HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4010        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1528

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Carlos González and Russell E. Holmes

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to increasing racial diversity among judges in Massachusetts.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4010        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1528

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to increasing racial diversity among judges in Massachusetts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

(a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special legislative commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study the potential for legislative action to increase racial diversity among the judiciary in the Commonwealth. The commission shall consist of 15 members: 2 of whom shall be the chairs of the joint committee on the judiciary or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the Massachusetts House Asian Caucus or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the attorney general or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the secretary of public safety and security or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Inc. or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference or a designee; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the Governor’s Council; and 8 of whom shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Bar Association, 1 of whom shall be from the Boston Bar Association, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, 1 of whom shall be from the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Association or an Assistant District Attorney, and 1 of whom shall be from the Committee for Public Counsel Services. 

(b)  The appointments made by the governor pursuant to subsection (a) shall include women and people of color in such proportion as these groups exist in the commonwealth’s population as periodically determined by the state secretary as the commonwealth’s chief census officer. 

(c)  The commission shall evaluate the current and historic state of racial diversity among judges in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts including, but not limited to: (i) the impact legislative action could have on racial diversity within the judiciary; (ii) recommendations to ensure increased racial diversity across the judiciary; (iii) proposed standards for admission to the judiciary, including, but not limited to, age, education, community of origin, psychological and mental health; and (iv) any other information the commission deems relevant. 

(d)  The commission shall submit its findings and recommendations relative to increasing racial diversity within the judiciary by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives, the senate, the Governor’s Council, and the Governor not later than December 31, 2024.