This week, lots of different bills from across the country caught our eye. Here’s the ones we feel are the most relevant to our fight to reform our neighborhoods!
Arizona
- SB1485
- Why we’re watching: Right now, Arizona is a hotspot of voter suppression bills. This proposal would force officials to purge people from early voting rolls if they didn’t vote early in both the last primary and general election. The measure failed the senate last week but is being reconsidered.
Federal
- Reconnecting Communities Act
- Why we’re watching: Highway construction helped separate communities of color and divide entire neighborhoods strategically. This proposed grant program would fund projects that seek to remove infrastructure barriers from our cities and educate others on systemic racism.
Colorado
- HB1280
- Why we’re watching: Jail time for minorities far exceeds that for white offenders and bail access swings the opposite direction. This bill would permanently cap how long someone can remain in jail during the pretrial process, helping negate the discrimination of cash bail in Colorado.
Connecticut
- SB753
- Why we’re watching: Right now, Connecticut allows prison gerrymandering, or the process of counting incarcerated people as residents of an area during the redistricting process. SB753 would ban this practice, which grants developed, mostly white areas far more representation than marginalized communities.
New York
- Wandering Officers Act
- Why we’re watching: In the event that a police officer is fired for gross misconduct or negligence, they may cross a state border to look for work. This proposal would prevent disgraced cops from doing this in the state of New York, bolstering community trust and institutional efficacy.
What do you think of the bills in this week’s roundup? Did we miss anything? Drop us a line on any of our social channels or at [email protected] or you can contact us through our contact us form. Let us know what’s happening in YOUR neighborhood!
