Call Your State Legislators Tomorrow
National Background Check Bill Needs Your Support
Please call your state House and Senate members tomorrow (Friday) and ask them to encourage the state's Joint Judiciary Committee to vote the National Background Check Bill out of committee favorably.
The deadline for getting a bill out of Judiciary is mid-month, so it is critical to call today. Please note: If you are a constituent of Senate President Therese Murray, House Speaker Robert DeLeo or any of Judiciary Committee members, it is especially important to call them to let them know how important this bill is to you and the Down syndrome community.
House Judiciary Committee - Christopher M. Markey (Vice Chair), Colleen M. Garry, Kevin J. Murphy, Bruce J. Ayers, Sean Curran, Claire D. Cronin, Jeffrey N. Roy, Sheila C. Harrington, Keiko M. Orrall
Senate Judiciary Committee - William N. Brownsberger (Chair), Gale D. Candaras (Vice Chair), Patricia D. Jehlen, John F. Keenan, Richard J. Ross
Go here to find your state legislators and their contact info.
Here's what you can say: "Please ask the Judiciary Committee to favorably vote out 'An Act to Require National Background Checks' (H.1674)"
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A New & Improved Bill Broad Coalition Redrafts Complicated Legislation
Over the last year, the MDSC has taken the reins to convene a broad coalition - including private and quasi-governmental disability organizations as well state agencies - to get behind the bill.
Leaders have been meeting regularly to hash out a re-crafted bill - a complicated process given the many intricacies involved in background checks and the federal and state laws that govern them. (For a sense of the challenge, see this article about the implementation of a similar background bill related to education, which our bill is modeled after.)
A new draft of the bill was completed in late fall, at which time it was submitted to our partners at the state Public Safety and state Health & Human Services agencies for their input. In late December, it was subsequently revised and finalized. It was submitted a few weeks ago to the Judiciary Committee, where the bill now stands. See a copy of the amended bill here.
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Judiciary Committee Has Little Time to Act
Despite having a National Background Check Bill that is stronger than ever, we are up against a challenging political reality. Within the past several months, three key backers of the Background Check Bill are no longer at the State House.
Bill sponsor Marty Walsh was elected Mayor of Boston. House Judiciary Chair Eugene O'Flaherty has joined Mayor Walsh as his chief legal counsel. Meantime, another friend, Senate Judiciary Chair Katherine Clark, was elected to Congress.
As a result, the Judiciary Committee's business has been delayed as committee leadership takes shape. The Senate recently appointed Sen. Will Brownsberger to the chair.
However, time is running out, so please call your House and Senate member today! and ask him/her to encourage the Judiciary Committee favorably vote out the National Background Check Bill (H1674).
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Why It's Important Current Law Includes Major Loophole for Out-of-State Employees
Under current law, those hired to work with people with developmental disabilities are required to have a state criminal background check, but not a national check, meaning that people with criminal records outside Massachusetts can unknowingly be hired to work directly with people with developmental disabilities in the Baystate.
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Our Coalition
Cross-Disability and Public/Private Support
We are grateful to have the support of an amazing coalition of private non-profits and public agencies. This includes:
Mass Advocates Standing Strong (MASS), the Disability Law Center (DLC), the Arc of Massachusetts and the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP). We also have been meeting with leaders from key government agencies who have expressed support of this bill including the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Department of Public Safety (DPS), Executive Office of Health & Human Services (EOHHS), Disabled Persons Protection Committee (DPPC), and the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC). We also have the support of 64 legislative co-sponsors.
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One Call, That's All Help Us Pass the National Criminal Background Check Bill
Here's all you have to do:
- Go here to find your House member and their contact info.
- Call him/her and say: "Please ask the Judiciary Committee to favorably vote out 'An Act to Require National Background Checks' (H.1674)"
THANK YOU!
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