NAACP, ACLU condemn Florida ban of AP African American history course

DeSantis’ administration continues to find ways to attempt to stifle classroom speech." more

Caution: Florida Travel Advisory

ACLU has issued a travel advisory urging immigrants and people of color to use extreme caution when traveling in Florida. HERE

Both Florida residents, citizens and non-citizens, and travelers could face risks of being racially profiled and being detained without probable cause.

ACLU People Power At TIA

Dez

Marc

Michael

Protesting Trumps travel ban at 

Tampa International Airport.

Fort Lauderdale Police Destroyed Homeless People's Property

Another Win For Activist In Miami

Director Juan Perez heard the public's outcry over the proposed aerial surveillance program in Miami-Dade County, and agreed to scrap it. here

ACLU of Florida Recommends Voting YES on Amendment 2

By voting “YES” on amendment 2, you’re putting healthcare decisions back into physician’s hands. Our legislators have recognized that marijuana can be used as medicine by passing Charlotte’s Web Law and the Right to Try Act, but those laws are not enough. here

The Juvenile Direct File Statute In Riverview

Florida sends more children to adult court than any other state thanks to a state “direct file” statute that gives prosecutors sole discretion on which children go to adult court. 98% of the more than 10,000 children tried in Florida’s adult courts in the last 5 years were transferred there without the benefit of a hearing before a judge. Is this trend of over-incarceration truly making our communities safer 

and rehabilitating youth? 

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Friday, October 2, 2015 from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm

WMU Cooley Law School

9445 Camden Field Parkway Riverview
info

Defend Florida women!

HB 633, a cruel and extremist bill, is sitting on Governor Rick Scott’s desk, and we need you to tell him to VETO it. If signed into law, this bill will force a woman needing an abortion to wait 24 hours before getting the care she needs. HB 633 is an example of extremist politicians interfering with a woman’s reproductive health.

The time to act is NOW. Sign the petition tell Gov. Scott to STOP the attack on women’s reproductive freedom.

Tampa-History’s Doorstep: The ACLU, Marriage Equality and the Path to the Supreme Court

Tuesday, May 5, 2015 

6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

 Copperfish Seafood Grill
1502 South Howard Avenue Tampa
info

Get Ready to Fight for Civil Liberties in Tallahassee

The time is upon us once again. Monday, March 2 marks the start of the Florida legislature’s 2015 session and the ACLU of Florida will be at our state’s Capitol defending against bills that aim to limit your civil rights and civil liberties. We’ll also be fighting for new laws that look to expand freedoms for all Floridians. We’re excited about the work we’ll be doing and want to share just a glimpse of what’s to come. here

• The practice of charging kids with adult crimes.
• Ending Florida’s infamous and shameful practice of sending people to death row on a simple majority vote of a jury.
• Reforming Florida’s prison system.

ACLU of Florida Annual Meeting In Tampa

Time

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 7:00 pm

Location

University Area Community Development Center

14013 North 22nd Street, Tampa, FL 33613 info

11th Circuit Court of Appeals: NO To Florida GOP

we got big wins from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in two of our key cases – one challenging Florida’s ban on marriages for same-sex couples, and the other challenging Florida’s law mandating that people who apply for government assistance must submit to
suspicionless urinalysis.

Pledge to stand at the goal line with us to defend freedom in Florida. We know that defending freedom is going to be a challenge in the future, but we’ve seen this before, we’ve overcome it, and we have a plan to do it again.

That plan involves you. The ACLU of Florida is where Floridians who care about civil liberties come together to defend them. That defense is only as strong as the people who 
step up to be a part of it.

Sign the pledge to say, “I stand for freedom in Florida!”

here

Invasion of the Data Snatchers

Join the ACLU of Tampa at USF

We're being watched.

The NSA is tracking phone conversations and online communications, local agencies are using surveillance cameras to follow people in public, and

Florida police are tracking cell phones
without warrants.

Join the ACLU of Florida's Greater Tampa Chapter

on Saturday April 5 for our Annual Meeting to find out
what you can do to fight back:

Greater Tampa Chapter Annual Meeting
Saturday, April 5, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Westside Conference Center E.
University of South Florida

Tampa: Truth-telling and the School-to-Prison-Pipeline

As tax-payer funded entities, Florida’s public school districts are bound by the state’s Sunshine Laws, which mandate that accurate information be gathered, recorded, and made available to the public. Yet, school districts often rely on obscuring, distorting, and sugar-coating information, resulting in misinformation, propaganda, and partial-truths.

Learn more Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 5:30 pm

The Children’s Board
1002 E. Palm, Ybor City

more

Human Rights Forum In Tampa

Monday, September 23, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

University of Tampa, Reeves Theater
401 W Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa

info

Smash CISPA!

info

Tampa – Domestic Partner Registry Vigil

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Joe Chillura Courthouse Square
701 E. Kennedy Blvd.
info

There Are Principled Conservatives In Tallahassee

 Sen. Jeff Brandes:  bill, SB 864
When a Florida sheriff sternly accuses state legislators of protecting drug dealers and child pornographers, it has a way of getting people's attention. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri made that assertion in fighting a bill filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, dealing with police access to information stored on citizens' portable electronic devices such as cellphones and iPads. Brandes, citing the importance of a constitutional right to privacy, wants to change state law to require police to obtain a warrant from a judge before searching cell phone contents.
more
"Why in the world would a police officer need to search your cellphone if you're driving on a suspended license?"....Jeff Brandes
 "Thank God there are principled conservatives in Tallahassee."....ACLU's Howard Simon
"We think it's another check on the power of the police, and it simply means that they first have to persuade a judge that there's a basis for a search.. Without this rule, it leaves the privacy of people in the hands of a patrolman."....Tim Lynch, Cato's criminal justice unit
Opponents include liberal Democrat Rep. Irv Slosberg of Boca Raton
Great job Mr. Brandes

Orlando Resident Luis Lebron

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today announced it filed suit in federal court seeking to halt implementation of Florida’s new law mandating drug testing of applicants to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program without suspicion of drug use.

The suit, filed Tuesday, is on behalf of Luis Lebron, a 35 year-old Orlando resident, Navy veteran and full time University of Central Florida student. Lebron is a single father who applied for temporary assistance in July, 2011, to support his 4 year-old son. He meets all the criteria for assistance but has refused to waive his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure and submit to the newly required drug test.
here