Latest news with #CindyFriedman
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Springfield officials support legislation to automatically seal criminal records
SPRINGFIELD — Saying people shouldn't be punished twice for the same crime, city officials are pushing for legislation to automatically seal records for those who committed nonviolent crimes three to seven years after conviction. The Clean Slate Initiative, which is now being debated in the Legislature's Joint Committee on the Judiciary, would automatically seal records of misdemeanor crimes three years after conviction and after seven years for a felony. The law has a clause exempting some, including sex offenders and others who have committed violent felonies, from having their records sealed automatically, according to the bill. 'The intent is to give people a second chance,' said state Sen. Adam Gomez, D-Springfield, who is one of the legislators who filed the bill spearheaded by Sen. Cindy Friedman, a Democrat who represents the Fourth Middlesex district. For Gomez, the bill is especially meaningful, since he got into trouble with the law and was charged with a misdemeanor when he was a teenager. He was able to seal his record, change his life and give back to his community, but many do not have the same opportunity. Currently employers, landlords and others do background checks through the state's Criminal Offender Record Information system and find out about an applicant's legal history. Even if a person was arrested and never convicted, the charge can appear on their record. That means people who have made a mistake are left struggling to find a place to live and having difficulty making ends meet, because they can't find a good-paying job, no matter how qualified they are, Gomez said. People can apply to have their record sealed, but the process is cumbersome, timely and can be difficult for people who can't afford a lawyer, officials said. Hampden County is one of the counties with the most arrests per capita, so the bill is even more important here, Gomez said. The City Council voted last month to support the bill in a resolution that passed unanimously. All councilors asked to be listed as co-sponsors of the proposal. Gomez said he was proud to have the largest city that he represents becoming the first to officially support the bill. City Council Vice President Tracye Whitfield, who proposed the resolution, called the bill a great piece of legislation, which already has been adopted in at least a dozen other states, including neighboring Connecticut and some conservative ones such as Oklahoma and Utah. 'Clean Slate really just levels the playing field. We know that Black and Latino individuals have been and are disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, convicted and incarcerated, and the best way to fix and address this problem is to automatically seal records for low-level, nonviolent misdemeanors and low-level offenses,' she said. Multiple advocates from a variety of agencies, such as Live Well Springfield, Greater Boston Legal Services and the Urban League, spoke in support of the bill. Several talked about people who had records that followed them their entire lives. 'Clean slate is about fairness. It is about economic opportunity,' said Miles Gresham, policy director for Neighbor to Neighbor. 'It is also about public safety. People who cannot find a home and a job (are) more likely to reoffend.' There are now roughly 672,000 people statewide who are eligible to seal their records, many of whom have not committed a crime in decades. Some do not know they are eligible to clear their record, some have mental health issues, others find the petition process daunting, and some are just traumatized over the idea of returning to court, said Andrea Freeman, policy director for the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. 'It is about fairness and opportunity, and it is also about health,' she said. City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce said having an unsealed record is 'double jeopardy,' because people who paid the price for their crimes are still being punished because their record follows them when they apply for a job, an apartment and even to enter college. 'If you make a mistake, who are we to judge?' he said. 'It is a resolution that needs to be passed swiftly.' City Councilor Zaida Govan said she has been fighting for legislation like this for three decades. 'When you are in active in active addiction, you get caught up,' said Govan, who added she has been sober for 36 years. 'It is a long time coming. I'm really glad we are doing something about this.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate budget debate continues, adding $43.5M to bottom line
BOSTON (WWLP) – During the first half of the work week, senators deliberated more than half of their budget amendments and added $43.5 million to the bottom line. Before amendment consideration, the Senate budget proposal sat at $61.32 billion, and it appears the branch is forging ahead with spending despite federal funding uncertainty and modest tax revenue. Senator Gomez secures funding for Springfield cultural initiatives During Tuesday deliberations, the Senate considered 671 amendments, rejecting 208 and adopting 301, including designating $150,000 for a free abortion legal hotline and $220,000 for mental health support for new parents. Other passed amendments include $50,000 for educational programming to prevent gun violence, $330,000 for 'medically-tailored' meals for veterans, and $250,000 for youth nonprofit sports programs for marginalized youth. Senators also looked to regulate Department of Mental Health case managers without directly endangering their jobs. This clashes with the governor's plan, which looks to reduce the DMH workforce by half, as the DMH looks to transition to a care model where case managers no longer have specific clients. The senator who proposed the branch's amendment spoke about potential impending cuts. 'If they're going to cut case managers, they're going to cut, but I'm much more focused on what they're doing, and what they're trying to do, and why they're cutting caseworkers,' said Arlington Senator Cindy Friedman. Remaining budget topics up for deliberation include transportation, public safety, judiciary, and local matters. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers say healthcare system is 'falling apart'
BOSTON (WWLP) – Top State House lawmakers say Massachusetts' healthcare system is falling apart, as healthcare spending increased by 8.6% between 2022 and 2023. This increase in spending is more than double the benchmark, and signals the impact of private equity and for-profit healthcare. In a healthcare financing commission hearing this week, the Senate chair spoke to the gravity of the failing system. 'It's getting harder every day for our residents to get the care they need. We hear about a system in crisis. We're beyond that. It is now falling apart,' said Arlington Democrat Senator Cindy Friedman. Several hearing attendees asked the state to focus on cracking down on pharmacies, but the chair says it's more complicated than that. The Senator noted that stakeholders from pharmacy owners to community health centers say their funding is far too low, and the senate needs to investigate where healthcare dollars are really going. One health policy expert explained the impact of raising prices on families, and how it can lead to poor health outcomes. 'As healthcare spending grows as a portion of household income, more and more families are incurring medical debt and delay or skip needed care,' said Deborah Devaux, chair of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. These talks of reform come after major healthcare legislation was passed last session, including strengthening hospital oversight and lowering prescription drug costs. The latest spending report does not cover the time after these laws were enacted, but top officials say they expect they will still need to revisit these issues in the coming months. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Auditor refuses meeting with Senate committee
BOSTON (WWLP) – Last month, the State Auditor's team met with a team of senators about a potential audit of the legislature, but now the auditor's team is refusing the invitation. The first meeting between the senate subcommittee focused on the audit and the auditor's team was heated and largely unproductive, with both sides volleying frosty questions and continuing to argue the issue of whether an audit would violate the separation of powers clause of the constitution. Parents advocate for child bereavement leave The state auditor told reporters on Friday that her team will not participate in the next meeting. 'It is very clear that this is just another maneuver and tactic to get out of following the 72% voter-approved mandate that our office conduct an audit of the state Legislature,' said Auditor Diana DiZoglio. The auditor called on her followers on X to contact the attorney general and request she stop the 'kangaroo court' Senate committee hearing, which she says is unconstitutional in and of itself. The Senate committee sees the issue differently. They said this type of meeting is necessary to both iron out constitutional concerns and ensure they understand the scope and requirements of the requested audit. 'The Subcommittee needs answers to these fundamental questions and will be conducting a hearing to seek input and guidance,' said Senator Cindy Friedman, Chair of the Senate committee. This comes after the House of Representatives voted against a new rule which would clarify the House's compliance with an audit just last week. With the auditor's refusal to participate in the Senate hearing, it appears the only possible path forward for her team is to take the legislature to court, but her team said they have not yet filed a lawsuit. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass. Senators and auditor's office hold long-awaited meeting
BOSTON (WWLP) – The auditor's office and a Senate commission met Tuesday to discuss the legislative audit Massachusetts voters backed in November. The Senate has expressed concerns about constitutionality due to the separation of powers clause since before this ballot measure passed. They are also concerned that the State Auditor's previous tenure as a representative and later as a senator would create a conflict of interest. MTA and lawmakers discuss Israel-Palestine material in classrooms Senators raised a variety of questions in the meeting, spanning from the scope of the audit; to who the auditing team would direct any questions to; to if the audit is meant to ensure the Senate follows its own rules. 'How do you decide? You could call it a slippery slope, right? Because if I let you do one thing, you could do the next. We don't know, okay?' said Senator and Committee Chair Cindy Friedman to reporters after the meeting. The auditor's office said the Senate is breaking the law because they have not yet produced the documents the office is requesting. The auditor's team expressed frustration as they perceive the senate to have been unwilling to work together thus far, but after the meeting, they told reporters they feel that talks are moving in the right direction. 'I think it was a good discussion, a productive discussion, it certainly got heated at times,' said Executive Deputy Auditor Stephen Lisauskas. During the meeting, senators also asked clarifying questions on certain materials requests, and said it is unfair to expect all documents to be handed over before Tuesday's preliminary meeting–although they emphasized that they believe almost all requested documents are already available online. As of now, legal action is not off the table for the auditor's office, and the House speaker said he is sure this issue will end up in court. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
