There's a"groundswell" on Beacon Hill to implement a five-year jail and prison construction moratorium, Sen. Jo Comerford said at a committee hearing Tuesday. More than 20 inmates testified virtually from MCI-Framingham on her bill, detailing a lack of health care, education, skill-building, domestic violence counseling, and other programming available to them.
Comerford said her proposal heeds the science of pursuing alternatives to incarceration and tackling the root causes of incarceration, such as lack of access to public education, affordable housing,plan from a nearly $5.2 billion general bond bill in late July, and Democrats left themselves no time under their rules to try and overturn his veto. Comerford called Baker's decision"very misguided.
Rep. Chynah Tyler filed a companion prison moratorium bill in the House. Six months into the new session, it's awaiting a hearing before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. That includes $750,000 in fiscal year 2024, though officials are still evaluating the best path for the facility moving forward, a spokesperson for the Healey administration said Tuesday. Planning in fiscal year 2024 will help the administration pinpoint next steps and costs.Comerford said capital investment plans are broad and don't articulate exact policy plans.
Families for Justice as Healing and The National Council for Incarcerated Women and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls had filed a public records request for meeting minutes, though the groups in May said they received heavily redacted documents. "Instead of worrying about stashing the pockets of a construction company, invest the money that we need dearly at Framingham," inmate Jessica Deane testified, requesting program funding to help domestic violence survivors"heal in a meaningful way to be positive and successful returning citizens."