Massachusetts is home to a long list of racist laws and institutions. Our leaders need to be relentless in the pursuit of dismantling systemic oppression. Black lives depend on dramatic transformation at every level of government. While the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police sparked the current movement, the work that follows this moment, must extend throughout and beyond the criminal legal system. Rooting out systemic racism calls for policy change in education, healthcare, housing, energy, transit, and so much more -- it must be foundational to every step forward.
As an active ally to Black leaders and organizers, and committed to the work of anti-racism, Amber will advocate for:
-
Investing in the health and economic resiliency of communities
-
Establishing meaningful accountability for civil rights violations by ending the legal immunity currently provided to police officers by the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act
-
Codified prioritization of environmental justice to account and correct for the disproportionate impact of our past and present energy and infrastructure decisions on communities of color
-
Partner with local leaders to work towards more inclusive, safe, and anti-racist communities, including creating civilian review boards and strengthening Human Rights Commissions
Amber strongly supports the following bills introduced this session, and if the absence of their passage, will be a partner in advancing these efforts and building upon them in the session ahead:
-
An Act Relative to Saving Black Lives and Transforming Public Safety: calls for banning chokeholds and the requirement of de-escalation tactics along with other vital regulatory measures to improve police accountability
-
An Act to Secure Civil Rights through the Courts of the Commonwealth: amends the MA Civil Rights Act to limit immunity of government officials, ensure a more reasonable standard of conduct, and make it more viable for MA residents to pursue civil rights claims against police and other state actors
-
A Resolve providing for a “Special Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training” to study and make recommendations concerning the implementation of a Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) system: moves toward certifying law enforcement and enable de-certification for misconduct and abuse (MA is currently one of only four states that does not license its police officers)