Senator Jamie Eldridge Highlights Three Key Criminal Justice Reform Provisions in Information Technology Bond Bill Signed by Governor Baker
Prohibition on new prison construction, the reduction of funding from State Police cruisers & the increase of funds for justice reinvestment, and the updating of CORI reform technology championed by Eldridge.
Boston, MA - Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) highlighted three criminal justice reform provisions in the Information Technology Bond bill signed by Governor Baker on August 7th. The bill, H.4932 An Act Financing the General Governmental Infrastructure of the Commonwealth, borrows $1.8 billion for informational technology upgrades for various state agencies and programs. As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Judiciary, Senator Eldridge championed three key provisions: the prohibition on using any bond money for new prison construction, the funding of justice-oriented community programs, and the funding of electronic sealing technology for Criminal Offender Record Informations (CORIs).
“I am proud to have led the effort on these key provisions in the IT bond bill, provisions which seek to move the Commonwealth of Massachusetts further from a mass incarceration model, and toward one where state government invests in schools and libraries over prisons, prioritizes educational, vocational, and job training programs over more vehicles for state law enforcement, and gives formerly incarcerated people a better chance to live a better life,” said Senator Eldridge, who also serves as the Senate chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus.
The bill prohibits the use of funds toward the building of new jails or prisons, the sheriff’s office correctional facility campuses, or the expansion of prison/jail population capacity, unless the funds are directly related to the health and safety of currently incarcerated people.
“As we finally see progress from the 2018 Criminal Justice reform law, a continued decrease in the state’s prison population, and a major push for legislation to address systemic racism and racial inequities in Massachusetts, the Legislature should be championing technology investments that support communities suffering from disinvestment and neglect. I’m grateful to Senate President Karen Spilka, Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues, and Senate Michael Moore for supporting these key provisions,” said Senator Eldridge. “These reforms will help reduce the Massachusetts prison population, hopefully inspiring the creation of new diversion programs and improving the lives of people re-entering society.”
This bill also allocates $65 million to create economic empowerment and community reinvestment capital grant programs to support communities disproportionately impacted by crime and the criminal justice system.This grant program will be facilitated by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
Finally, individuals eligible under recent changes to the CORI law will be able to benefit from a $2.9 million line item in the IT Bond bill for the Office of the Commissioner of Probation to create an automated electronic process for sealing criminal records. The current criminal record sealing process is done manually and could take months to be completed. Sealing a Massachusetts criminal case is as beneficial to the individual as expunging the person’s case would be.
“This crucial initiative will alleviate significant burdens for formerly incarcerated people. A criminal record can have a profound impact on a person’s ability to lead a normal life, limiting employment, housing, and educational opportunities. Also, those with criminal records experience poverty, unemployment, and homelessness at far higher rates than their peers without records. Automating this process will protect the futures of those who are out of prison and are trying to successfully re-enter society by significantly decreasing the amount of time it takes to seal their records,” emphasized Senator Eldridge.
For the full text of the bill, go to https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4932
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