14th ANNUAL JUSTICE RALLY
Legislative Asks
YOUTH JOBS
PROBLEM
The number of young adults experiencing barriers to work in the Commonwealth has risen over the last 2 years. According to Measure of America, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has at least 57,200 young adults, aged 16-24 struggling to connect to employment opportunities.
ASKS
$28.3 Million for YouthWorks (H.7002/S.0012): To fund 7,033 summer and school-year job positions for youth ages 14-21 who live in lower income communities.
$8 Million for School to Career and Connecting Activities (H.7027/S.0019): To fund job positions for youth from low-income families to be paid to work at private sector companies that typically would not hire young people.
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about these line-items: I Have A Future Boston, Youth Justice & Power Union, and Breaktime
JUVENILE JUSTICE
PROBLEM
Young people of color in Massachusetts are far more likely to be harassed by the police, suspended from school and sent to juvenile detention centers. While the Massachusetts economy is rising, young people of color are being left out.
ASKS
An Act requiring accountability for inequalities in suspension and expulsion (H.4148) requires rather than suggests that alternatives to suspension and expulsion must be attempted and documented before suspension or expulsion and narrows the acceptable parameters for suspension or expulsion by clarifying definitions of “assault” and “deadly weapon”. Ensures that charter schools abide by these reporting requirements.
An Act Ending the Automatic Prosecution of 18- to 20-Year-Old Adolescents as Adults (Raise the Age Bill) (H. 1826, S.920): This legislation will gradually raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 18-20 year olds which will improve public safety and decrease crime.
An Act Relative to Expungement (H.1531, S.980): Expungement is an important tool to allow individuals to completely and fully re-integrate into society without the burden of a criminal record, particularly when the record has no predictive value of future offending.
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about this policy: UTEC-Lowell, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, I Have A Future Boston, Teen Empowerment, & MA Prevention of Gun Violence
HOUSING
PROBLEM
Tenants & homeowners need immediate protections to preserve public health and diminish the devastating toll COVID has taken on communities of color & low-income households.
ASKS
COVID-19 Housing Equity Bill (H.1434/S.891) protects the most vulnerable tenants from forced removal for COVID-19 debts.
Rent control (An Act enabling local options for tenant protections - H.1378/S.886) limits the way landlords can increase rent. It has been blocked since the 1990s in Massachusetts. We are fighting for the state to allow cities and towns to enable a local option for rent control.
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about these line-items: La Collaborativa, Alternatives for Community and Environment, Homes For All
PUBLIC EDUCATION
PROBLEM
Addressing disparities within the school environment especially as it relates to the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic, curriculum and teaching practices, funding and resources.
ASKS
An Act Relative to Anti-racism, equity, and justice in education (H. 584/ S.365) establishes a commission to develop anti-racist and social justice-focused curriculum for Massachusetts schools. The Commission would also advise the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on how to increase, support, and retain educators and counselors of color.
Fair Share Amendment (S.16/H.86): The Fair Share Amendment is a proposal to amend the Massachusetts Constitution, creating an additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million. The new revenue, approximately $2 billion a year, would be spent on quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation. To ensure that the amendment continues to apply only to the highest income taxpayers, who have the ability to pay more, the $1 million threshold would be adjusted each year to reflect cost-of-living increases.
*Fulfilling Education PROMISE ASK: Holding legislators accountable for money they promised to schools, but they have not distributed the funding (yet)
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about these line-items: I Have A Future Boston, Massachusetts Communities Action Network, CFJJ, Boston Teachers Union
HIGHER EDUCATION
ASKS
Debt Free Future Act (SD.426/HD.1148): This legislation would provide the equivalent of tuition and mandatory fees through a grant program to all eligible students at any Massachusetts public college or university, or certificate, vocational or training program at a public institution. Students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants will receive additional aid in grants to pay for the additional costs of attendance, including, but not limited to: room and board; books and supplies; transportation; and personal expenses. The grant would supplement (not replace) state grants, gift aid, institutional aid, or federal aid (AKA funds from this program will NOT affect eligibility for other financial aid).
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about this policy: Zero Debt MA, & Revere Youth In Action
Community Safety
PROBLEM
Oftentimes, the best response to a crisis related to mental or behavioral health, trauma, lack of housing, or inadequate health care can be provided by social workers and allied professionals who are highly skilled at building rapport, de-escalating emotionally fraught situations, and making connections to community-based organizations for follow-up support.
ASKS
ACES ACT (H.2519, S.1552) provides grant funding to cities and towns and partnering community-based organizations that want to create local crisis response models that would ensure that calls to 911 get the best response.
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about this policy: MA Prevention of Gun Violence, Mass Now, St. Stephens
An Act Relative to Safe Schools (H.648/S.286) limits the use of police powers in school while providing grants for districts to develop more holistic safety practices that do not rely on school-based policing.
Organizations within the IHAF Coalition that have more information about this policy: Citizens for Juvenile Justice, I Have A Future Boston, Teen Empowerment