Needs Survey: A coalition of Bristol
Bay area health care providers, women’s
advocates, and community members is interested in what
prevents area women from getting the health care they
need and deserve. Our goal is to improve health
care in the Bristol Bay region by learning what
works and what doesn’t. |
Please take a moment to complete the
survey. Click
here to download. Fill out the form, and return to WomensHealth@akclu.org. You
can also call (888) 958-0044 to schedule a phone interview.
ACLU
Seeks Amendment of Hate Crimes Legislation to Protect Free Speech
and Associational Rights. The ACLU provided testimony
to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the constitutional balance
between protecting historically disfavored groups from violence
and harassment, and ensuring First Amendment rights – no
matter the viewpoint – are protected. To see the complete
written testimony click here.
ACLU
Announces State Approval of Alternate Testing Dates for Russian
Old Believer Students, Important Religious Freedom Accommodation
in Administration of HSGQE.
 |
Feodor Reutov, Tatiana Reutov,
Kiril Kalugin, Anfisa Kalugin, Stan White, and Effimia Basargin,
and other Voznesenka community students’ family members
met with ACLU of Alaska Executive Director Jeffrey Mittman
to discuss a formal request to the State to allow alternate
testing dates. |
The Alaska State Department of Education
and Early Development has agreed to respect the religious freedom
of Russian Old Believer families and arrange alternate testing
dates and security procedures for administration of the High
School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE) which, as currently
scheduled, conflicts with Holy Week for Russian Old Believer
students. Rather than being forced to miss the testing on April
6 – 8, or violate their religious dictates which require
that Russian Old Believers not work or attend school during
Holy Week, students will now have the opportunity to take the
test on March 29 to April 2, under special security procedures
and agreements which protect the validity of the tests. See
the ACLU
of Alaska’s Press Release. See correspondence
to the Department of Education.
ACLU Joins NARF, Northern Justice
Project, and State Of Alaska in Announcing Settlement In
Yup'ik Language Voter Assistance Case. The ACLU
of Alaska Foundation, the ACLU Voting Rights Project, and
the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) joined the Northern
Justice Project, four Alaska Native elders and four tribal
governments and the Alaska Attorney General's Office in announcing
a settlement of litigation in Nick, et al. v. Bethel, et
al. According to the settlement, the state of Alaska will
make enhancements to language assistance for Yup'ik-speaking
voters available at elections in the Bethel area. “The
right to vote – to have an equal voice in the political
process – is the most fundamental of civil liberties,” said
Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Alaska. “The
ACLU is pleased to have partnered with NARF in vindicating
the Constitutional rights of the Alaska Native community,
and ensuring the right to vote regardless of what language
one speaks.” See the full
press release and a copy of the settlement
agreement.
ACLU Advises Legislature of Unconstitutionality of Proposed Drug and Alcohol Testing Scheme. The
ACLU testified in Juneau regarding the standards for drug and
alcohol testing, and advised the House Health & Social Services Committee that proposed legislation ran afoul of federal and state standards. To see the ACLU ‘s
written testimony click here. Download PDF >
ACLU Urges Inclusion of Same-Sex Domestic Partners in Benefits Conferred by SB 278. In keeping with the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling in Alaska Civil Liberties Union v. Alaska, regarding the conferral of benefits by the State on legally married spouses, the ACLU has asked the Alaska Legislature to recognize and honor the service of military families headed by couples in same-sex committed partnerships. Download PDF >
The
Alaska Legislature is considering a bill that has multiple constitutional
flaws. The House Judiciary Committee has passed the
bill with Amendments that make it even worse. Your urgent help
is needed to let your Representatives know to oppose
HB 298.
For more information you can review the ACLU of Alaska’s
written
testimony to the House and Senate
Judiciary Committees opposing HB 298, and the Senate version,
SB 222.
In
addition, the ACLU of Alaska is opposing SB 252 and HB 324, which
would unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the criminally
accused. ACLU
testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing
this legislation is also available. PLEASE send this information to friends!
SCHOLARSHIP WINNER ANNOUNCED: Celaena
Powder |
Celaena Powder is
this year’s recipient of the 2010
ACLU of Alaska Student Activist Scholarship. The announcement
was made as part of the annual Liberty Awards Gala held
January 23rd at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage,
Alaska. Read more > |
Listen
to media reports on the lawsuit challenging the Lt. Governor's
improper certification of the extreme "embryo personhood" initiative.
Lesbian
and gay couples in Alaska are not being treated equally under
the state’s Senior
Citizen Property Exemption laws.
Alaska married residents 65 years of age
or older are exempt from taxation on the first $150,000 of
the assessed value of their homes, whether the property is held
in the name of the husband, wife, or both.
Same-sex domestic partners can’t receive the full exemption. State
law treats same-sex partners as roommates and the exemption is
reduced.
If You Are:
- In a long-term, committed relationship with your
partner AND
- At least one partner is 65 or over AND
- You are living with your partner in a home that one or both
of you own
The ACLU of Alaska would like your help
in challenging the state’s
unequal treatment of same-sex partners. Please contact Tiffany
McClain at tmcclain@akclu.org or
258-0044 ext. 101 to learn more.
The
CIA inspector general’s report about “Enhanced
Interrogation” was made public as part of the ACLU’s
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit and Attorney General
Eric Holder announced his decision to appoint a prosecutor to
conduct a preliminary investigation into whether federal laws
were violated during the interrogation of detainees in U.S. custody.
The ACLU will continue to demand full Accountability for Torture.
To learn more, click
here or the button on the left.
Public
employers such as a municipal governments, state agencies, and
school districts have an obligation to provide the same benefits
to same-sex domestic partners that they provide to spouses. The
ACLU of Alaska wants to ensure that all Alaskans are receiving
equal benefits, and conducted a survey of all public agencies
in the State of Alaska. Click
here to read an initial summary of our findings to date,
and learn what you can do to receive your benefits or help
expand coverage.
ACLU to Fight Discrimination
Against People with Criminal Records
Do you have a criminal record? Have you experienced
employment discrimination? Many employers do routine background
checks, but refusing to hire or firing someone because of his
or her criminal record could violate Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act, particularly if it’s based on an old conviction that
is unrelated to the job sought.
The ACLU of Alaska along with the national ACLU
Women’s Rights Project is launching an initiative to help
people with criminal records who are barred from rebuilding their
lives through employment discrimination. We want to challenge
barriers to employment by enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act. Click
here to learn more >
Yup'ik-Speaking Voters To
Receive Additional Language Assistance In
The City Of Bethel. Read the News Release >
ACLU and Equality Works Seek Truthful Discussion
on Proposed Ordinance: A coalition of Alaska Organizations working
to end discrimination in Anchorage seeks to ensure that debate
about the proposed Anchorage Equal Rights Ordinance protecting
LGBT Alaskans focuses on the facts. Read
the News Release >
ACLU Opposes HB 9 Efforts to Introduce Death
Penalty to Alaska.
>
Read the ACLU’s
Statement in Opposition
Yup’ik-Speaking
Voters Ask Court for Effective Language Assistance >>>
> Read
the Plaintiffs’ Motion
ACLU & Reproductive
Rights Organizations Call for “New Conversation” about
Abortion >>>
ACLU Publishes Online Guide for Alaska LGBT
Students >>>
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska
announced today that the Alaska Prisoners’ Rights Guide is
available online. The Guide provides
a summary of prisoners’ rights in Alaska and is intended
as a comprehensive resource for prisoners and their advocates
seeking to challenge conditions of confinement or enforce constitutional
rights.
All Claims Settled in Landmark "Bong Hits 4
Jesus" Case of Morse v.
Frederick. Read more >>>
Highlights from ACLU of AK —
Listen
to ACLU of Alaska Foundation staff attorney Jason Brandeis interviewed
regarding recent recall petitions in the City of Bethel. The
City Clerk has improperly refused to review the petition signatures
for certification. While the ACLU of Alaska Foundation
has no opinion on the underlying recall petitions, we are concerned
with ensuring citizens’ constitutionally-protected right
to the democratic process. Special thanks to KYUK 640 AM
for providing the audio excerpt.
Listen
to the ACLU of Alaska present oral arguments before the
Alaska Supreme Court to overturn a state law re-criminalizing
possession and use of small amounts of marijuana in the home.
Latest news from the ACLU
of AK —
We have added a Privacy
Statement in order to let you know the
manner in which the ACLU of Alaska will treat data or information
submitted to, or collect by, us during your visit to this website.
We have added a User Agreement to describe the rules governing
your use of this website – by using this website, you agree
to follow these rules. Please review both of these documents
prior to your use of this website. We may make changes to either
of these documents from time to time, so please check back periodically.
We will post a notice on the home page of this website letting
you know any time we make changes to either of these documents.
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