Yee’s S.B. 9 Juvenile Sentencing bill is set to a final floor vote this week – August 29th to September 2.  SB9 would change California's laws around sentencing youth to Life With Out Parole (LWOP). SB 9 gives youth sentenced to life a degree of dignity and a motivation to reform. The bill is currently tied and legislators are not receiving correspondence from their constituencies.  So we need help.

California is one of the only places in the world where a juvenile can be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. As high as 59% of juveniles sentenced to LWOP are first time offenders. In 70% of those cases, the co-defendant was over eighteen at the time the crime was committed. These staggering statistics only bolster the fact that in a survey of West Coast residents, 81% of voting citizens do not believe youth should spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

Write an email and call your state assembly member.  Call the Capitol office and urge a strong Aye Vote on S.B. 9.  If you can get 5 people to call and write, this bill will pass and a more intelligent and humane solution to our LWOP: Life Without Parole system will be in tact.

Two Assembly members Nora Campos and Luis Alejo abstained from voting on this bill last Thursday.  Other assembly members were absent. Call their offices and voice your support for a YES vote. (If you reside in their districts, make sure to say that when you call).

Alejo, Luis. (916) 319-2028. San Benito County, Salinas Valley, North Monterey County, South Santa Clara County, and Watsonville.

Bonilla, Susan (916)319-2011. Bay Area, north Contra Costa county

Buchanan, Joan (916)319.2015. Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Alameda Counties

Campos, Nora (916) 319 2023. Bay Area, northwest Santa Clara county

Please act now and ensure a more hopeful future for hundreds of Californian youth.