The legislature recognizes the need for possible changes in the guardianship system — both to make guardians more available when needed and to improve the quality of guardianship which is uneven. We have proposed a formal study of the situation.
Justice
animal welfare, civil law and procedure, criminal law, disability, drug policy, family law, freedom of speech, guardianship, gun violence, housing law, immigration, indigenous agenda, lgbtq rights, policing, privacy, sexual child abuse, terrorism, women's rights
Unenforced reproductive laws still on the books
What are your thoughts on Massachusetts laws still on the books that restrict abortion of other reproductive activities?
Extraordinary medical release in the Criminal Justice Package
Medical release of prisoners who are so debilitated that they pose no public safety risk is humane and will save money.
Collateral Consequences
This post summarizes collateral consequence issues in Massachusetts and the effects of the Criminal Justice Reform act of 2018 on collateral consequences.
Letter to the President from the Massachusetts State Senate
The Massachusetts State Senate has written to the President urging reversal of his harmful policy of separating families at the border.
Criminal Justice Reform in Massachusetts
In 2018, we enacted reforms designed to reduce incarceration — to lift people instead of locking them up and also to cut the chains that hold them down when they are trying to get back on their feet. Our reforms were also designed to improve public safety. This post collects resources on criminal justice reform in Massachusetts.