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Action Alert: PSA 2006 Provisions at Stake in Budget Conference Committee!

We have passed an important hurdle on the road to CORI reform and Mandatory Minimum Sentencing reform through amendments to the Senate version of the FY'07 Budget.

But the fight is not over! The House version of the Budget does not have these amendments. The House and Senate Budget versions are now before a joint conference committee; it is up to the Senate conferees to persuade the House conferees to accept these amendments to the joint version of the Budget.

What's in the Senate Budget and how does it help? Amendment 688 reduces barriers to employment and housing for people who have a favorably ending case and/or rehabilitated people with criminal records by:

* Implementing quasi-automatic sealing of favorably ending cases (i.e., not guilty, dismissed, etc.);
* Allowing juvenile records to be purged;
* Requiring that only convictions and open cases be reported to non-law enforcement entities unless otherwise authorized by statute (e.g. statutes that protect vulnerable populations);
* Prohibiting employers from discriminating against CORI subjects based solely on a CORI unless related to the position sought or a vulnerable population statute applies;
* Creating a certificate of commitment to rehabilitation to encourage treatment and subsequent employment.

Amendment 705 saves taxpayer dollars, reduces recidivism, and makes communities safer by allowing those serving mandatory minimum drug sentences to be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of their sentences; this gives those prisoners access to addiction treatment while in prison as well as to job readiness programs and other rehabilitative services.

The Budget Conference Committee is currently working on the many differences. Now is the time to call your Rep! Ask him/her to call the Speaker of the House or the minority leader and urge the House conferees to accept these two Senate amendments.

Sample Script (if you reach the Rep's staff person or an answering machine):

"My name is ___________. I live (or work) at _(your address)___________ . I am calling to ask that Representative _________ take a leadership role and encourage Speaker DiMasi (for Republicans, Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr.) and the members of the Budget Conference Committee to support CORI Reform and Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reforms incorporated in the Senate budget through Amendments 688 and 705 respectively in order to increase public safety, decrease recidivism and help those released from prison become tax paying citizens (or elaborate using information found in the descriptions of the amendments above). Thank you."

If you don't know who your Representative is, go to www.wheredoivotema.com and type in your address. Look for "Rep. in General Court". Click the name to get contact info. It's okay to leave a message with an aide or an answering machine. Don't forget to let us know after you make the call or if you have any questions: call Brandyn at 508-982-2247, or email at [email protected].