By Anaya Robinson, Senior Policy Strategist
Now that the dust has settled from election season and we have a clear view of the landscape to come for the 2023 legislative session, ACLU of Colorado is moving full steam ahead to continue the work of our new and growing Advocacy and Strategic Alliances department. I’m excited to roll out our legislative priorities this session as the new Senior Policy Strategist and work to move our state forward with our three key issue areas: Campaign for Smart Justice, Systemic Equality Agenda, and Privacy & Liberty Project.
Our Campaign for Smart Justice will continue the legacy of ACLU of Colorado’s work in criminal justice reform. This session, we’ll be focusing on making sure fifth graders are no longer being handcuffed, but instead receiving support; working to make sure sentencing reform leans toward justice as opposed to punishment; strengthening police accountability statewide; and defending our state from efforts to double down on the failure and outright racism of the War on Drugs.
Through our Systemic Equality Agenda, our legislative priorities will look to equitable solutions to end the housing crisis in Colorado. We’re excited to move into the housing policy space in a way that supports the unrelenting work of our grassroots partners. We will follow their lead to ensure increased access to affordable, accessible, integrated housing, and make sure that renters are able to maintain not only their housing, but also their civil rights.
Data privacy, surveillance, and the sharing of personal information are becoming more intrusive in our post-Dobbs world, and protecting ourselves and our communities from the misuse and abuse of facial recognition, non-protected health data, and the like is paramount in making sure that U.S. Supreme Court decisions don’t put our civil rights and civil liberties at risk. The Privacy & Liberty Project will focus on filling the gaps in Colorado law to make sure that access to life-saving care is guaranteed for Coloradans and for all those who come to our state to seek the safety and support they need.
We’re excited to push forward on the community-informed priorities identified in our Expanding the Table for Justice report and by our grassroots partners, and to work collectively with our supporters, partners, and neighbors to expand and protect equity and justice across the state.