MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Today, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed SF 2909, the Judiciary and Public Safety budget bill, which the Minnesota House of Representatives voted 69-63 to pass on May 16. The bill includes language that makes calls free for people incarcerated in state prisons. The language was initially introduced by Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten in the Senate and Representative Esther Agbaje in the House. Minnesota follows Connecticut, California, and Colorado to become the fourth state in the country to make prison calls free

DENVER, CO — Today, the Colorado Senate voted 23-12 to pass HB23-1133, which makes calls free in state prisons across Colorado. The bill was sponsored by Representatives Judy Amabile and Mandy Lindsay in the House and Senators Julie Gonzales and Robert Rodriguez in the Senate and now moves to Governor Jared Polis’ desk to be signed. Colorado follows Connecticut and California to become the third state in the country to make prison calls free.

PRINCETON, NJ — Today, hundreds of Princeton Theological Seminary students and alumni delivered a demand letter to President Jonathan Walton demanding the removal of Michael Fisch from the Board of Trustees due to his role in the prison industry. Fisch’s private equity firm, American Securities, owns ViaPath (formerly GTL), a predatory prison telecom that rakes in more than $650 million annually charging incarcerated people and their families exorbitant rates to stay connected.

DENVER, CO — Today, the Colorado House Judiciary Committee voted 8 to 4 to advance HB23-1133. Sponsored by Representatives Judy Amabile and Mandy Lindsay, HB23-1133 would make prison communication free across Colorado. It now moves to the House Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Worth Rises and Color Of Change released a new policy blueprint calling on the Biden-Harris administration to stop corporations from profiteering off of incarceration. Corporate exploitation throughout the carceral system harms incarcerated people, their loved ones and communities, and taxpayers and public safety at large.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As one of the last acts before wrapping up this year’s session, Congress has just passed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2021 (S. 1541). The bill was introduced last year by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D–Illinois), with a corresponding House bill (H.R. 2489) introduced by Congressman Bobby Rush (D–Illinois). The bill confirms the FCC’s authority to regulate all prison and jail calls to stop prison telecom corporations from charging incarcerated people and their loved ones predatory rates. It also gives the FCC authority to regulate the cost of video calls for the first time. The bill now goes to President Biden, who is expected to sign it. 

NEW YORK, NY — Today, Worth Rises announced the release of The Prison Industry Corporate Database, a digital resource that illustrates the expansive reach of the prison industry, tracking more than 4,000 corporations that profit from the carceral system. What started as biennially published reports has evolved into a dynamic, interactive database that exposes the breadth and reach of the prison industry and clearly details the harms caused by each corporation involved. This database is part of Worth Rises’ prison industry series that also includes a textbook and curriculum.

SACRAMENTO, CA — Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1008, making California the second state in the nation to make prison phone calls free. SB 1008 will provide relief to incarcerated people and their loved ones thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates, including directly impacted families. California joins a growing list of cities and states in the national fight for prison phone justice, including Connecticut, New York City, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, and others.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Today, leaders of the #EndTheException coalition — including Worth Rises, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and more — hosted a public event in honor of Constitution Day that gathered hundreds of people at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park in support of the Abolition Amendment (SJR 21 and HJR 53). The proposed legislation, sponsored by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkely and U.S. Congresswoman Nikema Williams, would end the exception in the 13th Amendment that, to this day, allows slavery to be used as criminal punishment and enables the exploitation of prison labor across the country.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The #EndTheException coalition today announced it will launch its new #ExceptForMe activation series on Labor Day to spotlight the destructive, real-life impact of prison slavery. Through captivating original video stories, wild postings, art installations, film screenings, petition deliveries, and undisclosed direct actions, the initiative will showcase the narratives of currently and formerly incarcerated people who have been forced to labor under the exception in the 13th Amendment. #ExceptForMe is part of the coalition’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the exception in the 13th Amendment that still allows slavery to be used as punishment for a crime and rally support for the Abolition Amendment (SJR 21 and HJR 53), which would end the exception and abolish slavery for all.