The ACLU of Southern California is proud to announce that Executive Director Hector Villagra has been chosen Attorney of the Year by the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County.
“The Attorney of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding attorney who has made a significant contribution to the legal community and has enhanced the quality of life for the Latino community,” said Jose Gonzalez, president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County.
Villagra joined the ACLU of Southern California in 2005 and launched its Orange County office. During his tenure at the ACLU/SC, Villagra has built an impressive record in civil rights litigation. His legal work has helped define the city and region on key issues such as workers’ rights, the free exercise of religion, and immigrants’ rights. He won dismissal of a lawsuit aimed at getting rid of the LAPD’s Special Order 40, which prohibits officers from using immigration status to initiate investigations and helps encourage immigrants to cooperate with police in solving crime.
In another high–profile case, Villagra was instrumental in helping protect a Buddhist congregation's First Amendment rights to free religious exercise after the city of Garden Grove denied the Quan Am Temple's request for a building permit. The ACLU/SC filed suit against the city in 2006, and later helped secure an agreement that ultimately allowed the group to build.
“I am humbled by this recognition,” said Villagra. “But I cannot accept this award without acknowledging the people who paved the road that led me to this point in my life. My parents gave me a precious gift. They gave me the opportunity to choose a career, and I wanted my career to honor this gift--by being of service to others, by working to ensure that others could enjoy the opportunities to which they are legally and morally entitled.”
Previous recipients of this award include Federico Sayre, an Orange County leading civil rights/litigation attorney, Robert Cohen, general counsel of the Legal Aid Society, Wylie Aitken, a renowned complex litigation attorney, among others.
Villagra will accept his award on March 3 at Disney’s Grand California Hotel at 7:00 p.m. in Anaheim, California.

"This form is different from the 'Williams Complaint Form' which is used for complaints regarding school facilities." Not many students that are harassed or discriminated against in schools are aware of their resources and many don't have the chance to read the statement above in the complaint section of the California Department of Education's website.

When students are bullied and harassed, they often don't tell anyone about it and when they do report, they are bombarded by bureaucracy and logistics. The Uniform Complaint Form created and supplied by the by the CA Department of Education is available for all students to use, but not many students are aware that is it is out there.

Similar to the Williams Complaint Form that was instituted after Williams v. State of California, the Uniform Complaint Form is a part of the Uniform Complaint Procedures for the CA Dept. of Ed. However, do not be mistaken, these forms are not interchangeable. The Williams Complaint Form is specifically for issues that students have when it comes to their school facilities. The Uniform Complaint Form supplied by the CA. Dept. of Ed. is specific to reporting bullying and harassment in schools, specifically students that fall into the protected categories, whether actual or perceived, of the nondiscrimination policies of the California Education Code.

Some students have reported being given the wrong information by their administration, either knowingly or unknowingly.  The common thread through both scenarios is the responsibility of protecting our students from unlawful bullying and harassment while empowering them to fill out the appropriate complaint forms to prevent the cycle from continuing.

With an eye towards ending punitive drug policies that have made the United States the world’s largest incarcerator and cost taxpayers billions of dollars a year, Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) on Friday introduced legislation to reduce the penalty for Californians who possess small amounts of drugs for their own personal use. The bill, SB 1506, co-sponsored by the ACLU of California, Drug Policy Alliance, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and the California NAACP, changes the penalty for the simple possession of drugs under state law from a felony, which is punishable by up to three years behind bars, to a misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to one year behind bars. The reform would help alleviate overcrowding in state prisons and county jails and save the state millions of dollars annually.

“Over the years we have learned that long prison sentences do little to deter or limit personal drug use,” said Senator Leno, D-San Francisco. “In fact, time behind bars and felony records often have horrible consequences for people trying to overcome addiction because they are unlikely to receive drug treatment in prison and have few job prospects and educational opportunities when they leave. This legislation will help implement public safety realignment and protect our communities by reserving prison and jail space for more serious offenders.”

SB 1506 will significantly and safely reduce prison and jail populations, making room for people convicted of more serious offenses. The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates reducing penalties for drug possession will save counties about $159 million annually, in addition to yearly savings for the state totaling $64.4 million.

“The war on drugs has been an abysmal failure we can no longer afford,” said Allen Hopper, Criminal Justice and Drug Policy Director at the ACLU of California. “California voters agree the punishment should fit the crime, and a felony for simple possession is ridiculous. Those who are addicted to drugs need treatment, not a jail cell and a felony conviction with severe and life-long consequences, like reduced access to job opportunities, student loans, and small business loans.”

A statewide poll conducted by Lake Research Partners last year showed that most Californians – across party lines and geography – do not approve of lengthy prison sentences for minor drug possession. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of California voters strongly support the penalty reform proposed in SB 1506, including 79% of Democrats, 72% of Independents, and 66% of Republicans.

“This front-end sentencing reform is a critical step toward fixing our broken criminal justice system and making realignment work better in our communities,” said Clarissa Woo Hermosillo, Director of Policy Advocacy with the ACLU of Southern California. “By changing this offense from a felony to misdemeanor, we will be taking a huge burden off of county jails, promoting access to effective drug treatment, and saving millions of dollars annually for our schools, health and human services, and local law enforcement.”

Across the country, 13 states and the District of Columbia already make drug possession a misdemeanor. Many of these states, including New York and Delaware, in turn have the nation’s highest admission rates for drug treatment programs.