Senator Eldridge Reappointed Judiciary Committee Chair, Announces Other Committee Assignments for the 2021-2022 Legislative Session
Eldridge will serve as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Senate Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture (ENRA), and as the Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight.
Boston, MA – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) is proud to announce his committee assignments for the 2021-2022 legislative session, which was ratified by the Massachusetts State Senate in late February. State Eldridge has been named the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Senate Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture (ENRA), and the Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight. Additionally, he will serve on several Joint Committees, including those on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, on Election Laws, on Public Safety and Homeland Security, and on Public Service.
“I am grateful that Senate President Karen Spilka has one again entrusted me with serving as the Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee, as well as a lead position on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee and Post Audit and Oversight Committee,” said Senator Eldridge. Last session, the Judiciary Committee took action on improving access to abortion care, police reform, banning female genital mutilation for minors, and providing protections for tenants, as well as advocating for significant increases in funding for civil legal services, mental health legal services, prison reform, and embracing justice reinvestment.
Senator Eldridge served as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary last session and will continue to chair the committee during the 2021-2022 legislative session. The committee is responsible for all issues related to the judiciary’s processes and functions; this includes crimes, penalties and sentencing, oversight of judges, juries, and probation officers, and criminal offender record information. In conjunction with his work as the Senate Chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, Senator Eldridge led the effort to pass the ROE Act, An Act to remove obstacles and expand abortion access.
“Senator Eldridge demonstrated true leadership as co-chair of the Joint Judiciary Committee during the most challenging legislative session in recent memory. Despite the incredible challenges of 2020, Senator Eldridge worked diligently with our coalition to pass the ROE Act – an ambitious law that radically improved access to abortion care in Massachusetts. His commitment to reproductive freedom was critical to the strongest possible version of the ROE Act becoming law. I am grateful for his ongoing support of our mission and look forward to our continued work together to make essential reproductive health care accessible to all Bay Staters,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, Executive Director, NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts.
“Solitary confinement, by any name, is torture. Solitary Confinement causes irreparable harm to people and makes a successful transition back to their communities even more difficult. The members of the Massachusetts Against Solitary Confinement Coalition thank Senator Eldridge for his commitment to this issue,” said Cassandra Bensahih, Statewide Coordinator, Massachusetts Against Solitary Confinement.
Senator Eldridge will also serve as the Senate Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture (ENRA). ENRA considers all matters relating to conservation and recreational use of the environment and natural resources, air, water, and noise pollution, hunting and fishing, solid waste disposal and sewerage, and agricultural and farm problems. Protecting the environment, combating climate change, and supporting local agriculture have consistently been prioritized in Senator Eldridge’s legislative agenda, with 14 environmental bills filed this session.
Senator Eldridge has also been chosen to serve as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight. This committee exists to investigate state agencies, unethical practices by public employees, and the improper usage of taxpayer dollars. Senator Eldridge served as a member of this committee in the previous legislative session.
In addition to his role as Senate Chair and Vice Chair in the above committees, Senator Eldridge will serve in several Joint Committees. The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities is concerned with all matters and agencies pertaining to child welfare, juvenile justice, and all people with physical, developmental, or intellectual disabilities. The Joint Committee on Election Laws handles all issues related to elections and election laws. The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security is responsible for laws concerning the transportation of energy sources, the safety of the public, the correction system, terrorism, and the coordination of homeland security between the state and federal governments. The Joint Committee on Public Service is concerned with all matters related to public employees, including retirement, salaries, civil service, and collective bargaining cases.
Legislative sessions in Massachusetts last two years, with this session beginning in January 2021 and ending in January 2023. Committees are assigned by State House leadership– the House Speaker assigns Representatives to committees, while the Senate President respectively assigns Senators. This session marks the first with newly chosen House Speaker Ronald Mariano has joining Senate President Karen Spilka as the State House leadership. Thus far, priorities for this session include Massachusetts’s COVID-19 response, redistricting in response to the U.S. Census, and the looming issues that will emerge after the pandemic.
###
