NAACP

Gov. Bill Richardson  signed legislation to officially ban bias-based profiling in New Mexico. Advocates and organizations who supported the legislation were in attendance at a public signing at the governor’s office in Santa Fe.  Activist members of the Otero County, New Mexico NAACP lobbied for passage in Santa Fe  and testified in committee hearings.

HB 428, the Prohibition of Profiling Practices Act, sponsored by Rep. Nathan Cote, D-Las Cruces, passed the Senate floor by 32-10 in the final hour of the legislative session. The bill previously passed the House floor 62-0 after an hour of impassioned debate from members. (more…)

Submitted to the site administrator by Color of Change.org

The so-called “war on drugs” has created a national disaster: 1 in 9 young Black men in America are now behind bars.¹ It’s not because they commit more crime but largely because of unfair sentencing rules that treat 5 grams of crack cocaine, the kind found in poor Black communities, the same as 500 grams of powder cocaine², the kind found in White and wealthier communities.

These sentencing laws are destroying communities across the country and have done almost nothing to reduce the level of drug use and crime. (more…)