MA Legislative Criminal Justice Reform Caucus Announces Legislative Priorities for the 2019-2020 Legislative Session
Boston – The Massachusetts Legislative Criminal Justice Reform Caucus recently announced eleven legislative priorities for the 2019-2020 legislative session of the Massachusetts General Court. The bills reflect the Caucus’s aim to further criminal justice reforms in the issue areas of sentencing, parole, juvenile expungement, emerging adult justice, conditions of pretrial and probation, conditions within prison and jails, substance use disorder treatment, and wrongful conviction.
The legislative priorities are:
· H.1343/S.937, An Act relative to treatment, not imprisonment filed by Representative Ruth Balser and Senator Cindy Friedman
· H.3420, An Act to promote public safety and better outcomes for young adults filed by Representatives Kay Khan and Jim O’Day
· H.1486/S.940, An Act to reduce recidivism among emerging adults filed by Representatives Kay Khan and Jim O’Day and Senator Cindy Friedman
· H.1386, An Act relative to expungement, sealing and criminal records provisions filed by Representatives Kay Khan and Marjorie Decker and S.900, An Act relative to expungement filed by Senator Cindy Creem
· H.3457, An Act relative to parole filed by Representatives Andy Vargas and Liz Miranda
· H.2087/S.1362, An act to create uniform standards in use of force, increase transparency, and reduce harm filed by Representative Mary Keefe and Senator Michael Barrett
· H.2047/S.1379, An Act to strengthen inmate visitation filed by Representative Marjorie Decker and Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz
· H.1700/S.1145, An Act ensuring access to addiction services filed by Representative Ruth Balser and Senator Cindy Friedman
· H.3358/S.826, An Act to reduce mass incarceration filed by Representative Jay Livingstone and Senator Joe Boncore
· H.1341/S.905, An Act to collect data on LGBTQI prisoners held in restrictive housing filed by Representative Ruth Balser and Senator Julian Cyr
· S.957, An Act relative to compensation for victims of wrongful conviction filed by Senator Pat Jehlen
Several of the legislative priorities received endorsements from outside advocacy groups including the Jobs Not Jails Coalition, Prisoners’ Legal Services, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, National Association of Social Workers, League of Women Voters MA, Unitarian Universalist Mass Action Network, and Progressive Mass.
In addition to advocating for these legislative priorities, the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus will continue educating legislators and staff on the critical need for changes in the Commonwealth’s criminal legal system, building off the momentum of the Criminal Justice Reform Act signed into law in April 2018.
“I'm pleased to once again co-chair the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus with Rep. Mary Keefe, and prioritize key pieces of legislation before the Legislature, to further improve our criminal justice system, address racial inequities, and promote a fairer society,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), who serves the Co-Chair of the Caucus. “While much of the caucus's work this year has been devoted to tracking and monitoring the progress of the 2018 criminal justice reform act, it is clear from bills that legislators have filed, grassroots activity by civil rights groups, and attendance at various legislative committee hearings and meetings, that the public wants to see more progress on criminal justice reform on Beacon Hill, and in every community across Massachusetts."
“Last session brought enormous progress to our Commonwealth with the signage of the criminal justice reform act,” said Representative Mary Keefe (D-Worcester), who serves as the other Co-Chair of the Caucus. “In addition to these new policies, there are numerous opportunities to further systemic and cultural changes in our justice system, especially with our legislative priorities. I look forward to continuing this work with the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, my legislative colleagues, justice leaders, advocates, and those impacted by incarceration most to ensure that criminal justice reform is fully implemented.”
Since the founding of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus in 2013, formerly known as the Harm Reduction and Drug Law Reform Caucus, the purpose of this bicameral, bipartisan Caucus is to build a coalition of legislators who are working to address the root causes and symptoms of mass incarceration in Massachusetts through comprehensive policy reform, education, and coalition building.
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