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July 07, 2006
MA: CORI Reform does not pass but progress is made
This is a message on what happened to CORI and mandatory minimum sentencing reform in the MA legislature. Even though 688 (CORI reform
passed in the Senate the Amendments were not make it through the Budget Conference Committee. Still, it is definitely progress.
The bill will be refilled in advance of the 2007 legislative session. It is important to keep talking with our elected reps in the House and Senate about the damage CORI causes and how we expect them to take leadership on this in the next session.
This was a beginning…next we need to keep the momentum in the Senate and focus attention on the House. Lois
A message from Brandyn Keating of CJPC
Friends:
Many of you have been following the progress of CORI reform and mandatory minimum sentencing reform
-- in the State Budget
(Amendments 688 and 705 to the Senate Budget http://www.mass.gov/legis/07budget/senate/amendments/jud.htm)
-- and in the Joint Judiciary Committee
(Public Safety Act of 2006 http://www.cjpc.org/PublicSafety.htm).
Many of us have written letters, called, emailed and met with our legislators in-district, and journeyed to the State House.
Unfortunately, Amendments 688 & 705 did not make it through the Budget Conference Committee; nonetheless our voices have been heard.
Our efforts received overwhelming support in the Senate, spearheaded by Amendment 688 lead sponsors Senator Creedon and Senator Wilkerson, who were joined by seven additional co-sponsors and Amendment 705 lead sponsor, Senator Creem, who was joined by Senators O'Leary and Tisei. This latter amendment received bipartisan support.
While the House was more cautious, it agreed to form a commission to study the issue with the goal of releasing new legislation by this December for the next session.
In unprecedented fashion, mandatory minimum sentencing and CORI reform advocates spoke with one voice, building a movement that could not be ignored.
In response:
legislators funded a CORI training and audit unit and created a commission to study the issue of CORI and make reform recommendations to the legislature http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/ht05pdf/ht05000.pdf ; and
29 senators went on record in favor of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform in the roll call vote that added Amendment 705 to the senate budget.
Though this legislative session is coming to a close, and there will not be substantive law changes on these issues through the budget or bill process this year, we created much momentum on which to build in the coming year.
Thank you for your time, energy and dedication. There is now a great deal more work to be done as we gear up for the bill filing deadline this December for the new legislative session. It is critical that all of us prepare in advance of December so that we can build on all of the progress that was made this year.
Remember: together we can make a difference.
With gratitude,
Brandyn Keating
www.cjpc.org
Posted by lois at July 7, 2006 05:28 PM