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The battle to protectÂ*Proposition 36,CaliforniaÂ’s successful treatment-instead-of-incarceration law, hasmoved to the courts. You can help to protect this diversionprogram--the largest in the country and a model for the rest of thenation--byÂ*contributing now to the legal battle.After Sacramento politicians approved legislation that violates thespirit and the letter of Prop 36, we and the California Society ofAddiction Medicine (CSAM) immediately filed suit. Just one day afterthe governor signed the bad bill, Senate Bill 1137, we requested--andwon--a temporary restraining order to keep the pro-jail legislationfrom taking effect!
We were successful in court two weeks ago, but this is just thebeginning of the legal battle. The next step will be to seek a rulingon our motion for preliminary injunction, which would keep the law fromtaking effect until the court rules on its constitutionality.
The hearing for the motion for preliminary injunction will takeplace on September 14. To make sure we win, our legal team needs toresearch and draft legal papers now. We will also need to draftresponses to the stateÂ’s arguments, and appear and argue in court.
Unlike the supporters of Prop 36, the state has unlimitedresources—our tax dollars—to defend its bad bill. Your contributionwill help to even the playing field by allowing us toÂ*cover theexpenses associated with this legal battle. This is a fight to protectProp 36 and the principle at the core of this watershed law: thatnonviolent persons should be able to access quality, community-basedsubstance abuse treatment services without being subject toincarceration.Â*Please donate to make sure this principle stays alive.
Thank you for committing to this long fight, and working to makesure California doesn't roll back the country's largest sentencingreform since the end of Prohibition in 1933! With your support, thecourt will uphold this national model for change.
Thank you,
Daniel Abrahamson
Director of Legal Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance
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