Historic Victory: SB 509 Passes CA Senate Unanimously!
We are thrilled to share that SB 509 has passed the California Senate floor with a unanimous 38-0 vote and bipartisan support! This overwhelming result reflects both the credibility of the bill and the strength of our community’s advocacy.
SB 509 is a landmark piece of legislation that:
- Strengthens the protections of American sovereignty and freedom of speech
- Defines transnational repression as a civil rights violation under California law.
- Directs the California Office of Emergency Services to train state and local law enforcement on how to recognize and respond to threats of transnational repression
- Ensures that all Californians can safely exercise their First Amendment rights, without interference or intimidation from foreign entities.
With unanimous passage with every vote in the Senate, SB 509 is now poised to keep its momentum in the State Assembly.
We want to recognize and thank everyone who helped make this win possible—especially the community members who showed up in person and educated legislators on the importance of anti-TNR police training, the Gurdwaras who signed letters of support, the community-based advocates drawn from across the diaspora and from across California, and for the countless California sangat who signed on to our support letter urging their Senators to vote YES on this bill.
A special thank you Senator Anna Caballero (D-14) for authoring and carrying this bill to passage in the Senate, and to all partners involved in making this historic feat a reality: the Sikh Coalition, Jakara Movement, American Sikh Caucus, Hindus for Human Rights, and various civil rights leaders across the nation.
Together, we are helping California continue to lead in protecting the free speech rights of all diaspora communities from any foreign repression.