I’m thrilled that Chairwoman Benson and Chairman Timilty have agreed to move House Bill 3361 forward, and want to express my appreciation for the hard work, time, and energy that the entire Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight has dedicated to this bill. A Special Commission to further examine the feasibility and scope of implementation for data disaggregation is an important step forward that will ensure no community is left behind. I welcome the suggestions of the Commission and look forward to working collaboratively with Commission members, the Asian Caucus, and the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus to advance new, more holistic, and inclusive data disaggregation for the Commonwealth.

BOSTON – Legislators from the Massachusetts Asian Caucus, the Black & Latino Legislative Caucus, the Caucus of Women Legislators and the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence hosted an event on October 17, 2017 to raise awareness around the distinct challenges that marginalized communities face when accessing domestic violence services in the Commonwealth. This event comes as a part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, with the goal of educating legislators and their communities about the unique domestic violence issues at hand for communities of color, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ, rural, and immigrant and refugee populations.