LOS ANGELES - The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California praised yesterday's 43-29 vote in the California Assembly approving a bill to provide ten key protections to couples who register as domestic partners with the State of California. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Carole Migden, is supported by a broad coalition of groups in California, including the California Alliance for Pride and Equality (CAPE), the ACLU of Southern California, People For the American Way, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and others.

"This vote is an enormous first step toward fairness," said Heather Carrigan, Director of the ACLU of Southern California's Department of Public Policy. "No other state in the nation has taken an equivalent step without the pressure of a lawsuit to force change. California is at the very forefront of political organizing for equal rights for gay and lesbian couples, and the passage of this bill is a clear sign of that progress."

"The rights and protections identified in AB 25 are critical, minimal protections," said Ramona Ripston, Executive Director of the ACLU of Southern California. "We all face losses and challenges in our family lives: the state should never set policy that makes those times more difficult than they already are."

AB 25 will provide domestic partners the right to sue for wrongful death, medical and financial decision-making when one partner is incapacitated, automatic inheritance in the absence of a will, inclusion in the state's simplified, pre-formatted will, the right to use one's sick days to care for a partner, and other similar protections.

Opponents of the bill attempted to influence legislators by taking out attack ads in targeted districts throughout the state. The effort appeared to backfire, as numerous legislators reported in yesterday's debate. The effort targeted legislators who are people of color, under the erroneous impression that communities of color are less likely than white people to support equal rights for gay and lesbian people.

"The right wing's tactics in this case are completely misguided," said Heather Carrigan, Director of Public Policy at the ACLU of Southern California. "Opponents of the bill simply demonstrated their own ignorance and bias when they conducted a campaign based on the stereotype that communities of color are less supportive of equality for gay and lesbian people than white people are. In fact, in polling conducted immediately after the Knight Initiative shows that 62% of Latina women voters surveyed, a higher percentage than for any other group, support the concept of civil unions for same-gender couples, and a majority of all California voters - 52% - support legal unions for same-sex couples."

LOS ANGELES - On Wednesday, May 30th, a hearing will be held to determine whether Robert Rosenkrantz is illegally being denied parole by Governor Davis. Rosenkrantz, convicted of second-degree murder in 1985, has won the support of several members of the legislature, the judge who sentenced him, a member of the victim's family, and religious groups. The hearing will be held at 10:00 am in the Courtroom of Judge Paul Gutman (Department A), L.A. Superior Court - Van Nuys East Division located at 6230 Sylmar Ave. in Van Nuys, California.

On April 18, three religious denominations, represented by the ACLU affiliates of Northern and Southern California, and the law offices of Latham & Watkins filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Rosenkrantz. The religious groups, along with Albert M. Leddy, former Chairman of the California Board of Prison Terms, say that Rosenkrantz is a victim of Governor Davis' no parole policy that violates state and federal law. The religious groups include the California Council of Churches, the Board of Rabbis of Northern California, and the California Province of the Society of Jesus.

"We urge Governor Davis to reconsider his policy of refusing to release inmates convicted of murder who have been recommended for parole and are not considered a danger to society," said Scott Anderson of the California Council of Churches. "The Governor's no parole policy takes away any incentive for rehabilitation and reform and only increases the prisoner's despair and hopelessness. The policy robs society of those inmates who are rehabilitated, remorseful and repentant and who want to return as productive members to their communities. Mr. Rosenkrantz is such a man."

Since his imprisonment, the 33-year-old Rosenkrantz has become a computer expert, and has received several job offers. He completed therapy and has had a spotless record since he's been at the state's medium-security prison in San Luis Obispo.

"Governor Davis' blanket policy of no parole for all those who have committed murder is clearly unconstitutional and unlawful," said Will Barnett Fitton, of the law firm Latham & Watkins. "The Governor's policy does not consider all of the individual's characteristics and his likelihood of reform and only looks at the facts of the crime. In the Rosenkrantz case, the Los Angeles Superior Court and the Court of Appeal ruled that the offense was not sufficient to deny him parole. Rosenkrantz is being held captive by the Governor's no parole policy."

On April 9, 1999 the Los Angeles Times reported about the possibility of parole in murder cases, and Governor Davis said, "If you take someone else's life, forget it."

That same year, the Board of Prison Terms held nearly 2,000 parole hearings for those serving life terms. The Board determined that only 16 were suitable for parole. In every case, Governor Davis reversed or recommended against parole. In 2000, the Board conducted a similar number of hearings, and deemed only 19 lifers suitable for parole. Governor Davis has reversed or recommended against parole in every instance last year except one.

"We are anxious to preserve the integrity of the state parole system," said Rabbi David Teitelbaum, of the Board of Rabbis of Northern California. "The state parole system is based on the principle of human reconciliation and renewal. The Governor's no parole policy violates this very principle."

Albert Leddy, who served for nine years as a member, Commissioner and then Chairman of the California Board of Prison Terms from 1983-1992, said, "The Governor's policy of denying parole to all prisoners who have committed murder eliminates hope and motive for improvement and creates increased tension within the state's prison walls. If an inmate has no hope of being released, then why should he respect the rules and regulations that govern the prison? The California parole system values redemption and rehabilitation, and Rosenkrantz is clearly a model prisoner who deserves to be released."

"The Governor's lock-down on parole is a matter of politics, not sound policy," said Mark Rosenbaum, Legal Director of the ACLU of Southern California. "The Governor's 'no parole' policy amounts to an administrative decree that all life sentences be converted to 'life without possibility of parole.' This decree is unjust and runs counter to our laws and our society's belief in the rehabilitative purpose of imprisonment."

LOS ANGELES -The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California today announced that Tamika McDonald of Manual Arts High School is one of 12 high school seniors nationwide to be awarded a $4,000 college scholarship in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the struggle to defend civil liberties. The ACLU's College Scholarship for Youth Activism Award recognizes the efforts of graduating seniors who have demonstrated a strong commitment to civil liberties throughout their careers in secondary school.

"Every year, the ACLU of Southern California is lucky to have scores of students whose passion and dedication help us in the struggle to secure our civil liberties," said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU/SC. "We are inspired by and proud of Tamika McDonald's energy, contributions and commitment to take on the struggle of defending civil liberties. Her commitment gives us faith that today's young people are dedicated to defending civil liberties and civil rights."

As a plaintiff in Williams v. California, the ACLU's landmark legal effort to reform California's failed and inequitable school system, Tamika helped to identify other students whose schools failed to participate in programs that would have guaranteed their top students admission to the state university system. While earning top grades at her school, Tamika also volunteered her time to work on ACLU campaigns, educated her peers about their rights, and served as president of her school's Amnesty International Club.

"The only way to demonstrate true citizenship is to know your rights and learn how to protect them and learn how to help others protect their rights," said Tamika, who will be attending College of the Holy Cross on a four-year scholarship this Fall.

According to the ACLU lawsuit, filed in August 2000, students at Tamika's school and many other schools in low-income areas or communities of color are learning under conditions that fall far below prevailing statewide standards.

In addition to participating in the lawsuit, since her junior year, Tamika has been helping incoming freshmen learn about the education resources available to them -- yet often never advertised -- such as honors classes and enrichment programs.

"Administrators and teachers are often ill-prepared to handle the complex life situations that many of my classmates face," said Tamika. "Counselors even discourage their students from taking honors classes and administrators fail to publicize opportunities that are available to us."

Tamika McDonald migrated with her mother to the United States from Guyana at the age of ten. In order to catch up with her classmates, she taught herself to read and write English using "Hooked on Phonics" tapes. By the time she reached the 10th grade, her commitment to academic excellence and community service led her to be selected by her school to participate in a pre-collegiate outreach program at the University of California at Berkeley, the nation's top public university.

In addition to Tamika, this year's other recipients hail from Northern California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

Many of the students selected stood up for the rights of their peers by challenging the injustices inflicted upon them by school officials, created an ACLU chapter at their school or interned at the ACLU affiliate office in their state. In 2000, the first year of the program, the ACLU awarded scholarships to eight high school seniors.

"The ACLU's College Scholarship for Youth Activism Award gives us an opportunity to recognize the courage of students like Tamika and the example they set for their peers," said Nadine Strossen, President of the National ACLU. "It truly is an honor to be able to provide these intelligent, resourceful and committed young people with support for their education."

The ACLU College Scholarship program was made possible by a generous grant from an anonymous donor.