On June 19, CA Assembly Privacy Committee chair Ed Chau introduced CalBIPA – AB375 – to restore the consumer protections stripped by Trump’s congress. The bill will allow Internet users to consent to the sale or disclosure of their Internet activities by their Internet service providers. Oakland Privacy is a bill sponsor.
To take action to support CalBIPA – click here.
To read the text of the bill – click here.
Sent 6/12/17
Dear Senate President pro Tempore de León,
Oakland Privacy writes in strong support of SB 54 (de León). Oakland Privacy is a citizen’s coalition that works regionally to defend the right to privacy and enhance public transparency and oversight regarding the use of surveillance techniques and equipment.
SB 54 will protect the privacy, safety and well-being of all Californians by ensuring that state and local resources are not used to fuel mass deportations, separate families, or divide Californians on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, or national or ethnic origins. Preventing the use of California state databases for immigration inquiries, as the legislation does, is important in maintaining individuals’ right to privacy, a special concern of our group.
Following up on the Privacy Commission’s recommendation that OPD sever ties with ICE, Oakland Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan quickly showed leadership by agreeing to sponsor the Resolution necessary to rescind the prior Council authorization to enter into such an agreement.
On June 1, Oakland’s Privacy Commission, the first citizens municipal commission on privacy in the country, recommended the termination of the memorandum of understanding between the Oakland Police Department and the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Division (ICE).
The recommendation is two-pronged. Firstly, to exercise the 30 day termination provision in the existing agreement and secondly, to rescind previous City Council authorization to enter into any agreement with ICE which would prevent a new agreement from being signed.
The recommendations will move to the city’s Public Safety committee and then to the full City Council. To date, every recommendation from the Privacy Commission has been adopted unanimously.
How Cities Can Protect UnDocumented Immigrants From ICE Data Mining – The Intercept
SB-21 is a bill that would end secret surveillance by CA law enforcement agencies by mandating use polices, impact reports and biannual audits for all surveillance equipment and technology used in CA. SB-21 subjects all spying to an upfront process for local government approval and disclosure to the public. Before it’s used, not afterwards.
The bill just passed the CA State Senate on May 31 by a 21-15 vote and is headed to the Assembly. If you haven’t already emailed your state reps, do so here.
San Jose Mercury News Editorial Board endorsement of SB-21.
A California Mayor’s First Hand Account Of The Need For Surveillance Transparency
San Diego Tribune Op-Ed on SB-21
President Trump issued a proclamation on May 15 dedicating last week to law enforcement officers, saying he would make it a “personal priority” to ensure police are “finally treated fairly.” Meanwhile, around the country, a different set of priorities is taking shape: Cities, counties and even one state are working to push legislation that would force police agencies to disclose their acquisition and use of surveillance technologies to local lawmakers and communities.