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Call Your Representative for Racial Equity and Policing Legislation!

Action Alert

The House is currently working on police reform! We need your help to secure the safety of the young people in our schools!  
 
Earlier this week after an all-night session the Senate passed S.2820, the Reform, Shift + Build Act. Now the House is evaluating its own police accountability bill. 
 
Massachusetts Appleseed has been working with the Coalition for Smart Responses to Student Behavior to advocate for the removal of mandatory School Resource Officers (SROs), and for greater public accountability when police come into contact with students. You can find the letter we have signed onto with this coalition here.  
 
Our first priority:  
  • Remove School Resource Officers from Massachusetts Schools. There is a simple legislative change your Representative can enact that would achieve this goal and keep schools safe. The definition of a “school resource officer” (SRO) in G.L. c. 71 § 37P(a) can be amended to include: A school resource officer shall not be located on school grounds but at the local police station and shall be charged with serving as the primary responder to calls from public schools. 
Legislative priorities from S.2820 we want included by the House:  
  • Senator Boncore’s Amendment 25 “Training and Certification for School Resource Officers” requires specific training for SROs on a host of important topics, to be developed in consultation with experts, and to be required before an officer can be assigned as an SRO. 
  • Senator Jehlen’s Amendment 80 “School Committee Approval of SROs and Data Reporting” puts school committees – not superintendents and police chiefs – in charge of annually approving school policing by vote, and requires that the district and police department comply with the reporting requirements of school-based arrests to qualify to have an SRO. 
  • Senator Jehlen’s Amendment 108 “Protecting Students from Profiling” strengthens existing provisions of S.2820 on information sharing by prohibiting Massachusetts school staff and school police from sharing student information to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center and other gang databases. 
  • Section 59-61 of S.2820 (initially filed by Representatives Decker and Khan in H.1386) “Expanding Expungement Eligibility” allows multiple cases on a juvenile’s record to be considered for expungement – rather than only one, which is current Massachusetts law – and reduces the list of offenses never eligible for expungement. 

Read S.2820

Read Our Testimony

What You Can Do

  • Email your Representative TODAY and ask them to support the priorities within amendments 25, 80, and 108, and section 59-61 of S.2820. Be sure to attach the Coalition for Smart Responses to Student Behavior’s testimony and Massachusetts Appleseed’s testimony to your email! 
  • Because elected officials get a lot of emails, follow-up with a phone call to ask whether the Representative will support these priorities.
  • Click here to find your Representative’s emails and phone numbers. 

Thank you for working with us to improve this important legislation and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline!

 

Our Response to COVID-19

From developing and sharing accessible legal resources in areas of urgent need to advocating for equitable policies to support those hit hardest by COVID-19 – there’s work to be done. Learn more about steps we’re taking to aid our most vulnerable communities during the pandemic and how you can help.

Our Response to COVID-19

 

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Racial Equity and Policing Legislation

Action Alert

For years Massachusetts Appleseed has been working to bring an end to zero-tolerance school discipline policies, school arrests, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Amidst the wave of protests against police brutality, now is the time to demand more. Over-policing in Massachusetts schools disproportionally impacts Black and Latinx students, who are significantly more likely to be arrested at school than their white counterparts. School Resource Officers (SROs) are meant to protect our students, but instead many SROs actively place our students in danger. On December 3, 2018, a Springfield Massachusetts school resource officer assaulted a 14-year-old high school boy, grabbing him by the back of his neck and pushing him against the side of a school hallway. Subsequently, the officer filed a false incident report. We cannot allow this to go on any longer. We need change now.
 
Tomorrow the Massachusetts Senate will be voting on S.2800 An Act to Reform Police Standards and Shift Resources to Build a More Equitable, Fair and Just Commonwealth that Values Black Lives and Communities of Color, known as the Reform, Shift + Build Act.
 
This legislation:
  • Requires the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to report out the number of mental health counselors and school resources officers
  • Limits school personnel from disclosing student information to law enforcement, and subsequent entry of that information into shared law enforcement databases
By providing us data on the current number of counselors compared with school resource officers in Massachusetts public schools, this legislation will allow us to more deeply understand the practical solution of replacing SROs with mental health counselors. In addition, this legislation takes important initial steps to limit the ability of school administrations and SROs to share incident reports with local law enforcement.
 
This legislation is a solid foundation for dismantling the over-policing in Massachusetts schools. However, amendments are necessary to truly achieve our goal.
 
Amendments we support:
  • Senator Boncore’s Amendment 25 “Training and Certification for School Resource Officers” requires specific training for SROs on a host of important topics, to be developed in consultation with experts, and to be required before an officer can be assigned as an SRO.
  • Senator Jehlen’s Amendment 80 “School Committee Approval of SROs and Data Reporting” puts school committees – not superintendents and police chiefs – in charge of annually approving school policing by vote, and requires that the district and police department comply with the reporting requirements of school-based arrests to qualify to have an SRO.
  • Senator Jehlen’s Amendment 93 “Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline” prevents students who have been merely accused of a crime from being excluded from school without any real due process, and clarifies the type of student behavior that would rise to the level of being a danger in the school to justify expulsion and suspension.
  • Senator Jehlen’s Amendment 108 “Protecting Students from Profiling” strengthens existing provisions of S.2800 on information sharing by prohibiting Massachusetts school staff and school police from sharing student information to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center and other gang databases.
These amendments require increased training for SROs, place the power to approve SROs within the community, provide students due with process in future disciplinary action, and keep school administrators from sharing disciplinary information with state and federal law enforcement such as the Boston Police Department, ICE, and the FBI. 
 
These measures represent an essential step in supporting the grassroots movements led by young people in Boston, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham and across the Commonwealth advocating for the removal of SROs entirely.

Click Here to Read S.2800

Click Here for Amendments

What You Can Do

Time is of the essence! The Senate will be voting Tomorrow!

  1. Contact your Senator TODAY and ask them to support Amendments 25, 80, 93, and 108.
  2. Because elected officials get a lot of emails, follow-up with a phone call to ask whether the Senator will support these amendments.
  3. Click here to find your Senators emails and phone numbers.

Thank you for working with us to improve this important legislation and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline!

 

Our Response to COVID-19

From advocating for increased support for youth experiencing homelessness, to sharing multilingual resources to help immigrant and Limited English Proficient families withstand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – there’s work to be done. Learn more about steps we’re taking to aid our most vulnerable communities during the pandemic and how you can help.

Our Response to COVID-19

 

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Emergency Legislation Filed for Right to Counsel

Action Alert

Amid record levels of unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Massachusetts residents are struggling to pay rent and afford basic necessities. The statewide eviction moratorium prevents anyone from being forced out of their home for now, but if the Governor does not extend the moratorium, that protection could end on August 18th – flooding courts with eviction cases. According to landlord organizations, as many as an estimated 15,000 new evictions will be filed.

As part of the response to the tidal wave of evictions expected to hit when the moratorium lifts, Senator Sal DiDomenico has filed emergency legislation to establish a statewide Right to Counsel pilot project. The bill, SD 2971, would protect low-income renters and owner-occupants facing eviction in areas of the Commonwealth hit hardest by the pandemic by establishing projects statewide, within each of the Housing Court’s six divisions.

As a member of the Massachusetts Right to Counsel Coalition, we know that without a lawyer, many tenants do not know how to protect themselves in and out of the courtroom from the threat of eviction. This bill is an important step in ensuring a fairer, more balanced process, preventing homelessness, displacement, unjust evictions, and creating a path to housing stability in the wake of the pandemic.

SD 2971 Fact Sheet

What You Can Do

Time is of the essence!

  1. Contact your Senator & Representative TODAY and ask them to co-sponsor SD 2971 Emergency Right to Counsel Pilot.
  2. Check whether your Senator and Rep co-sponsored Right to Counsel bills earlier this year. If they did, thank them for their earlier support when you ask them to co-sponsor SD 2971. 
  3. Use the starter email below which includes links to the fact sheet and information about the Coalition.
  4. Because elected officials get a lot of emails, follow-up with a phone call to ask whether the Senator or Rep will co-sponsor the bill.
  5. Click here to find your Senator and Representative emails and phone numbers. 

Sample Language:

My name is _______ and I am a Massachusetts resident from _____________. I’m contacting you to ask that you co-sponsor Senate Docket 2971, a statewide right to counsel pilot program to respond to the COVID-19 emergency. It is urgent that we advance this bill quickly to avert the coming eviction crisis. Landlord organizations estimate 15,000 new evictions will be filed when the eviction moratorium ends. 

Over 90% of tenants face eviction without legal representation, while 70% of landlords have lawyers – an imbalance that may be felt even more when the moratorium ends. Massachusetts needs a comprehensive eviction prevention response that includes full legal representation in eviction cases to stabilize people’s housing. 

Over 130 organizations have joined together to support a right to counsel in Massachusetts. I hope you will join with others to co-sponsor SD 2971. Please see the fact sheet with more information about SD 2971. Thank you for all of your work to keep Massachusetts residents safe and housed.

Your name ______________

Organization/Contact Information

 

Thank you for supporting low-income and unrepresented tenants and taking quick action to expand access to justice!

Resources

SD 2971 Fact Sheet

Find Your Legislator

Did Your Legislator Co-Sponsor a Right to Counsel Bill?

Growing List of Supporters for Right to Counsel

Join the Right to Counsel Coalition

Our Response to COVID-19

From advocating for increased support for youth experiencing homelessness, to sharing multilingual resources to help immigrant and Limited English Proficient families withstand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – there’s work to be done. Learn more about steps we’re taking to aid our most vulnerable communities during the pandemic and how you can help.

Our Response to COVID-19

 

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Tell Your Legislators: We Need Right to Counsel!

Action Alert

In 2018 alone, more than 40,000 households in Massachusetts were served with eviction papers, and over 92% of these tenants were unrepresented. Women, families of color, and households with children disproportionately face eviction, and are forced to fight it on their own. The stakes are high and without a lawyer, many tenants do not know how to protect themselves in and out of the courtroom. From uprooting neighborhoods, pushing families into homelessness, and more, the impact of eviction can be swift, traumatic, and devastating.

As a member of the Massachusetts Right to Counsel Coalition, we believe that by establishing a right to counsel in eviction cases, we can ensure a fairer, more balanced process, prevent homelessness, displacement, unjust evictions, and create a path to housing stability.

Join the Coalition

Where Are We Now

In November, the Right to Counsel Coalition submitted a consolidated proposal, guided by these principles, that calls for:

  • providing an attorney for low-income tenants facing eviction in court and certain low-income owner-occupants of 1 or 2 -family homes seeking possession of their own and only home;
  • building the capacity of organizations to prevent evictions and homelessness, such as proactive education, housing stabilization assistance, and “upstream” support prior to court.

The Judiciary Committee is currently reviewing bills, including this consolidated bill. It must report all the bills out of the committee by next Wednesday, February 5th, or seek an extension of further time to consider the bill.

Read the Coalition’s Proposed Bill

Summary of the Coalition’s Proposed Bill

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Coalition’s Proposed Bill

What You Can Do

Please call, write, or email your Senator and Representative before February 5th and urge them to contact the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Senator Jamie Eldridge and Representative Claire Cronin, and urge them to give the right to counsel bill a favorable report.

Sample Language:

Dear Senator/Rep______: 

One of the most important ways to fight homelessness is to prevent evictions. Over 92% of tenants facing eviction in court have no representation. Housing stability is one of the most pressing issues that our Commonwealth is facing. Over 120 organizations are part of a broad-based Right to Counsel Coalition. Please urge Judiciary Chair Cronin and Chair Eldridge to report a right to counsel bill out of the Judiciary Committee favorably. Now is the time. We can prevent the trauma that eviction is causing people in our community. Thank you.

If your Senator or Representative co-sponsored one of the Right to Counsel bills, please thank them and let them know we need their help to advance this bill. You can see if they co-sponsored one of the bills here!

Thank you for supporting low-income and unrepresented tenants and taking vital action to expand access to justice!

Resources

Find Your Legislator

Did Your Legislator Co-Sponsor a Right to Counsel Bill?

Growing List of Supporters for Right to Counsel

Fact Sheet

Letter from the Metro Mayors Coalition

Recent Press

Lawyers Weekly

Brockton Enterprise

Our 2020 Legislative Agenda

From ending student hunger, to preventing the suspension and expulsion of preschoolers, to ensuring youth experiencing homelessness can access the services and resources they need – there’s work to be done. Check out what other bills we’re supporting this year!

Our 2020 Legislative Agenda

 

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The 2020 State Budget is on the Governor’s Desk!

Action Alert

This week, the Conference Committee released its final, reconciled 2020 budget – a consolidation of the House and Senate versions totaling $43.1 billion. This year, our budget priorities included:

  • Support for Homeless Youth (Line Item #4000-0007)
    • $5 million to fund housing and support services for youth experiencing homelessness.
  • Safe and Supportive Schools (Line Item #7061-9612)
    • $508,128 to fund the Safe and Supportive Schools program and ensure all students are empowered to succeed in school.
  • Civil Legal Aid (MLAC Line Item #0321-1600)
    • $24 million to provide civil legal aid to low-income individuals and families.

I’m happy to report that the Conference Committee has recommended full funding for all of these line items! Thank you to the House and Senate leadership, and a special thanks to you! Each time you raised your voice and called your legislators to support your most vulnerable neighbors, you have brought us one step closer to a 2020 where we are equipped to support all Massachusetts residents in shelters, in school, and in the courts.

This year’s budget battle is almost over…but not quite yet. The Legislature has voted on the budget and now it heads to Governor Baker’s desk, where he will have ten days to veto line items – potentially eliminating the vital funding for the line items listed above.

You have stood alongside us and fought hard for these line items as the budget made its way through the House, the Senate, and the Conference Committee. Don’t let Governor Baker veto them now.

Please join us in contacting Governor Baker’s office to let him know that you support the Conference Committee’s recommended funding for services for youth experiencing homelessness, safe and supportive schools, and increased access to justice through civil legal aid.

Click here to call or email the Governor’s office now!

You can read more about these important line items below:

Housing and Support Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Line Item #4000-0007

The Conference Committee adopted the Senate’s funding level of $5 million for support and services for youth experiencing homelessness! This is a long-overdue increase of $1.7 million from last year. Governor Baker’s administration highlighted its plan to end youth homelessness just a few months ago. Let him know that this funding level is a critical component of any solution to homelessness for young people in Massachusetts.

This increase to $5 million will fund vital services for one of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable populations and is an important step towards Governor Baker’s stated goal to address youth homelessness.

Please ask Governor Baker to adopt the Conference Committee’s recommended funding amount of $5 million.

Safe and Supportive School Environments

Line Item #7061-9612

In more good news, the Conference Committee has recommended $508,128 in funding for this essential line item, which is slightly ABOVE last year’s funding level. Many thanks to the Legislature for this welcome increase, particularly in a year when the question of school funding, and how well we are supporting our students, has been at the forefront of conversations across the state.

This increase will help continue the Safe and Supportive Schools program, which enables the development of school-wide Action Plans, facilitates the exchange of best practices, and ultimately works to empower all students to succeed in school.

Please join us in urging Governor Baker to include this funding level in the final budget!

Civil Legal Aid

Line Item #0321-1600

The Conference Committee has recommended the Senate’s funding level of $24 million in funding for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation line item, which funds free civil legal services that thousands of low-income residents of Massachusetts rely on each year. If Massachusetts believes in striving for 100% access to justice, this increase in funding is an absolute necessity.

The overwhelming need for increased civil legal aid continues to grow, with individuals and families in Massachusetts facing eviction, domestic violence, and other civil legal crises.

Please urge Governor Baker to adopt the Conference Committee’s recommended funding amount of $24 million in the final budget.

We’ve been fighting for these line items, which include much-needed increases in funding, since April, and you’ve been with us every step of the way. Please join us once again so that we can cross the finish line and ensure these line items make it into the final budget!

Click here to find the contact information for Governor Baker’s office. Then call or email and urge him to adopt the Conference Committee’s funding levels for support for youth experiencing homelessness, safe and supportive schools, and civil legal aid.

Thank you for your ongoing support and advocacy – we can’t do it without you!

 

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The 2020 State Budget: Results from the Senate

Action Alert

Thank you to everyone who raised their voices and called their state senators to advocate for our FY20 budget priorities! The Senate debates have ended, the conferees of the Conference Committee have been decided, and the next stage of this year’s budget battle has begun! You can view the finalized Senate budget here, and take a look below to read more about where we stand on our budget priorities:

Housing and Support Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

As you may remember, the Senate Committee on Ways & Means released its FY20 budget proposal and recommended $5 million for support and services for youth experiencing homelessness (line item 4000-0007). Since this was the funding amount advocates requested, no amendment needed to be filed! However, since the final House budget only provided $3.3 million in funding for this line item, the Conference Committee is now tasked with determining the final funding level.

The funding level proposed by the Senate is an important increase to fund vital services for one of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable populations.

Please ask your legislators to urge the Conference Committee to include the Senate funding level of $5 million in the final budget.

Safe and Supportive School Environments

To ensure that all students are empowered to succeed in school, the Safe and Supportive Schools program needs continued funding at an adequate level. We are pleased to report that the Senate Committee on Ways & Means recommended $508,128 in funding for this essential line item (7061-9612), which is slightly ABOVE last year’s funding level. Once again, this meant that there was no need to advocate for an amendment to this line item during the Senate budget debate! However, because the House provided only $400,000 in funding for the Safe and Supportive Schools line item, it will be up to the Conference Committee to determine the final funding amount.

This line item provides critical funding to continue the Safe and Supportive Schools Grant Program, which enables the development of school-wide Action Plans and facilitates the exchange of best practices, and more.

Please join us in advocating for the Senate funding level of $508,128 in the Conference Committee’s final budget.

Civil Legal Aid

Each year we advocate for increased funding for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) because of the overwhelming need for civil legal aid for low-income families and individuals, which continues to grow.

The MLAC line item (0321-1600) funds free civil legal services that many low-income residents of Massachusetts rely on when facing eviction, domestic violence, and other civil legal crises.

Thankfully, Senator Cynthia Creem’s amendment to increase civil legal aid funding to $24 million was included in the Senate’s final budget! While still less than the $26 million MLAC initially requested, this is a much-needed increase that is greater than the $23.6 million in funding that the House allocated.

Please ask your legislators to urge the Conference Committee to adopt the Senate’s funding amount of $24 million in the final budget.

State ID for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Senators Chandler and Welch filed Amendment #464 that would work to eliminate barriers homeless youth face in obtaining IDs.

Without state ID, youth experiencing homelessness are prevented from accomplishing many critical and daily tasks, from enrolling in education programs to something as simple as getting a library card.

The amendment would have established a process to waive the prohibitive $25 state ID card fee and created an alternative application process for those who cannot meet existing criteria (such as providing proof of residency). Unfortunately, these policy provisions were not included in the final Senate budget.

While we are disappointed by this development, we will continue to advocate for legislation currently before the Joint Transportation Committee (S.2043/H.3066), which would also ease the process for youth experiencing homelessness to obtain state ID. Click here for more information, and stay tuned to see how you can help advocate to get these common-sense reforms passed this year!

On To the Conference Committee!

The Conference Committee, made up of six legislators – three representatives, three senators – will review both the House and Senate budgets and work to reconcile any differences. The Committee has until July 1st to pass a final reconciled budget and send it to Governor Baker’s desk for approval.

This is a decisive moment for our budget priorities, and we can’t do it without you. When you contact your legislators in support of these funding levels, especially at this final hurdle, you’re helping ensure some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable communities are supported and empowered to succeed in 2020.

Click here to find your legislator’s contact information. Then call or email both your state senator and representative and ask them to urge the members of the Conference Committee (listed below) to adopt the Senate funding levels for each of these important line items described above.

Thank you for your ongoing support and advocacy. With your help, we can ensure these crucial line items receive the funding they need in the coming year.

 

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The 2020 State Budget: Civil Legal Aid and State ID for Youth Experiencing Homelessness On The Line!

“Each line item, each number, is much more than just a number. It is a statement of the Senate’s priorities and our values and what we hold dear.”

– Senate President Karen Spilka

With the House budget settled, it’s the Senate’s turn to look ahead towards 2020. The Senate Committee on Ways & Means released its budget earlier this month, and while several of the line items we support have been fully funded, there is still a funding gap for one critical issue — civil legal aid. And there’s also a chance to advance opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. Please take a moment and check out our budget priorities below and the amendments Senators Creem, Eldridge, Chandler, and Welch have filed for civil legal aid and for youth experiencing homelessness.

Your vocal support for these amendments and line items makes all the difference, and we can’t do this without you. Please join us and call your State Senator to ensure these key areas are fully funded and included in the Senate’s final budget!

First, the Good News…

Safe and Supportive School Environments

The Safe and Supportive Schools law, passed in 2014, was enacted to make the vision of safe and supportive whole-school cultures that address many barriers to learning a reality. I’m pleased to report that the Senate Committee on Ways & Means has recommended slightly above level funding ($500,000) for the Safe and Supportive Schools line item (7061-9612). This funding will be used to continue the Safe and Supportive Schools Grant Program, develop school-wide Action Plans, collect feedback from students, and more.

Youth Homelessness: Housing and Support Services

The Senate Committee on Ways & Means has recommended $5 million for housing and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness (line item 4000-0007)! With reports of youth homelessness on the rise, it is critical that the state continue to invest in long-term solutions to build on past progress and provide much-needed support to vulnerable youth in Massachusetts. We look forward to advocating for the Senate’s recommendation when the Conference Committee convenes!

Budget Amendments That Need Your Support!

Civil Legal Aid

Civil legal aid organizations are often the last place low-income residents facing a civil legal crisis can turn to. For those dealing with life-altering legal issues such as eviction, domestic violence, and more, civil legal aid is a lifeline. We thank the Senate Committee on Ways & Means for recommending $22 million in its budget for civil legal aid, an increase of $1 million over last year.

But with civil legal aid organizations forced to turn away a MAJORITY of eligible residents seeking help every year, it’s still not enough.

Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem and Senate Judiciary Chair Jamie Eldridge have filed Amendment #976 to increase funding for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) line item (0321-1600) to $24 million.

As Senate President Karen Spilka said, the budget is a statement of our priorities and our values. We know civil legal aid is among our priorities, and we know it’s among yours. We must ensure it’s among the Senate’s as well.

Click here for more information about this issue.

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Senator’s contact information TODAY and ask them to support Amendment #976.

Youth Homelessness: Massachusetts State ID

Without government-issued identification, youth experiencing homelessness are unable to complete many important and routine tasks, such as opening a bank account, enrolling in education programs, getting a library card, entering certain government buildings, and more. Right now, there are barriers in place that prevent youth experiencing homelessness from easily obtaining ID.

Some service providers for people experiencing homelessness estimate that half of their clients lack identification cards.

While we will continue to advocate for the passage of a refiled bill throughout the year that would eliminate these barriers, Senators Chandler and Welch have filed Amendment #464 that would address this issue now!

This amendment would establish a process to waive the $25 state ID card fee for youth experiencing homelessness (adding $50,000 to the Transportation Trust Fund, line item 1595-6368) and create an alternative application process if they cannot meet existing criteria (such as providing proof of residency). These are common-sense reforms that will enable youth experiencing homelessness to access the life-saving resources they need.

Click here for more information about this issue.

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Senator’s contact information TODAY and ask them to support Amendment #464.

This time of year is so important, and I want to thank you for raising your voice and helping us get this year’s budget battles off to a great start.

By ensuring Amendments #976 and 464 are included in the Senate’s budget, we will have a better chance of obtaining adequate funding for civil legal aid and support for youth experiencing homelessness in the final budget that the legislature sends to the Governor this summer. Please call your State Senator and urge them to include civil legal aid and state ID for youth experiencing homelessness in their FY20 priorities.

Thank you for your continued support and advocacy.

 

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The 2020 State Budget: House Amendments Need Support!

Action Alert

The Massachusetts House of Representatives will debate its FY20 budget proposal this week and several key amendments have been filed that still need support! These amendments fill in funding gaps when the amount allocated in the House Committee on Ways & Means’ budget recommendations (released April 10th) fell short of supporting the clear needs of our communities.

Please take a moment and check out a few of our budget priorities below and the amendments Representatives Balser, O’Day, and Khan have filed. Loud and vocal support for these amendments and line items makes all the difference, so please join us and call your State Representative to ensure our elected officials have civil legal aid, youth homelessness, and Massachusetts schools on their list of budget priorities!

Safe and Supportive School Environments

The Safe and Supportive Schools law, passed in 2014, was enacted to make the vision of safe and supportive whole-school cultures that address many barriers to learning a reality. Level funding for the Safe and Supportive Schools Line Item (7061-9612) is critical to continue the Safe and Supportive Schools Grant Program, develop school-wide Action Plans, collect feedback from students, and more. But the House has proposed allocating only $400,000, a decrease from the $500,000 in funding it received last year.

Funding for this line item is necessary to continue expanding and improving strategies and tools so all students are empowered to succeed in school.

Representative Balser has filed Amendment #1099 to provide level funding of $500,000 to ensure adequate funding for these important programs. Please join us in supporting Rep. Balser’s amendment and standing up for students across Massachusetts!

Click here for more information about this issue.

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information and ask them to support Amendment #1099.

Civil Legal Aid

For low-income Massachusetts residents who are unable to afford an attorney, civil legal aid organizations are often the last place they can turn to when facing eviction, domestic violence, or other life-altering civil legal issues. But the House Committee on Ways & Means provided only $22.5 million for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) line item (0321-1600).

MLAC is the largest provider of civil legal aid services in the state and without increased funding, civil legal aid programs will be forced to continue to turn away thousands of Massachusetts residents in need and seeking help.

Representative Ruth Balser has filed Amendment #1095 to provide $24 million in funding for legal aid. While still less than MLAC’s request of $26 million, this increase in funding is absolutely critical to ensure access to justice for thousands of vulnerable residents in Massachusetts.

Many representatives are aware of the importance of legal aid, and may support it, but this year, they MUST make it a priority. Your call can be the difference!

Click here for more information about this issue

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information TODAY and ask them to support Amendment #1095.

Youth Homelessness

Housing and Support Services

Youth homelessness is on the rise in Massachusetts – but the House Committee on Ways & Means has recommended only level funding ($3.3 million) for housing and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness (line item 4000-0007). Representative Jim O’Day has filed Amendment #883 to increasing funding for these services to $5 million.

When youth experience homelessness, they are at a greater risk of poor health outcomes, exposure to violence, susceptibility to exploitation, and dropping out of school.

This increase in funding is absolutely vital and can help create a sustained, systematic, and effective response to end youth homelessness.

Click here for more information about this issue. 

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information and ask them to support Amendment #883.

Massachusetts State ID

Government issued identification is necessary to complete many important and daily tasks, such as opening a bank account, enrolling in education programs, getting a library card, entering certain government buildings, and more. But youth experiencing homelessness face several barriers that often prevent them from obtaining ID.

Some service providers for people experiencing homelessness estimate that half of their clients lack identification cards.

While we will continue to advocate for that passage of a refiled bill that would eliminate the barriers that stop youth experiencing homelessness from obtaining ID throughout the year, Representative Kay Khan has filed two amendments addressing this issue now:

  1. The first is Amendment #765 to the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund;
  2. The second would add an Outside Section in the FY20 budget.

These amendments would establish a fee waiver process for youth experiencing homelessness, create an alternative application process to apply for state ID if they cannot meet existing criteria, expand the Registry of Motor Vehicles’ (RMV) efforts to better serve people experiencing homelessness, and add $50,000 to the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund (line item 1595-6368) in order to offset the RMV’s lost revenue. They are common-sense reforms that will help ensure youth experiencing homelessness are able to access the resources they need.

Click here for more information about this issue.

Action You Can Take

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information and ask them to support Amendment #765 and Rep. Khan’s outside section.

Ensuring these amendments are included in the House proposed budget will set us up for success when it comes time for the Legislature to finalize a budget to send to Governor Baker. Please call your State Representative and urge them to include civil legal aid and support for Massachusetts students and youth experiencing homelessness in their FY20 funding priorities. Your advocacy is vital this time of year, and I want to thank you for your continued commitment to our work!

 

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The 2020 Budget Battle Begins: Co-sponsors Needed!

Action Alert

Along with spring showers, the state budget season has arrived! This is the critical time of year when the state legislature makes important decisions about which services and programs to invest in and at what levels. The state budget is a statement of our values as a Commonwealth. In it we find the answers to questions like: Do we care about our most vulnerable residents? Are our legislators willing to invest in solutions and services for low-income families and individuals and youth experiencing homelessness?

Join us in fighting to make sure our elected officials have civil legal aid and youth homelessness on their list of budget priorities. For so many, this budget will determine if they will be able to stave off eviction, find shelter, achieve stability, and more in 2020.

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Ways & Means released its budget recommendations for FY20. Representatives are now busy filing amendments for various line items. Check out our focus areas below and what you can do to help.

Civil Legal Aid

Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporations (MLAC) requested $26 million in state support for 2020, but the House Committee on Ways & Means allocated only $22.5 million. For low-income Massachusetts residents who are unable to afford an attorney, civil legal aid organizations are often the last place they can turn to when facing eviction, domestic violence, or other life-altering civil legal issues.

MLAC is the largest provider of civil legal aid services in the state and without increased funding, civil legal aid programs will be forced to continue to turn away thousands of Massachusetts residents in need and seeking help.

Representative Balser has filed an amendment to allocate $24 million for legal aid. This increase in funding is absolutely critical to ensure access to justice for thousands of vulnerable residents in Massachusetts.

Many representatives support legal aid, but we need them to make it a priority for the FY20 budget, and they’ll only do that if they hear from you!

Click here for more information about this issue

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information TODAY and ask them to co-sponsor Rep. Balser’s MLAC Amendment and directly communicate their support for the amendment to Speaker DeLeo and House Ways & Means Chair Michlewitz.

Youth Homelessness

Housing and Support Services

Youth without homes can’t wait, but the House Committee on Ways & Means has recommended level funding of $3.3 million for housing and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness (line item 4000-0007). Representative O’Day will be filing an amendment to raise this funding to $5 million – a much needed increase.

When youth experience homelessness, they are at a greater risk of poor health outcomes, exposure to violence, susceptibility to exploitation, and dropping out of school.

In the wake of reports of youth homelessness in Massachusetts on the rise, expanding funding to provide housing and support services throughout the state is absolutely vital. This increase in funding can build off the work of previous years and help create a sustained, systematic, and effective response to end youth homelessness.

Click here for more information about this issue. 

Action You Can Take:

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information and ask them to co-sponsor Rep. O’Day’s amendment by contacting his office before 3 p.m. today!

Massachusetts State ID

State ID is necessary to complete many important and daily tasks, such as opening a bank account, enrolling in education programs, getting a library card, entering certain government buildings, and more. But youth experiencing homelessness face several barriers that often prevent them from obtaining it.

Some service providers for people experiencing homelessness estimate that half of their clients lack identification cards.

Throughout 2018, we fought for a bill that would eliminate the barriers that stop youth experiencing homelessness from obtaining ID, and while it didn’t pass, it has been refiled this year and we will continue to advocate for its passage in 2019.

However, Representative Khan has gone one step further and filed two amendments addressing this issue, both of which draw from the bill:

  1. The first is an amendment to the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund (line item 1595-6368);
  2. The second would add an outside section in the FY20 budget.

These amendments would establish a fee waiver process for youth experiencing homelessness, create an alternative application process to apply for state ID if they cannot meet existing criteria, expand the Registry of Motor Vehicles’ (RMV) efforts to better serve people experiencing homelessness, and add $50,000 to the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund (line item 1595-6368) in order to offset the RMV’s lost revenue. They are common-sense reforms that will help ensure youth experiencing homelessness are able to access the resources they need.

Click here for more information about this issue.

Action You Can Take

Click here to find your State Representative’s contact information and ask them to co-sponsor Rep. Khan’s amendment and outside section.

Thank you for joining us for this first stage of the budget process and advocating for these important amendments and increases in funding. Please call your State Representative and urge them to include civil legal aid and support for youth experiencing homelessness in their FY20 funding priorities. With your help, we can start this budget season off right!

 

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Last Chance for Homeless Youth!

Action Alert

For homeless youth, moving through the world without a state identification card can make an already impossible situation worse. Without state ID, they cannot: 

  • Apply for a job
  • Enroll in education programs
  • Obtain a library card
  • Pick up a package from the post office
  • Open any financial accounts
  • Enter certain government buildings
  • Interact with law enforcement
  • Access social services

But homeless youth face unique barriers that prevent them from easily obtaining state ID. 

Senate Bill 2568, An Act to provide identification to homeless youth and families, would eliminate the $25 fee required for Massachusetts IDs for applicants experiencing homelessness and reduce verification barriers. This bill is an important step to help homeless youth access potentially life-saving resources. 

But the legislative session ends at MIDNIGHT tonight.

This bill passed the Senate unanimously WEEKS AGO. It’s time for the House to do the same. Please join us in urging House Speaker Robert DeLeo and House Ways and Means Chair Jeffrey Sánchez to strongly support its passage in the House before the deadline TONIGHT!

Having a state ID is critical to ensure homeless youth are able to access the resources and opportunities they need, and today is the final day of formal sessions for this two-year legislative cycle. They need your call today more than ever. 

Call Speaker DeLeo and Chairman Jeffrey Sánchez to pass Senate Bill 2568 TODAY!

House Speaker Robert DeLeo

617-722-2500

House Ways and Means Chair Jeffrey Sánchez

617-722-2990

Sample Call Script: 

Speaker DeLeo/Chairman Sánchez, 

I am calling to urge you to support the passage of Senate Bill 2568, An Act to provide identification to homeless youth and families. This bill is an important step in ensuring homeless youth can more easily obtain Massachusetts state ID, which they need to access vital resources and opportunities. 

Without state ID, homeless youth cannot apply for a job, enroll in education programs, get a library card, or accomplish many other important everyday tasks. 

This bill will break down barriers that homeless youth face daily and make an important difference in their lives. I ask that you please support the passage of Senate Bill 2568 to ensure we continue to care for vulnerable youth in our state. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and advocacy on behalf of the homeless youth of Massachusetts.

 

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