CommonWealth Magazine: vaccines priorities set by CDC; "police reform milestones and missed opportunities"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin:

"A FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE recommended on Tuesday that the initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccines expected to become available starting in two weeks should go to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities before being rolled out to other high-priority groups over the coming months.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the anticipated arrival of the vaccines means there is “light at the end of the tunnel,” but he cautioned that most of the general public won’t gain access to the shots until April, May, or June at the earliest.

The two vaccines awaiting emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration have been developed by Pfizer and Moderna. Both vaccines are said to be 94 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 and 100 percent effective in warding off severe cases of the disease. Each vaccine requires two shots, administered roughly four weeks apart, so even if someone is given an initial dose in December the final dose is unlikely to be taken until January.

“It’s going to take awhile before people literally start finishing the vaccine process and start to generate antibodies,” Baker said."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/vaccine-panel-prioritizes-health-care-workers-long-term-care-residents/

The CDC page where the recommendations will land when updated can be found

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html

"IT’S BEEN SIX MONTHS since members of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus hung their heads in silence over the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man killed beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.

The moment spurred nationwide calls for specific and targeted police reform, including on Beacon Hill. Those calls were heard on Tuesday as both the House and Senate passed a compromise police reform bill heralded by many top legislators, including members of the caucus, as groundbreaking. The House voted to pass the measure 92-67, and the Senate 28-12.

“This landmark legislation will begin to address the inequities we’ve seen for years,” said Springfield Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, chair of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/police-reform-milestones-and-missed-opportunities/

 

A Statement from House Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Spilka - Nov 30, 2020

“Today, we are pleased to announce the filing of An Act Relative to Justice, Equity and Accountability in Law Enforcement in the Commonwealth, the result of the deliberations of the conference committee on police reform and racial justice.

The compromise reached, which is intentional in bringing better transparency and accountability to policing in Massachusetts, represents one of the most comprehensive approaches to police reform and racial justice in the United States since the tragic murder of George Floyd.

Our approach strikes a balance that will provide greater protections for the rights of all residents through a strong police officer certification process via a new, independent agency, and setting clear standards for training and use of force, while providing a wider range of tools for law enforcement to provide for the safety of the public.

While there is still much work to be done, we are proud of the foundation laid by this bill as we continue to build toward racial justice and equity.

We would like to sincerely thank Senators Brownsberger and Chang-Díaz and Representatives Cronin and González for their efforts in advancing this important legislation.”

For the legislation itself visit =>  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2963

 

An overview on the legislation =>

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iiE6naRd4izD0I-oJ_4BCB0_PeVks7LT/view?usp=sharing

 

 

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2963

CommonWealth Magazine: police reform compromise reached; state budget fails funding schools

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin:

"AFTER FOUR MONTHS of closed-door negotiations, six members of the House and Senate reported out compromise police reform legislation on Monday that establishes a certification system for officers and punts the contentious issue of immunity to a special legislative commission.

The bill released by a House-Senate conference committee would create a civilian-led Peace Officer Standards and Training commission that will establish standards for police, investigate misconduct claims, and decertify officers found in violation.

The proposed legislation bars the use of deadly force unless all de-escalation tactics have been used and failed. Chokeholds, similar to what killed Eric Garner in 2014, and restraining of the neck are prohibited. The legislation also requires that, if an officer witnesses another using deadly force improperly, he or she is required to intervene."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/compromise-police-reform-bill-reported-out/

 

 

"AFTER MONTHS OF limbo, the state budget working its way through Beacon Hill obscures a difficult truth—funding levels will fall short of what our schools, particularly those that are the most under-resourced, need to successfully educate their students for the rest of the year. The challenges will remain even if the COVID-19 pandemic subsides over the coming months. We need targeted, progressive tax revenue to give our schools the resources to successfully navigate this crisis.

So far, the state’s answer to the pandemic is to repeatedly lower the bar for how it defines a safe return to school rather than providing adequate resources so schools can really be safe. One in 10 of the 1,800 school buildings in the state is over a century old, a figure that is true for one in five in our Gateway Cities which educate many of our state’s lowest-income students. Making these buildings safe for both students and faculty requires upgrading airflow and ventilation. Districts also must provide safe transportation for students. This costs money. Given the link between community wealth and the historical legacy of racism, kids of color and the schools that educate them tend to have fewer resources than those in wealthier districts. "

Continue reading the article online 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/state-budget-plan-fails-our-schools/

The Guardian: "Here's what interviewing voters taught me about the slogan 'defund the police'"

From The Guardian, an article of interest to Franklin:

"Joe Biden won the electoral college, leads the popular vote by millions, and will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. Taking down an incumbent president is no easy feat and Biden deserves credit for his disciplined and effective campaign.

But there is no question Biden underperformed vis-à-vis the consensus of pollsters and pundits. In Congress the underperformance was even more stark. Democrats expected to make gains in the House of Representatives. Instead, they are poised to return to Washington with an unexpectedly pared-down majority. In the Senate, Democrats were considered favorites to retake the chamber and deliver their party unified control of the federal government. Instead, they made only modest gains. This isn’t where the party wanted to be.

I run a Democratic political consulting firm and wanted to immediately get to work to understand why this underperformance happened. While there are certainly multiple answers to that question and various dynamics at play, we decided to start our inquiry with voters who leaned towards voting for Joe Biden in the last weeks of the election, but ultimately voted to re-elect Donald Trump. We put together a focus group to discuss the election with these voters and explore what changed their minds.

It will be easy for some to dismiss these participants as Trump voters (and they are!) but 70% of them told us they have a negative view of Donald Trump and at some point they supported Joe Biden before ultimately casting their vote for Trump. These aren’t Maga hat-wearing folks. "

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/20/heres-what-interviewing-voters-taught-me-about-the-slogan-defund-the-police

Note: words matter, what they mean, and how they are used matters. If we are going to come together to resolve the serious divide, recognizing how much we do have in common will be important. We can gather round the 'motherhood and apple pie' when we take time to understand what we mean when we say something. Mind reading not permitted, proper use of words is required. Not easy, but necessary.

In the News: "Baker plugs police reform, climate investments"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Beacon Hill has been nearly silent for more than six weeks since the House and Senate extended formal sessions beyond their traditional July 31 end, and Gov. Charlie Baker made a call Tuesday for legislators to wrap up their work on his State Police reforms and a $1 billion climate resiliency proposal.

Baker highlighted those two issues as priorities he hopes to see lawmakers advance, adding emphasis to those matters more than a month after wide-reaching law enforcement and climate bills were steered into conference committees for private negotiations.

When the topic of State Police came up at a Tuesday press conference, Baker said his administration referred about 40 individuals to state and federal attorneys for criminal review, then touted a bill he filed in January.

That legislation would make it easier to suspend troopers without pay following misconduct and create a “fraudulent pay statute” allowing the state or municipalities to seek triple the amount of damages from police who falsify timesheets, among other changes."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200916/baker-plugs-police-reform-climate-investments?rssfeed=true

 

Gov Baker press conference on Tuesday = https://youtu.be/CtXQBsxbC9k 

Franklin Police take positive steps to help people in a mental health crisis

Franklin Police (@franklinpolice) tweeted at 5:58 PM on Thu, Sep 10, 2020:

"Thank you to @wbz's @LouisaMoller  (https://twitter.com/LouisaMoller) for showing the positive steps that policing is taking to help people in a mental health crisis."

Direct video link (if embedded video below doesn't work)     https://cbsloc.al/2ZtCmBI

 

Also a video link = https://t.co/UxsNzvk1An

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/franklinpolice/status/1304177445877223424?s=03

"qualified immunity isn’t just invoked in excessive force cases and not just against police"

WBUR has a real good article on the details of qualified immunity and how it has worked here in MA. I learned a few things in this article. One: that the law currently isn't a specific law in the 'books'; it is the result of judicial doctrine developed over time by individual court cases.

"When officers use excessive force and someone sues, police are not always held accountable in a civil lawsuit. That can be, in part, because of a controversial defense known as qualified immunity. 

Lawmakers at the State House this week are weighing a massive compromise police reform bill that could change that legal avenue, making it slightly easier for people to successfully sue police officers and other public officials who violate people’s constitutional and civil rights. 

Qualified immunity isn’t a law on the books passed by elected officials. It’s a judicial doctrine developed over decades, through court decision after court decision. 

Essentially, qualified immunity says a government official can only be held liable for unconstitutional actions if it’s “clearly established” in existing case law that the conduct was unlawful. Plaintiffs need to point to another, similar case already decided by a court that the action in question was illegal in order for the lawsuit to go forward."

Continue reading the article online
https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/08/03/qualified-immunity-police-massachusetts-overview

WBUR has a real good article on the details of qualified immunity

In the News: Police chiefs want seat at table; teachers union expresses concerns

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Local police say their departments already have access to an accreditation system. Police chiefs have kept the formerly state-run Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission operating since 2004, when the Legislature cut its funding just eight years after its creation. 

Natick Police Chief James Hicks wishes more people understood that television police procedural dramas don’t accurately reflect his profession. 

″‘Chicago PD,’ you see police officers who are skirting the rules, and it’s OK because at the end of the day, they look like heroes, and they save the day,” he said. ”(Actual officers) have to have the highest of integrity ... and they have to understand they’re totally under the microscope, as we should be.” 

Moved by state and nationwide demands for reform following the deaths of people of color at the hands of police, Massachusetts lawmakers have proposed new legislation in recent weeks. Key to state reform is the idea of accreditation – creating a set of standards all police departments will have to follow."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200801/police-chiefs-reform-needed-but-we-should-be-included?rssfeed=true

"Saying school districts had expected state education aid could be cut by 10%, the Massachusetts Teachers Association late Friday called a new local aid level funding agreement a “major victory” and urged districts to recall about 2,000 educators and staff who had received layoff notices. 

“The first thing districts must do is recall teachers and other staff who were pink-slipped due to budget fears,” Mass. Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said in a statement. “To operate schools under any model will require more staff members, not fewer.” 

The teachers union also expressed concerns about public higher education layoffs and revenue shortfalls and what it called a “hold” on the phase-in of an education funding law passed a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck and upended the state’s finances. 

“Although the schools’ budgets weren’t cut, they also did not receive the increases they would have received under the Student Opportunity Act,” MTA Vice President Max Page said. “That act addressed very real gaps in funding for low-income students and communities of color - gaps that are worse due to the pandemic.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200801/state-aid-accord-leaves-teachers-with-victory-but-also-concerns?rssfeed=true

"The six-member conference committee negotiators have four days to get the consensus bill to Gov. Charlie Baker"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:

"TWO MEMBERS of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus will be part of the group that will hammer out differences between the House and Senate versions of police reform legislation. 

Springfield Democrat Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, who chairs the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, will be joined by Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz of Jamaica Plain, who is the sole member of the caucus in the Senate. The other four participants are Sen. William Brownsberger of Belmont and Republican Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, along with Reps. Claire Cronin of Easton, who co-chairs the Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Timothy Whelan, a Brewster Republican who voted against the bill. The Senate bill passed 30-7, and the House bill was approved by a margin of 93-66."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/6-lawmakers-named-to-conference-committee-on-police-reform/

The House bill  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4860

The Senate bill  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2820

State Rep Jeff Roy: "Police reform bill passes House"

State Rep Jeff Roy wrote a blog post to put together his reasoning for his vote on the police reform legislation that the MA House passed on Friday night. It is a long explanation as the legislation covered multiple aspects so you can find the intro here and the link to his full text below. 

The MA Senate also passed their version earlier in the week. The differences will need to be reconciled in conference committee before the legislation goes to Governor Baker.

"On Friday evening (7/24/2020), I joined 92 of my House colleagues in voting for a bill (H.4860) that will create a more modern, transparent and accountable system for law enforcement credentialing and training. Forty-six states in America certify their police officers. Massachusetts is one of the four that does not. 

This certification and licensing process will make our system stronger and bias free. And it will make it a better atmosphere for those who serve proudly and honorably.  

I very much support the police. My vote reflects my desire, along with that of the many officers and chiefs I spoke with in considering the bill, to get rid of the bad apples. They are a stain on the 99% who do a great job. 

We spent 35 hours over three days deliberating the bill, held public hearings on many of the components of the bill over the last year, and had another public hearing last week. We considered 217 amendments and the over 800 pieces of testimony that were submitted. I personally met with and spoke with several officers about the bill and listened to their concerns. In addition, I did a great deal of research on my own, incorporating my 34 years of experience as a trial attorney in Massachusetts. Moreover, I listened to and consulted with many of my colleagues in the House, one who happens to be a retired Massachusetts Police Chief."

Continue reading State Rep Roy's explanation of his vote on this legislation
https://jeffreyroy.com/2020/07/26/police-reform-bill-passes-house/

State Rep Jeff Roy: "Police reform bill passes House"

"Everybody had to give up something here to get to a common good, right"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"And on the third day, after sessions that ran for a collective 35 hours, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a sweeping police reform and accountability bill that seeks to certify all law enforcement officers in the state and curb the use of force tactics by police. 

The bill, representing the House’s attempt at addressing calls to counter systemic racism and force changes within law enforcement, largely stayed true to core principals the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus put forward early last month.
Republicans and a significant number of Democrats opposed the bill, but Democrats who control the House were able to pass it on Friday at 10 p.m. on a 93-66 vote. 

The legislation will likely head next to six-member House-Senate conference committee for resolution, but the bill’s negotiators have a short window - seven days - to try to get a consensus bill to Gov. Charlie Baker, who had proposed his own police accountability bill. The Senate approved its bill on a 30-7 vote. 

Formal legislative sessions, where controversial matters are settled, are set to end for 2020 on Friday, July 31."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200725/house-approves-sweeping-police-reform-bill-in-93-66-vote-after-35-hours-of-debate?rssfeed=true

The text of the legislation and amendments can be found online
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4860

In the News: cocktails to go legislation signed; police chiefs object to police reform drafts in House/Senate

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday afternoon signed a pair of bills that will update the state’s approach to mosquito control and allow restaurants to sell sealed containers of mixed drinks with their takeout and delivery food orders. 

Lawmakers sent Baker those two bills on Thursday, along with a $1 billion supplemental budget that focuses on spending related to the state’s COVID-19 response. That spending bill (H 4808) remains on Baker’s desk, and he has until Sunday to act on it. 

“While many mom and pop establishments have been able to slowly reopen in recent weeks, they still face significant challenges in their efforts to retain employees and pay their bills,” said State Sen. Diana DiZoglio, who filed the legislation. “According to our local, family owned and operated restaurants, these measures could help them generate thousands of dollars a month and would greatly assist them in paying utility bills and rent.” 

The new to-go cocktails law (S 2812) is aimed at helping restaurants generate additional revenue while their operations are restricted amid the COVID-19 crisis. It follows an April law that allowed restaurants to sell beer and wine alongside takeout and delivery, and restaurants will now be able to sell limited quantities of beer, wine and mixed drinks for off-premises consumption through February 2021 or until the COVID-19 state of emergency is lifted, whichever comes later."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200721/cocktails-to-go-and-mosquito-bills-become-law-in-massachusetts?rssfeed=true

"For years, Massachusetts police chiefs say, they’ve been ignored by state lawmakers. Now, police say legislators are threatening their safety - and the safety of the public — through proposed police reform measures. 

“Law enforcement in Massachusetts is under attack by a liberal element that wants to bring shame (to police officers) that none of us understand,” said Hampden Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth, president of the Massachusetts Police Chiefs Association, on Tuesday. Massachusetts police have been leading the way in model police standards in the United States for years – but those efforts haven’t been acknowledged by legislators, he said. 

“As leaders, we can stand here today and tell you, the legislation will not make us safer,” Farnsworth said. 

Farnsworth was joined by nearly 100 of the state’s 351 police chiefs Tuesday morning in Framingham to criticize two police reform bills that were recently moved by the Senate and House. The chiefs urged Gov. Charlie Baker and state legislators to work with police on the legislation instead of cutting them out of the conversation."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200721/mass-police-chiefs-criticize-lawmakers-on-rushing-police-reform-bills?rssfeed=true

“Massachusetts has a historic opportunity to lead on this issue"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin. The article provides a comparison of the police reform legislation currently in process at the State House highlighting the common points and differences between the Senate and House versions.

WITH THE END OF the legislative session fast approaching, the House and Senate are trying to hammer out a bill dealing with police reform. In the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, there is tremendous momentum to pass a bill, but significant differences are emerging between the two branches. 

The Senate passed its bill last week and the House is scheduled to take up its version on Wednesday. Both measures share common ground. They require fellow officers to intervene in situations of excessive force. They ban chokeholds, the use of tear gas, and most no-knock warrants. The latter became a spotlight issue following the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a woman who died when Louisville, Kentucky, police executed a no-knock warrant at the wrong address, killing her in her own home.

The two branches also appear to be in general agreement on eliminating the municipal police training committee – a little-known entity within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security – and replacing it with a new Massachusetts Police Standards and Training Commission with the power to investigate misconduct claims against police officers and decertify those officers found to violate standards. The decisions of the commission would be open to the public and shared with a national database of decertified police officers. 

The House and Senate are not totally on the same page with regard to the commission. They differ on who would serve on the commission and the House bill would require that complaints about police misconduct not include a nondisclosure or non-disparagement agreement unless the complainant requests that provision. That would mean that police officers couldn’t ask their accusers to avoid speaking publicly about their conflicts if settlements are reached.

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/police-reform-big-momentum-little-time/

In the News: MA House has its own police reform legislation; Marlboro lab to use new testing process

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The Massachusetts House released its own police reform bill that includes a police certification process, standardizes training across the state and makes officer discipline records more readily available to the public. 

The House bill unveiled late Sunday comes about a week after the state Senate passed its own police accountability bill that would place limits on the “qualified immunity” shielding officers from civil prosecution and limits the use of force by officers. 

The 129-page bill includes the establishment of a seven-person Massachusetts Police Standards and Training Commission that would serve as the “primary civil enforcement agency” in the state. 

“In keeping with our commitment to debate a bill to address structural inequalities that contribute to and are also a result of racial inequities, this bill creates a new Massachusetts Police Standards and Training Commission that is truly independent and empowered,” Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo said in a statement."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200720/mass-house-reveals-own-police-reform-bill?rssfeed=true

The Boston Globe posted a copy of the proposed House bill. 
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/20/metro/read-text-houses-police-reform-bill/?p1=Article_Inline_Text_Link

"By the end of the week, one of Massachusetts’ most prolific COVID-19 testing labs will deploy a newly-approved method designed to allow them to test more samples. 

The announcement from New Jersey-based Quest Diagnostics comes about a week after the company announced “soaring demand” for COVID-19 molecular testing was slowing turnaround time to a week or more for most patients. 

Quest Diagnostics announced Friday that the company’s lab in Marlborough will be one of two facilities to begin pooling specimens for testing in a procedure approved by under an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In this procedure, samples are collected individually but combined into a small batch for testing. 

“A negative result for a batch means that all patients in that pool are considered negative (If a positive result occurs for the batch, each specimen is retested individually). The technique is an efficient way to evaluate patients in regions or populations with low rates of disease,” company officials explained in a statement."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200720/marlborough-lab-to-be-among-first-to-use-new-pooled-testing-method-for-coronavirus?rssfeed=true

In the News: "Policing reform push amplified at Statehouse rally"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Faith and labor leaders on Friday urged lawmakers to continue the policing reform work begun this week in the Senate, as the wait continues for a House bill that, if approved, would need to be reconciled quickly with a sweeping Senate proposal. 

As reverends and union representatives gathered outside the Statehouse, the House on Friday at 11 a.m. closed its window for public testimony on the Senate plan (S 2820), after announcing Wednesday night that it was inviting anyone to submit feedback by email. 

“To our representatives who have received undue pressure to succumb to mediocrity, to lay down and allow the status quo to exist, who are wavering, struggling about what to do, our message is courage,” Harvard University’s Muslim Chaplain Shaykh Khalil Abdur-Rashid said. “If you do not have courage now, when will you have courage? Our message is character. If you do not have character now, when will you have character?” 

Formal legislative sessions are scheduled to end for the year in two weeks so a House plan is expected any day now, although top Democrats have not announced any definitive plans."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200717/policing-reform-push-amplified-at-statehouse-rally?rssfeed=true