Back in 2011, I, along with Rep. Liz Malia introduced an important bill in the Massachusetts State Legislature: An Act Relative to Safe Harbor for Exploited Children, in an effort to protect some of the most vulnerable of our citizens. I am pleased to support a bill by my colleague from across the aisle, Rep. Dan Winslow, which builds upon the bill passed in 2011. The legislation was the culmination of the efforts of the Support to End Exploitation Now (SEEN) Coalition, a group of 35 public and private partner agencies that work in the field.
Before this bill was passed, Massachusetts law required juveniles arrested for prostitution to be treated as delinquents and therefore subject to penalties including secure confinement.
This legislation
– provides a way to remove victims of sexual abuse from the criminal justice and juvenile delinquency systems and provides them with specialized services;
– recognizes exploited youth as victims rather than criminals or delinquents;
– reinforces that mandated reporters must file a report of suspected abuse and neglect on behalf of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation; and –
– allows for a team of professionals to come together and cooperatively assess the specialized needs of exploited youth.
I am proud to support Rep. Winslow’s new bill, which has been late-filed, and provides that prostitution convictions will be vacated on motion by any person who proves to the court that he or she was a victim of human trafficking. This will effectively remove an impediment to gainful employment for such people, and remove a tool of control victims by traffickers.
– Marty
Is it true sir that you are supported by Mike Cote of Dorchester and BMG?
That could be a game changer for me.
as usual. Why stop there, show your true colors and prejudices, talk about the Ginger garbage.
is all you need to know.
If you are going to come to BMG boast about your record, it better have taken a fight. Who in their right minds would be against this bill?
You know what bills I’m proud of legislators for fighting for? The Bottle Bill, Single Payer and the Transgender Rights Bill. Fighting the big battles is what deserves praise. Sure this is a good bill. It’s a needed bill. But it’s an easy fight. It doesn’t demonstrate a grand sense of character or achievement. There were no big entrenched interests standing in your way.
So if you are looking to come here for self promotion and to sell your fluff, come back when you have actually fought long and hard for something against great odds and expectations.
What can I say, when I see the word “fluff” in a post, it sparks my attention. As a Representative (not Senator, that didn’t work out so well for me) who voted in favor of Transgender Rights and co-sponsored the updated Bottle Bill, I am thrilled that Marty Walsh and other Democrats (and Republicans) have joined me in sponsoring this straight forward, necessary legislation to change people’s lives for the better and to remove a coercive tool of human trafficking. But make no mistake: winning approval of this legislation will NOT be easy. The legislative process on Beacon Hill is so broken that merit is usually a secondary consideration on much of our work. I use the word “consideration” lightly because the Committees don’t actually deliberate (you mean, you thought Committees actually meet to review and discuss the testimony for which you took time off from work and spent hours waiting to tell your story?!?) The minority cannot change the culture on Beacon Hill, short of picking up 40 more seats in 2014. We need members of the majority party to buck leadership and take back some of the prerogative of members to represent the 43,000 people each of us stands for. And when Democrats join Republicans on good legislation–or vice versa–it is cause for celebration. With Marty Walsh’s support, and the support of Democrats who give a damn, maybe, just maybe this “easy” bill will be enacted this year. Watch. Or you can give us a shot at those 40 seats.
If the behavior of the majority party in the D.C. House of Representatives is any guide. Again going by the GOP’s recent national example, if Republicans won a majority of the MA House they’d invade Arizona looking for weapons of mass destruction, crash the Commonwealth’s economy, and funnel billions of dollars to their cronies on their way out of office. Be true to your rhetoric, Rep. Winslow: switch over to the Democratic Party. BMG will buy you beers and a birthday cake at Doyle’s to celebrate.
Thanks Bob, but I’ll pass (as much as I love cake and beer, and not necessarily in that order). We’re in a bit of a political looking glass in Massachusetts: the image of the national GOP is toxic to Massachusetts Republicans who aspire to the original principles of the Party of Lincoln: freedom, respect for the individual, and opportunity driven by market forces rather than regulation. The national image of the Democrats, by contrast, fails accurately to reflect the cronyism, corruption and contentedness with the status quo of mediocrity of the state Democrats in MA who tightly cling to their reins of power. As a member of the loyal opposition, my task is to hold up the mirror so voters can have a good look. We need thoughtful, creative and conscientious Republicans in MA to have a prayer of improving our Commonwealth and acting as a check on the excesses of one-party monopoly. But I love a good debate (Lord knows we don’t have them too often in the Legislature, especially when a majority of Democrats don’t bother to attend sessions during debates…watch from the gallery if you don’t believe me) so happy to meet you and other BMGers at Doyle’s anytime. In fact, say when next week and I’ll buy the first two rounds.
That would fit the MA GOP image perfectly.
Best of all, you could go all the way around the political circle and become a progressive Democrat. It might be a difficult passage, something like beating around the Cape of Good Hope against the wind, but travel does broaden the mind, or so it is said.
OK, I’ll check into it!
Rachel Maddow wasn’t so kind to me. But fwiw, my yacht club is a non-profit where we teach kids how to sail in Truro and the largest boat allowed by law is 14 feet maximum length: http://www.pametclub.com/boating.php
Keep up the sensible and polite discussion of legitimate issues, and before you know it you’ll change hearts and minds.
Who Is?
BTW Dan Winslow, a Republican, just kicked your ass. On BMG
Ouch
p’max, I agree with you that TBB, SP, and the TRB are important, and worth passing (though, let’s be honest, TBB and TRB aren’t within three leagues of single payer).
Still, this *sounds* like a good bill — that it will really help out some of our most vulnerable and most abused. Even if passage were easy, it still takes tremendous amounts of time and vision to write the thing, write it well, and shepherd it. It still takes time, still takes work, and *if* the bill is as good as it sounds, our Commonwealth will be better for its passage.
Why pooh pooh that?
BTW when did Rep Winslow become a senator?
Cmon Max, you can do better
If its Galvin v Winslow for AG I’m a Winslow man. I appreciate the votes on the Transgender Bill, Bottle Bill and the work getting this to the floor and prior work on the mental and leaning disabilities bill. I think that kind f bipartisan record and advocacy on behalf of “the little guy” will be well serves at the AGs office. Galvin always cheerleads haunts democracy any chance he gets, it’d be a great contest.