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The League advocates against systemic racism in the justice system and for preventing excessive force and brutality by law enforcement. The League also calls for prompt actions by all members to advocate within every level of government to eradicate systemic racism.
As allies, we continue the fight for equal justice and police accountability in the Commonwealth. Please join LWVMA in acting upon that mission this week.
A conference committee will finalize the differences in the
House
and
Senate
versions of the police reform bill before Friday.
Please
contact
your state representative and state senator TODAY and ask them to urge the conference committee members (listed below) to include the strongest language possible in the following provisions
:
1) Qualified Immunity: Senate version
2) Use of force: House version: advocate for a) duty to intervene and b) the language in Rep. Miranda's House amendment on no-knock warrants
3) Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) system: a) Decertifcation due to police misconduct should be based upon "preponderance of evidence" (Senate), not "clear and convincing" (House). b) Investigatory standards should be removed altogether. c) Certification of all current police should not be retroactive-they could have misconduct records which would be waived.
4) Expungement: Senate version
5) Strengthening the state's Civil Rights Act related to police actions of misconduct
Conference Committee Members:
Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (Boston, only Senator in the Black and Latino caucus)
Senator William Brownsberger (Belmont, Senate President Pro Tempore)
Senator Bruce Tarr (Gloucester, Senate Minority Leader)
Representative Clair Cronin (Easton, House Judiciary Chair)
Representative Carlos González (Springfield, Chair, Black and Latino Caucus)
Representative Timothy Whelan (Brewster)
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