June 4, 2009
Save the date! The Judiciary Committee has scheduled its hearing on mandatory minimum sentencing reform for:
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
1:00 p.m.
Gardner Auditorium, State House
This is very good news. An early hearing date gives FAMM plenty of time to prepare for the Judiciary Committee hearing. Please plan to attend and encourage others to do so. It is essential that members of the Committee and the media see a strong show of support for sentencing reform. FAMM members who do not testify as part of the FAMM panel will contribute greatly by their presence, witness and support. We will have FAMM buttons for members to wear. We will also help prepare you to visit your legislators while you are at the State House that day. We are still planning how to make best use of the hearing date and will keep you posted.
The Judiciary Committee will also be hearing bills on several other criminal justice issues on July 28, including CORI (criminal records) reform, mandatory post-release supervision and re-entry policies for ex-offenders. As a result, the hearing will be very crowded and the list of those wishing to testify will be quite long. Fortunately, this year the hearing is scheduled for Gardner Auditorium, where there is more seating and air conditioning.
Summer 2009 membership meetings
FAMM is starting our Massachusetts membership meetings this month. Please join us! These gatherings are an excellent way to get up-to-date information about mandatory minimum reforms, ask questions, start organizing activities in your local area and develop a support network with others whose loved ones are incarcerated. Our meetings are open to all who are interested; there is no fee.
In response to feedback from last year's meetings, our 2009 meetings will be held on weekday evenings. Here is the schedule so far. We will update this list as more meetings are added. Please let us know if you will attend a membership meeting, including your phone number so we can notify you if there are any last-minute changes.
Fall River
Thursday, June 18 - 6 to 8 p.m.
Fall River Public Library, Nagle Room
104 North Main Street
Lynn
Wednesday, June 24 - 6 to 8 p.m.
Lynn Public Library
5 North Common Street
Boston - library location not yet confirmed
Thursday, June 25 - 6 to 8 p.m.
Boston Public Library
700 Boylston Street, Copley Square
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Contact FAMM in Massachusetts
By phone: (617) 543-0878
By e-mail: bdougan@famm.org
By mail: P.O. Box 57, Newton MA 02468
Sincerely yours,
Barbara
Barbara J. Dougan
Massachusetts Project Director
Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM)