ACLU Supporter –

This morning, we’re in state court in Texas challenging an unconstitutional health care ban targeting transgender youth, called S.B. 14.

For the last 18 months, thousands of families across Texas have been threatened by Governor Greg Abbott with the removal of their transgender children from their custody. Under the threat of S.B. 14, these same families have been forced to move out of state – one of our clients even separated her family to move her trans teen out of state and retain access to their health care.

If the court doesn’t intervene, the ban will take effect on September 1. That’s why we’ll be arguing in court for the next two days on behalf of hundreds of families and health professionals impacted by S.B. 14.

This challenge was filed by the ACLU, alongside the ACLU of Texas, Lambda Legal, Transgender Law Center, and the law firms Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP.

We’ll keep you as updated as possible on these critical hearings as they unfold – and know we are so grateful to have you with us in the fight for trans justice in Texas and across the country.

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA

THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP, EXPLAINED

ACLU Supporter – homeownership feels out of reach for more people across this country than ever before.

Now add to that the systemic inequities against people of color that continue to make up – and escalate – the racial wealth gap in this country and that’s where the real stark difference comes into view.

And it’s not just homeownership where these discriminatory barriers to access play out either, ACLU Supporter. Employment, income, education – in nearly every facet of life the racial wealth gap is present and persistent in America.

But how and why is this still the case in 2023?

At the ACLU, we’re fighting against these economic injustices and for systemic equality in the courts and nationwide – and we’ve got you covered when it comes to these questions. Dive in today.

– The ACLU Team

American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA

This week, we have a victory and a new lawsuit to report out in our fight for reproductive freedom and abortion access. Here’s a quick rundown of what to know:

• On Monday, we filed in federal court to prevent Alabama from prosecuting those who assist people seeking legal abortion care outside of Alabama, in states where abortion is legal. The health care providers we are representing in this case have been forced to stop providing critical information, counseling, as well as practical support to Alabamians who simply want to exercise their constitutional right to cross state lines and obtain legal medical care.
• That same night, we secured a win in a similar lawsuit in Idaho when a federal district judge barred the Idaho Attorney General from prosecuting doctors who refer patients out of state for abortion care. This ruling sends a clear message to Idaho politicians and those across the country looking to draw inspiration from the state’s Attorney General that this brazen, unconstitutional overreach will not be tolerated.

ACLU Supporter, in both cases we want to be clear: Health care providers have a right to counsel their patients on all of their medical care options, including abortion in states where it is legal – and we have a right to travel across state lines to access legal abortion care. Period.

We will continue fighting back against these extreme measures and all attempts to restrict abortion access nationwide – blocking them in the courts wherever we can.

Thank you for making this work possible, especially during these particularly challenging times for reproductive freedom. We could not do it without you.

Onward,

Meagan Burrows
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Staff Attorney, Reproductive Freedom Project, ACLU

P.S. If you would like to take action immediately with us, send a message to Congress and urge them to support legislation that safeguards abortion and all reproductive health care nationwide. Thank you.

American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA

Good Morning,

Update–>

We will be testing out our evacuation procedures with the Sheriffs office on the 7^th at 9am and then will have the training immediately following that.  We would love to have all observers participate in the drill so we can test out procedures as if a full operation was taking place.  If you have e-mail addresses for your observers please send them my way and I can e-mail calendar invites to everyone if needed. 

Also those of you who I have not received your coordinator sheets back, please send those to me as soon as possible.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

<–End Update

Below are our dates for our mandatory observer training and our Official Logic & Accuracy test for the Primary Election.  This is for the paid observer program.

Mandatory Observer Training – July 7^th 2:00pm (please keep in mind that any observers you have for your group must come to the training in order to be part of the program)

Official Logic and Accuracy Test – Wednesday July 5^th  at 2:00 pm.  Due to this election only being local items the State will not be involved.  It will just be our internal Logic and Accuracy test.

I have attached the coordinator guidelines if you are still going to be the coordinator for your group as well as the observer manual.  If so, please complete and return back to me at your earliest convenience.

We may also be having a test run of our evacuation drill at the time of the training.  If it is scheduled I’ll send out more information as time gets closer.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Link to Observer Manual

Link to Observer Coordinator Guidelines

Amanda Hatfield
Elections Manager
Benton County Auditor | Elections Division
2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd. | Richland, WA 99352
(509) 736-3085 ext. 5639
Email: amanda.hatfield@co.benton.wa.us
www.bentonauditor.com