The Massachusetts Senate will vote on their version of the Affordable Homes Act, also known as the housing bond bill, TOMORROW, June 27. Please contact your state senator and urge them to cosponsor and vote YES on the priority amendment #141 listed below.

Eviction record sealing protections are in the Senate Ways and Mean Committee's bill and we need to keep them in (see Section 48, S.2834, S.2834). They are not in the House's version of the Housing Bond bill. 

We are advocating for stronger eviction sealing protections through our support of Amendment 141.

Each of us needs to contact our state senator via email or phone TODAY using the sample script below. Find your senator here. 

“Dear Senator _________,

As you debate The Affordable Homes Act (the Housing Bond Bill), please support strong eviction record sealing protections for tenants and support and co-sponsor Amendment 141, HOMES Judiciary Committee Bill, filed by Senator Eldridge. 

Amendment 141 

• Substitutes Section 48 of the Senate Ways and Means Housing Bond bill with important language reported favorably out of the Judiciary Committee.
• Allows tenants whose case is dismissed or who win to petition to seal their eviction case. 
• Strikes a balance between allowing landlords to see certain cases and allowing tenants to seal certain cases in order to remove a significant barrier to stable housing.

While 11 states have successfully adopted eviction record sealing protections, there is nothing tenants can do now to seal their eviction records. In Massachusetts, the moment an eviction case is filed, a tenant has a permanent and publicly available eviction record on the Trial Court’s website. Even if a tenant paid off the rent, won the case, or did nothing wrong, they are rejected from housing regardless of the outcome of the case. 

I hope we can count on your support and co-sponsorship on Amendment 141, HOMES Judiciary Committee Bill. Your vote is important to so many tenants in your district. 

Thank you.”

Feel free to personalize your email by adding why these issues are important to you. Remember to include your name and complete street address. 

The Massachusetts House will vote on H4789, An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership, the economic development bill, TOMORROW, June 27. 

Two LWVMA priority bills have been added as amendments to the bill:

• Act establishing fairness for agricultural laborers 
• An Act to implement the recommendations of the special commission on facial recognition technology 

Please contact your state representative TODAY and urge them to vote YES on the priority amendments listed below.

#190, Rep. Ramos, Facial recognition

#546, 547, 548 and 549, Rep. Gonzalez, Fairness for Farmworkers

Each of us needs to contact our state representative via email or phone in support of these amendments. Find your representative here. 

Suggested script: 

“Dear Rep. ________,

Please vote YES on the following amendments in H4789, An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership:

#190, Rep. Ramos: Facial recognition

#546, 547, 548 and 549, Rep. Gonzalez: Fairness for Farmworkers

Thank you.”

Learn more about the bills by reading our testimony on the facial recognition bill here and the Fairness for Farmworkers bill here. Feel free to personalize your emails by adding why these issues are important to you. Remember to include your name and complete street address. 

We encourage all League members to contact their legislators today and to share these actions with their personal networks. 

Questions? Email specialists@lwvma.org.