The Bill of Rights is the first ten Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.

The Bill of Rights also sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the federal government to the people or to the states. And it specifies that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

In California, as in all states, the Bill of Rights provides the foundational civil liberties and rights that protect individuals from government overreach. These rights include freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the right to due process of law. The Ninth Amendment clarifies that the listing of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean that other rights not listed are denied to the people. The Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people. California's state constitution also reinforces these rights and sometimes provides broader protections than the federal Bill of Rights. For instance, the California Constitution includes a right to privacy. It is important to note that while federal law sets a baseline for rights and freedoms, state law can expand upon these rights, but cannot infringe upon the federal protections guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.