About this event:

DRC stands in total opposition to a current batch of bad bills on mental health and public safety. This online town hall will be a place for the community to come together and learn about one of those bad bills, SB 258, and its terrible implications for Californians.  

Our panel will discuss and layout what’s wrong with this bill, why they need to be opposed, and action steps to stop this bill. At the heart of this bill is the issue of consent for people with disabilities. The panel will also have a broader conversation around legal capacity and consent for people with disabilities, especially for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After the panel discussion we will have a Q&A with attendees.

ASL, Spanish interpreting and auto captions will be provided.

SB 258 (Wahab) 

SB 258 is a bill that will criminalize consensual sexual relationships between disabled people, especially those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

With an introduction by:

Eric Harris, Associate Executive Director of External Affairs 

Moderator

Megan Buckles
Megan Buckles (she/her/hers) is a Public Policy Attorney at Disability Rights California (DRC). Her work focuses on public safety and accessibility issues. She was previously a Staff Attorney with the Civil Rights Practice Group at DRC, focusing on the intersectionality of race, poverty, and disability in education, housing, and the criminal legal system. Prior to joining DRC, Megan was a Research Attorney at the Bail Project. She also previous served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where she advocated and advanced policy priorities related to the intersectionality of disability justice, racial justice, and economic mobility. Prior to CAP, Megan was a Clients' Rights Advocate at DRC, where she advised and represented clients on a variety of matters including eligibility for public benefits, regional center services, and special education. Megan is admitted to practice in California. 

Panelists  

• Susan Sindelar 
  Susan Sindelar is a senior attorney at Disability Rights California’s Legal Advocacy Unit in the Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) practice group. She assists adults and children with I/DD access to state and federal benefits through direct advocacy, impact litigation, and policy efforts. Her emphasis is reducing state overreliance on institutional treatment. Prior to joining DRC in 2023, Susan served as a Deputy Public Defender in Santa Barbara County handling specialty LPS and Probate conservatorship, juvenile, and competency cases. 
• Carolina Valle, MSW 
  Carolina is a social worker by training, with experience in both clinical work and traditional public policy. Carolina is currently focused on building a strong, statewide cross-disability network and looks forward to work closely with the community. Originally from Los Angeles, she’s also a co-founder of the All People’s Health Collective. 
• Wesley Witherspoon  
  Wesley Witherspoon has been a Project Coordinator at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles since 2006 and is a member of the Community Emergency Response Team and works as a Disability Consultant for Jay Nolan Community Services. Wesley serves as a representative with self-advocates and their networks and the programs and activities of the University of Southern California’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (USC UCEDD). He represents the USC UCEDD at local meetings as requested by the Director. In addition, he is the representative for the USC UCEDD for the Self-Advocacy Statewide Network. Wesley served on the State Council of Developmental Disabilities as the chair of the Employment First Committee. He also serves on the Community Voter Outreach Committee for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for voting and on the Voter Accessibility Advisory Committee for voting in Los Angeles County. Wesley is committed to the full inclusion of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. He volunteers with the City of Culver City, the Special Olympics Summer Games, and the Festival of Books at USC.  
• Joseph Meadours 
  Joseph Meadours is a self-advocacy leader and former Executive Director for People First of California.  
• Sofia Vergara 
  Sofia Vergara, is DRC’s new PULSE unit manager.  Sofia is committed to advancing social justice through education, leadership, and disability advocacy. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley, with minors in Spanish and Disability Studies, as well as a Master’s in Secondary Education, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. With nearly two decades of experience as an educator and curriculum leader, Sofia has taught courses on disability, multiculturalism, and equity at both the K–12 and university levels. She also drives statewide efforts to increase accessibility, promote inclusion, and create meaningful change across systems and communities.