Our democracy works best when all voters can participate. The fundamental right to vote is central to the full and equal participation of people in America. It is critical that all voters have a say in who represents our interests, especially in the midst of a global pandemic.
More than 4.5 million Floridians, 21% of the population, were born in another country. Nearly half are not U.S. citizens. They are our neighbors, our colleagues, our friends. Unfortunately, they have been targeted by anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies at both the state and local level.
Over the last year, we rode an emotional, economic, and healthcare roller coaster together. We experienced loss throughout the COVID pandemic and at the hands of the police. We also experienced a dangerous, white supremacist insurrection at the U.S.
This ACLU research report, “Reckless Lawmaking: How Debt-Based Driver's License Suspension Laws Impose Harm and Waste Resources,” documents the pervasive practice of using driver’s license suspension as a consequence for unpaid fines and fees.
Constitutional rights do not end at the schoolhouse doors. The law can be complex and vague, especially with regards to the rights of young people, but students and teens should know their rights!