#TBT: That Time When We Sponsored Legislation

Until the passage of Senate Bill 1421 (the “Right to Know” bill), California had some of the most restrictive laws in the nation when it came to police violence and abuse.

For the first time in its history, Black Lives Matter served as a bill co-sponsor for this critical piece of legislation, which provides access to the records of police who kill our people and officers found guilty of serious misconduct. BLMLA pulled together dozens of families whose loved ones were killed by police and worked in coalition with progressive organizations to defeat police unions and get the bill passed.

The new law went into effect in January 2019 and BLMLA has already helped dozens of families file requests to gain access to the records involving the murder of their loved ones by police.