By Hillary Davis, Policy Associate
Our time at the State House may be over for the year, but the ACLU hasn’t left our desks to head to the beach. We’re here, working to protect your rights.
So what do we do when we’re not at the legislature? Are we spending all our time in the courts?
Litigation makes up a large chunk of our work throughout the calendar year, and our lawsuits aren’t confined to the legislative off-season. We’ve been filing lawsuits throughout the year, and expect that we’ll file several more. But, we’re not working just in the courts to protect your rights. The General Assembly may be out of session, but they’re far from the only lawmaking body in the state.
Year round, the ACLU frequently weighs in on the civil liberties issues rampant with the state’s rules and regulations, and with local and municipal government issues. This may mean weighing in on the Department of Health’s arrestee DNA regulations at a hearing, providing written comments on ordinances under consideration by the Providence City Council, or representing the concerns of communities to their local school committees. We become aware of these issues through publicly posted notices and agendas, news stories, and calls from concerned Rhode Islanders. While we can’t always be in all places at the same time, we do our best to stay on top of the myriad issues that can affect your civil liberties.
We’re also always taking complaints from Rhode Islanders concerned that their rights may have been violated. While the complaints sometimes end up in the courts, many issues are addressed long before litigation is even considered, sometimes with just a phone call or letter.
In addition to our advocacy, we’re working hard to investigate the long-standing issues faced by the state that may not be the subject of ongoing legislation, litigation, or public debate. The ACLU frequently engages in independent research to determine the impact on Rhode Islanders of existing laws and policies. In recent years, this has included our reports on the school-to-prison pipeline, gender stereotyping in public school extracurricular activities, public access to police complaint forms and procedures, the use of Internet filters in Rhode Islands schools, and the need for stronger enforcement of the state’s public records law.
Finally, a critical part of our work is public education, to help make sure that people throughout Rhode Island are aware of their rights on a number of topics, and that they can best know how to exercise those rights. We do this through pamphlets and brochures, our cable show, and events held statewide, such as our upcoming Legislative Wrap Up and Dessert Night, on July 30.
At the ACLU, our work is never done for the year. If you’re concerned about a state or local government issue affecting your civil liberties, let us know – your call could be what helps us know we need to act.
