by Leah Sakala
Every year the state of Massachusetts needlessly suspends the driver's licenses of thousands of the state's residents. Our newest report, Suspending Common Sense in Massachusetts: Driver's license suspensions for drug offenses unrelated to driving, explains that a state law from the late 1980's automatically suspends the driver's licenses of anyone convicted of a drug offense, even if the offense had nothing to do with operating a vehicle or road safety.
As we explain, both law enforcement officials and organizations such as the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators have publicly opposed the practice of suspending driver's licenses for reasons unrelated to driving, pointing to the enormous fiscal and administrative burden associated with enforcement.
Our research reviews the inefficacy of the current policy, tallies the unanticipated side effects, and calls for Massachusetts to join more than 33 other states in opting out of this shortsighted policy.
The Massachusetts legislature is currently considering a bill, H3099/S1643, that would end the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for unrelated drug offenses.
Guest contribution by Joe Mirkin
Last week, Governor Deval Patrick signed an anti-shackling bill into law, making Massachusetts the 20th state to abolish the harmful and brutal practice of restraining incarcerated women who are pregnant, in labor, or in the post partum period.
(Read the Governor’s press release here)
The bill, S.2063, "An Act to Prevent Shackling and Promote Safe Pregnancies for Female Inmates, "also takes great strides towards establishing a "minimum level of care that must be afforded to pregnant inmates in county correctional facilities."
While previous anti-shackling rules only applied to state prisons, the new law covers all corrections facilities in Massachusetts.
We strongly agree with Marianne Bullock, of the Prison Birth Project, when she said, "The next step is ensuring that this law is enforced." We will continue, alongside fellow members of the Massachusetts Anti-Shackling Coalition, to advocate against any continuation of the practice following the passage of this law.
Our thanks and congratulations go out to all coalition members!
Members of the Massachusetts Anti-Shackling Coalition Include:
ACLU of Massachusetts, American Friends Service Committee of Western MA, Black and Pink, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, Boston Feminists for Liberation, Casa Myrna, Civil Liberties and Public Policy, Coalition for Effective Public Safety, Dismas House—Worcester, Families for Justice as Healing, Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project, Health Care for All, Health Law Advocates, Hollaback! Boston, Jane Doe Inc—the MA Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Jewish Alliance on Law and Social Action, JRI Health, The Law Offices of Howard Friedman, The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women, Mount Holyoke Students Against Mass Incarceration, NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts Chapter, Out Now—Springfield, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Pretrial Working Group, Prison Birth Project, Prisoners' Assistance
Project at NUSL, Prisoners’ Legal Services, Prison Policy Initiative, Real Cost of Prisons Project, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Stern, Shapiro, Weissberg and Garin, LLP, And Still We Rise, Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, The Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, Worcester Homeless Action Committee.
Our work is made possible by private donations. Can you help us keep going? We can accept tax-deductible gifts online or via paper checks sent to PO Box 127 Northampton MA 01061. Thank you!
|
