Town of Huntington to Consider First Bill of Rights Resolution In Suffolk County

Town of Huntington to Consider First Bill of Rights Resolution In Suffolk County

September 10, 2004 Part of Nationwide Movement to Pass Resolutions Against Unconstitutional Provisions of PATRIOT Act Suffolk County, New York: The Suffolk Bill of Rights Defense Campaign and the Suffolk Chapter of the NYCLU jointly announce that at 2:00pm on September 14th, 2004, the Town Board of Huntington will likely consider a resolution defending the Bill of Rights. The 2:00pm Board meeting will be preceded by a 1:00pm press conference in front of the Town Hall (Route 25a side) where the Campaign will speak of their efforts over the past year to secure passage of a resolution by the Huntington Town Board. This effort included education forums, meetings with Board Members, Town Staff and Town Attorneys, petition campaigns, letter writing campaigns, and meetings with other New York public officials including Rep. Steve Israel and the offices of Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Hillary Clinton. “Our Campaign has spent hundreds of hours coming together at least once a week to meet, plan, stuff envelopes, and talk with public officials,” said Charlotte Koons, coordinator of the Campaign. “Huntington is the first fruit borne by that effort.” Bill of Rights Resolutions have passed across the nation, with the number currently standing at 347 communities and four states. In New York, resolutions have passed in New York City, Albany, Syracuse, and Mount Vernon among other locales. Huntington will be the first community in Suffolk County to pass a resolution, and only the second on Long Island. The Suffolk Bill of Rights Defense Campaign, an informal, non-partisan group works to educate the Suffolk community on the importance of protecting the Bill of Rights in a post-9/11 world. Jared Feuer, Campaign Secretary and Director of the Suffolk NYCLU said, “Our goal is to show Suffolk residents and officials that the Constitution is, and has always been, a source of strength during difficult times.”