Injustice and racism have been an ongoing struggle in our nation-wide educational system and continues to traumatize and exclude traditionally marginalized groups. At South Burlington High School we need greater action toward justice. As a community, we must do better in dismantling the racism and white supremacy that is embedded in our culture. This proposal is inspired by actions taken by the Social Justice Union of Burlington High School and the Racial Justice Alliance at Montpelier High School, both of which have been successful in petitioning their school boards to raise the Black Lives Matter flag. The Black Lives Matter movement is an affirmation of the value of black lives in response to the racism that infiltrates every institution of the United States. We recognize that all South Burlington students enrich our community. In raising the flag we do not attempt to undermine the value of each and every student, but we do act to affirm the value of South Burlington’s black students.

SB 1437, as introduced by Skinner; accomplice liability for felony murder. Existing law defines murder as the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought. Existing law defines malice for this purpose as either express or implied and defines those terms. This bill would prohibit malice from being imputed to a person based solely on his or her participation in a crime. The bill would prohibit a participant or conspirator in the commission or attempted commission of a felony inherently dangerous to human life to be imputed to have acted with implied malice unless he or she personally committed the homicidal act. Existing law defines first-degree murder, in part, as all murder that is committed in the perpetration of, or attempt to perpetrate, specified felonies, including arson, rape, carjacking, robbery, burglary, mayhem, and kidnapping. Existing law, as enacted by Proposition 7, approved by the voters at the November 7, 1978, statewide general election, prescribes a penalty for that crime of death, imprisonment in the state prison for life without the possibility of parole, or imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 25 years to life. Existing law defines 2nd-degree murder as all murder that is not in the first degree and imposes a penalty of imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 15 years to life. This bill would prohibit a participant or conspirator in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of one of the specified first degree murder felonies in which a death occurs from being liable for murder, unless the person personally committed the homicidal act, the person acted with premeditated intent to aid and abet an act wherein a death would occur, or the person was a major participant in the underlying felony and acted with reckless indifference to human life. Existing law, as added by Proposition 8, adopted June 8, 1982, and amended by Proposition 21, adopted March 7, 2000, among other things, defines a serious felony. Existing law, also added by Proposition 8, adopted June 8, 1982, and amended by Proposition 36, adopted November 6, 2012, commonly known as the Three Strikes Law, requires increased penalties for certain recidivist offenders in addition to any other enhancement or penalty provisions that may apply, including individuals with current and prior convictions of a serious felony, as specified. This bill would include in the list of serious felonies the commission of a felony inherently dangerous to human life wherein a person was killed. This bill would provide a means of resentencing a defendant when a complaint, information, or indictment was filed against the defendant that allowed the prosecution to proceed under a theory of first degree felony murder, 2nd degree felony murder, or murder under the natural and probable consequences doctrine, the defendant was sentenced for first degree or 2nd degree murder or accepted a plea offer in lieu of a trial at which the defendant could be convicted of first-degree or 2nd-degree murder, and the defendant could not be charged with murder after the enactment of this bill. The bill would provide that the court cannot, through this resentencing process, remove a strike from the petitioner’s record. By requiring the participation of district attorneys and public defenders in the resentencing process, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Injustice and racism have been an ongoing struggle in our nation-wide educational system and continues to traumatize and exclude traditionally marginalized groups. At South Burlington High School we need greater action toward justice. As a community, we must do better in dismantling the racism and white supremacy that is embedded in our culture. This proposal is inspired by actions taken by the Social Justice Union of Burlington High School and the Racial Justice Alliance at Montpelier High School, both of which have been successful in petitioning their school boards to raise the Black Lives Matter flag. The Black Lives Matter movement is an affirmation of the value of black lives in response to the racism that infiltrates every institution of the United States. We recognize that all South Burlington students enrich our community. In raising the flag we do not attempt to undermine the value of each and every student, but we do act to affirm the value of South Burlington’s black students.

The Disappearing Rainforests We are losing Earth's greatest biological treasures just as we are beginning to appreciate their true value. Rainforests once covered 14% of the earth's land surface; now they cover a mere 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. One and one-half acres of rainforest are lost every second with tragic consequences for both developing and industrial countries. Due to human activities, and being held hostage by cultural consumerism. We have failed to look at the most important parts of our forests. Terrains, animals, and trees are being killed in order to sustain a high demand for livestock and animal agriculture. Let us all preserve and highlight the importance of sustaining clean air and water for our environment, this is no longer political or religious debates but it is our alienate rights for breathable and livable air. I’m not quite certain the level of threat that there will be a time when the Amazon Rain Forests no longer exists, but I know animal agriculture is rising due to the high supply and demand for food. If this treaty is placed in action in order to band humans from organizing any type of profit and only allowing visitation for scientific studies or educational purposes, we have a chance to preserve the forests not only for our future but our children's future.

Bayer the Bee-Slayer and Monsanto the Butterfly Killer are trying to merge into one giant pesticide corporation. If this merger goes through, the new company would be the largest manufacturer and seller of herbicides. It would double down on making toxic chemicals like glyphosate (a.k.a. Roundup®) -- which is a key culprit in monarch butterfly declines and is a probable human carcinogen. We can't let that happen.

Kroger is still selling food grown with bee-killing neonicotinoids and other pesticides. These chemicals are linked to unsustainable bee die-offs that threaten our entire food system. The first step to shifting the entire grocery sector away from killing bees is convincing Kroger, the second largest food retailer in the US, to stop selling food grown with toxic pesticides. We need YOU to help make that happen!

Donald Trump is trying to hand over Bears Ears National Monument to the mining industry. He’s working to strip protections from more than 85% of the monument’s land. This is the largest rollback of protection for our public lands in history. The Department of the Interior is seeking public input on this plan. So we need you to speak up NOW and stop it!

Donald Trump is trying to hand over Bears Ears National Monument to the mining industry. He’s working to strip protections from more than 85% of the monument’s land. This is the largest rollback of protection for our public lands in history. The Department of the Interior is seeking public input on this plan. So we need you to speak up NOW and stop it!

Donald Trump is renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. He wants a new NAFTA that would destroy our climate, let Big Ag roll back food warning labels and gut other public health and environmental regulations. In short, Trump’s NAFTA is a disaster for people and the planet. The only ones who will benefit are Big Ag and corporate polluters. So we need your help to stop this deal!

Trump nominated Peter Wright to lead the EPA’s program that manages more than a thousand Superfund toxic waste sites. Wright is a Dow Chemical lawyer and former Monsanto employee. The Senate can reject Wright’s nomination. But we need your help to convince it to act!

In March, Trump announced that his new pick for Secretary of State is Mike Pompeo. Pompeo is the hateful, racist, warmongering spawn of the Koch Brothers. Pompeo is anti-science, anti-environment, and anti-peace. We have to stop him from becoming the next Secretary of State.

The Trump administration wants to rush in a question [1] about citizenship status during the national census. Guess where they got the idea? From infamous Trump adviser Kris Kobach, who represents anti-immigrant hate groups. Of all the ways democracy is threatened by Donald Trump, an unfair and inaccurate census could have the most dramatic long-term impact on public services and congressional district borders. Inaccurate census counts give an unfair share of funding and representation to low-density, rural areas, which is why a bipartisan group of 161 mayors wrote the administration to plead that they not tamper with the census questions and risk an inaccurate count. [3] The more people who are afraid [4] to talk to a census taker -- either because of their own immigration status or that of someone else in the household -- the fewer congress members, the less federal money for schools and other public services, our bustling urban areas will get. States like Texas [5] and California will be very hard hit, as well as every large city, in any state. Sign today to join the chorus and make them hear us. Tell Wilbur Ross to do his job and serve the American people, all of us, not just extremists in the Republican Party. [1] - “Wilbur Ross Overruled Career Officials at Census Bureau to Add Citizenship Question” - Pro Publica, March 27, 2018 https://www.propublica.org/article/wilbur-ross-overruled-career-officials-at-census-bureau-to-add-citizenship-question [2] - “Trump Got Idea For Census Citizenship Question From Anti-Immigrant Hate Group Attorney” - The New Civil Rights Movement, March 28, 2018 http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2018/03/trump-got-idea-for-census-citizenship-question-from-anti-immigrant-hate-group-attorney/ [3] - “Nation’s Mayors to Secretary Ross: Don’t Politicize Census. Remove the Citizenship Question.” US Conference of Mayors, March 27, 2018 https://www.usmayors.org/2018/03/27/nations-mayors-to-secretary-ross-dont-politicize-census-remove-the-citizenship-question/amp/ [4] - “Hidden Figures: How Donald Trump Is Rigging the Census” Mother Jones, May/June 2018 https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/donald-trump-rigging-2020-census-undercounting-minorities-1/ [5] - “Analysis: Adding a citizenship question to the census could screw over Texas” Texas Tribune, March 27, 2018 https://www.texastribune.org/2018/03/27/analysis-adding-citizenship-question-census-could-screw-over-texas/