San Francisco Board of Supervisors approves ‘CAREN’ Act  to ban racist 911 calls News
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors approves ‘CAREN’ Act to ban racist 911 calls

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to pass the CAREN Act, making it unlawful for people to call 911 with solely the intent to discriminate.

This comes as a response to the uptick in 911 calls made by individuals who call to report innocuous behavior or non-criminal behavior for what appears to be discriminatory reasons. The supervisors cited distrust and anxiety in minority communities and strain on law enforcement as the reasons for passing the act. They said they wanted to create a pathway for the people falsely accused to seek redress and to dissuade people from calling 911 unless necessary.

The Act allows the falsely accused to bring a civil action against the caller. If they win their case they will be entitled to at least $1,000 plus attorney’s fees. In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded.

The Act will take effect within 30 days of the mayor signing it into law. Next week the Act will be voted on again before the mayor receives it for approval.