Massachusetts police reform bill making its way back through Beacon Hill – WCVB Boston

Members of the Massachusetts Senate passed an amended version of the state's police reform bill, which will now be sent to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.The highly-anticipated and controversial legislation is making its way back through Beacon Hill after both the Massachusetts House and the State Senate passed it earlier this month. Gov. Charlie Baker, however, returned the bill to state lawmakers with several changes and the threat of a veto.Baker says police training programs should not be controlled by a civilian commission, but leaders in communities of color made it clear that it is critical for the civilian-led commission to have a say in the development of use of force regulations. In response, the State Senate adopted a change that will give the civilian-led Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and the Municipal Police Training Committee join responsibility in approving, promulgating and implementing use of force regulations.In addition, the governor wants to allow the use of facial-recognition technology. In an effort to preserve the totality of the bill, state senators adopted changes to the amendment that limits law enforcement's use of facial recognition to appropriate circumstances while maintaining the original bill's requirements on transparency in data collection and the creation of a new commission on facial surveillance."What we put on the governor's desk was a full ban of facial-recognition techniques. This is a partial ban, if you will," said State Sen. Will Brownsberger, chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.The State Senate passed the modified legislation by a 31-9 margin Monday night, just days after Boston police body camera footage recorded during May 31 protests over the death of George Floyd was released by the online outlet "The Appeal." The video release has resulted in a police sergeant being placed on administrative leave and an internal investigation by the Boston Police Department."There is a ton in this bill that is going to really set a new standard for the national policy landscape on police accountability and prevention of misconduct," said State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz.In a statement released Monday night, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka said passing meaningful police reform and racial justice legislation this session is her "top priority."The bill that we are advancing today is not a magic bullet to reverse the pain and injustice endured by communities of color and those disproportionately affected by law enforcement in Massachusetts -- no one is claiming that it is, nor is it even possible for one bill to do that," reads Spilka's statement. "But when given the choice of making necessary compromises or letting this bill be vetoed, it was unconscionable to me to not do what was necessary to lay this important foundation of accountability and transparency." The following statement from Lizzy Guyton, the communications director for Baker's office, was shared with NewsCenter 5:Todays Senate proposal reflects the amendments that the governor made to the bill two weeks ago. After discussing the governors amendments with the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, the administration believes this package addresses the issues identified by the governors amendments and he looks forward to signing this version should it reach his desk.The police reform bill will now go before the Massachusetts House, which has formal sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.The current legislative session is scheduled to end Jan. 5.

Members of the Massachusetts Senate passed an amended version of the state's police reform bill, which will now be sent to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

The highly-anticipated and controversial legislation is making its way back through Beacon Hill after both the Massachusetts House and the State Senate passed it earlier this month. Gov. Charlie Baker, however, returned the bill to state lawmakers with several changes and the threat of a veto.

Baker says police training programs should not be controlled by a civilian commission, but leaders in communities of color made it clear that it is critical for the civilian-led commission to have a say in the development of use of force regulations. In response, the State Senate adopted a change that will give the civilian-led Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and the Municipal Police Training Committee join responsibility in approving, promulgating and implementing use of force regulations.

In addition, the governor wants to allow the use of facial-recognition technology. In an effort to preserve the totality of the bill, state senators adopted changes to the amendment that limits law enforcement's use of facial recognition to appropriate circumstances while maintaining the original bill's requirements on transparency in data collection and the creation of a new commission on facial surveillance.

"What we put on the governor's desk was a full ban of facial-recognition techniques. This is a partial ban, if you will," said State Sen. Will Brownsberger, chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.

The State Senate passed the modified legislation by a 31-9 margin Monday night, just days after Boston police body camera footage recorded during May 31 protests over the death of George Floyd was released by the online outlet "The Appeal." The video release has resulted in a police sergeant being placed on administrative leave and an internal investigation by the Boston Police Department.

"There is a ton in this bill that is going to really set a new standard for the national policy landscape on police accountability and prevention of misconduct," said State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz.

In a statement released Monday night, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka said passing meaningful police reform and racial justice legislation this session is her "top priority."

The bill that we are advancing today is not a magic bullet to reverse the pain and injustice endured by communities of color and those disproportionately affected by law enforcement in Massachusetts -- no one is claiming that it is, nor is it even possible for one bill to do that," reads Spilka's statement. "But when given the choice of making necessary compromises or letting this bill be vetoed, it was unconscionable to me to not do what was necessary to lay this important foundation of accountability and transparency."

The following statement from Lizzy Guyton, the communications director for Baker's office, was shared with NewsCenter 5:

Todays Senate proposal reflects the amendments that the governor made to the bill two weeks ago. After discussing the governors amendments with the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, the administration believes this package addresses the issues identified by the governors amendments and he looks forward to signing this version should it reach his desk.

The police reform bill will now go before the Massachusetts House, which has formal sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The current legislative session is scheduled to end Jan. 5.

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Massachusetts police reform bill making its way back through Beacon Hill - WCVB Boston