Legislative and Budget Successes
Over the past two years, the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC) has advocated for various legislative priorities which the membership selected at the beginning of the session. This advocacy included collaborating with external organizations, corresponding and meeting with legislative leaders, and many other strategies. These methods secured victories related to criminal justice reform, voting, and more.
Most notably, MBLLC members celebrated the passage of comprehensive criminal justice reform legislation. Criminal justice reform has been a reoccurring and integral piece of the MBLLC’s legislative priorities dating back to 2012. This session the MBLLC was able to deliver as two bills, An Act Relative to Criminal Justice Reform (S.2371) and An Act implementing the joint recommendations of the Massachusetts criminal justice review (H.4012), were signed by Governor Charlie Baker in March 2018.
The criminal justice reform bills included provisions from MBLLC priorities such as An Act Relative to the Expungement of Marijuana Arrests (H.2785), An Act to reduce the criminalization of poverty (S.777), and An Act for justice reinvestment (S.791). The legislation also included policy reforms such as CORI reform, expungement, pre-trial bail and fine time reform, diversion, law enforcement training on implicit biases, evidence-based programming, and data collection provisions.
MBLLC members also coalesced to assure that communities of color were not a side note in legislation regulating marijuana following a ballot question which legalized recreational use in the Commonwealth. An Act to ensure safe access to marijuana (H.3818) set the regulatory framework for the new industry and incorporated MBLLC amendments. This included provisions establishing a study aimed to increase diversity in the new industry and the establishment of participation goals for communities of color, women, and veterans. It also provided funding for restorative justice, jail diversion, workforce development, industry technical assistance, and other services for economically-disadvantaged persons.
The MBLLC was also successful in its advocacy for automatic voter registration in the Commonwealth. Voting remains an essential part of our democratic system and increasing accessibility to this right is vital to ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard. Known as An Act automatically registering eligible voters and enhancing safeguards against fraud (H.4834), the priority legislation would streamline voter registration by turning it into an opt-out system. Implementation of this legislation will decrease barriers to voting making it more accessible to the roughly 680,000 Massachusetts residents who are eligible but unregistered to vote. The bill now sits before Governor Baker awaiting his signature.
The Massachusetts FY2019 budget also brought several successes, one of which guaranteed the creation of an Office of Health Equity. This victory was a result of the advocacy by Representative Byron Rushing (D-South End) and Representative Jeffery Sánchez (D-Jamaica Plain) who originally filed the MBLLC priority: An acting eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in the Commonwealth (H.622).
Other victories within the FY2019 budget included securing funding greater than what the MBLLC requested for 12 line items and securing the requested funding amount for 14 others. Those items included Homeless Individuals Assistance, YouthWorks, Adult Basic Education, and the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. Another budget success was achieved by securing an increase in limited English student rates: the per-pupil funding for educating limited English public school students. The increase has been championed by Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Jamaica Plain) as critical in order to close the achievement gap in Massachusetts. Closing the gap was also a motivating factor in advocacy by MBLLC members for An Act for Language Opportunity for Our Kids (H.4032). The bill was signed into law in November 2017 and now allows school districts to provide programs better suited for English language learners.
An Act Modernizing the foundation budget for the 21st Century (S.223) and An Act to Promote Public Health through the Prevention Wellness Trust Fund (H.2480) (S.643) were also priorities which both made it into conference committees regarding education funding and health care. Additionally, Act Relative to Universal Pre-Kindergarten Access (S.221), An Act relative to equity in public contracting in honor of Bruce C. Bolling (S.1684), An Act relative to programs to promote self-sufficiency and decrease dependence on government provided assistance (H.91), and An Act relative to the development of a strategy supporting micro-businesses in inner-city communities (H.216) were priorities that garnered favorable reports from their respective committees.
Community and Collaborative Successes
The MBLLC also sought to strengthen connections with the communities they represent and uplift said communities through non-legislative efforts. This was done through two Communities of Color (COC) Listening Tours: one for Massachusetts’ yearly budget and another regarding legislation and general matters. The tours allowed MBLLC members to travel out of their districts to communities such as Chelsea, Randolph, Worcester, Roxbury, Lawrence, and Springfield. The insight gained from the hundreds of residents who attended these events allowed members to make informed decisions regarding which legislative and budget initiatives they would champion.
Members also engaged youth from MBLLC communities in the legislative process through the Civics Day on the Hill initiative. The pilot program spawned from a partnership with the Senate Office of Education and Civic Engagement welcoming in 8th-11th-grade classrooms from Boston Public Schools (BPS). The curriculum allowed students to participate in educational activities, take a tour of the State House, listen to guest speakers, and view the formal session. The students were also happy to talk to young staffers of color in the State House as they shared their path into public service. Since March 2017 the MBLLC welcomed 11 BPS classrooms and hopes to expand the program to other communities. The program aims to foster a stream of civically engaged youth and motivate to them to seek employment in government; thereby, increasing diversity within the staff of the Massachusetts State House.
Education continued as a common thread spurring advocacy after the suspension of two students of color at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School. The two students faced the suspension due to the school’s insensitive dress code policy. The MBLLC responded by urging the school to permanently modify their policy to be more culturally inclusive.
Partnering with the Players Coalition, an independent organization focused on social and racial equality, the MBLLC met with local professional athletes regarding educational equity and how to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction. The partnership was facilitated by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM). The Boston Red Sox organization also joined hands with the MBLLC as they launched an ongoing dialogue about race. The initiative came about following racially charged incidents at Fenway Park and led to the creation of the organization’s “Take the Lead Against Racism” campaign.
Caucus members also stepped in to advocate for the thousands of Americans displaced from Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. Following the disaster, Massachusetts became the state with the third highest concentration of evacuees. The MBLLC stepped in by encouraging the Baker Administration to support evacuees seeking to rebuild their lives in the Commonwealth. Massachusetts would go on to provide funding for school districts serving these evacuees and also fund housing accommodations for many of the evacuees ineligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance. Additional advocacy from the MBLLC led to the extension of this state assistance, in particular, for families with children.
The Caucus would also go on to advocate to the State’s federal delegation in support of legislative measures before Congress to assist the evacuee population. Additional advocacy included stressing opposition to the inhumane Trump Administration family separation immigration policy and requesting support from the Baker Administration for the reinstatement of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Baker Administration followed by advocating to the Trump administration for TPS.
Appointment Successes
In March 2016 Representative Frank Moran (D-Lawrence), an MBLLC member since 2013, ascended to the position of Caucus Chair. Representative Moran succeeded former chair Representative Russell Holmes (D-Mattapan) who has continued to serve as a proud member of the MBLLC. The executive board shifted further as Representative Aaron Vega (D-Holyoke) ascended to the role of Treasurer, Representative Evandro Carvalho (D-Dorchester) became Clerk, while Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Jamaica Plain) continued to serve in her prior role of MBLLC Vice Chair.
Caucus members celebrated as their colleague Representative Jeffrey Sánchez (D- Jamaica Plain) was named Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means. As chairman of the committee, Representative Sánchez became the first legislator of color to serve in the role. Additional appointments included Senator Linda Dorcena Forry (D- Dorchester) (now retired) as Senate Assistant Majority Whip, Representative Evandro Carvalho as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health (D-Dorchester); Representative Frank Moran (D-Lawrence) as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy; and Representative Aaron Vega (D-Holyoke) as Vice Chair, Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. The MBLLC also welcomed its four newest members: Representative Juana Matias (D-Lawrence), Representative Chynah Tyler (D-Roxbury), Representative Bud Williams (D-Springfield), and Representative Andy Vargas (D- Haverhill).
The MBLLC also welcomed Lucas DeBarros, a former Legislative Aide to Representative Carvalho, as the new Executive Director. Mr. DeBarros took over the role as the former Executive Director Sibusisiwe Malaba departed for New York City in pursuit of a master’s degree in Public Administration at Baruch College.
The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus is a group of 13 state legislators who advocate for communities of color throughout the Commonwealth. For more information, please visit: www.mablacklatinocaucus.com
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
MASSACHUSETTS BLACK AND LATINO LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS
ROOM 460, STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MA 02133-1054
TELEPHONE: (617) 722-2688
