Massachusetts Action Alert: Help Nullify Common Core, Support H3929

Massachusetts H3929 would remove the state from Common Core, effectively nullifying the nationalized education standards. It must pass the Joint Education Committee before it can receive a vote in the full Senate. PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS to support this important bill. 1. Call the Joint Education Committee Co-Chair, Sonia Chang-Diaz and Alice Hanlon Peisch. Strongly,…

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Massachusetts Bill to Limit Federal Militarization of Police Receives First Committee Hearing

BOSTON, Mass. (Dec. 7, 2015) – An important Massachusetts committee held a hearing this week about a proposal that would drastically limit the impact of federal programs that facilitate the militarization of local police. House Bill 2144 (H.2144) was introduced on March 11 by Rep. Mary Keefe (D-Worcester) and 13 co-sponsors. The legislation would prohibit…

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Massachusetts Bill to Facilitate the Production and Distribution of Raw Milk Receives Committee Hearing

BOSTON (Nov. 11, 2015) – Last month, a Massachusetts committee held a hearing to consider a bill that would expand consumer access to raw milk in the state. Passage would also strengthen the foundation to nullify in practice federal goals to fully ban this natural dairy product nationwide. Introduced by Sen. Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), along…

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Massachusetts Committee Considers Restrictions on Asset Forfeiture Program

BOSTON (Nov. 5, 2015) – A bill under consideration in the Massachusetts Senate would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in most cases. Introduced in April by Sen. Salvatore DiDomenico (D-Middlesex) along with a bipartisan group of cosponsors, Senate Bill 797 (S797) was given a hearing in…

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Massachusetts Bill Takes on Warrantless Collection of Electronic Data

BOSTON (Oct. 9, 2015) – A privacy bill that would prohibit collection of electronic data from communication service providers without a warrant in most cases, and that would effectively block an NSA data sharing program, continues to work its way through the Massachusetts legislature. Last spring, a bipartisan coalition of 36 legislators introduced Senate Bill…

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Massachusetts House Committee to Consider Fully-Informed Jury Legislation

BOSTON, Oct. 4, 2015 – A bill under consideration in the Massachusetts House would reaffirm the right of jury nullification by explicitly allowing defendants to tell jurors about their ability to nullify unjust or immoral laws. Introduced by Reps. Elizabeth Poirier (R-North Attleboro) and Paul Heroux (D-Attleboro), House Bill 1544 (H1544) would “permit the defendant…

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