Celebrating Massachusetts Reforms

FAMM is still celebrating Governor Deval Patrick's signing of a new reform bill into law this week.  It was a quiet event, and FAMM's Barb Dougan was privileged and honored to witness it, as this article describes:

Despite widespread public attention on the bill and plans to hold a public signing ceremony in ­Ashland for legislation “further regulating animal control,” Patrick signed what has become known as “Melissa’s Law” before Gosule and one other advocate — Barbara ­Dougan of Families Against Mandatory Minimums — in his State House office. ...

The governor’s press secretary, Kim Haberlin, sent an e-mail to reporters to highlight another aspect of the legislation, which created parole eligibility for 580 nonviolent drug offenders. That provision will help reduce what the governor has branded the warehousing of criminals, while saving the state $2.5 million annually. The change takes effect at once.

You can read the law itself here, or learn about who it impacts and how it helps by reading our new factsheet.

The reforms that became law in Massachusetts this week only apply to people convicted of Massachusetts state crimes in Massachusetts state courts.  If you were convicted in federal court or the state courts of another state, they can't help you.