You Can Help with BBA Budget Priorities
As the State Senate prepares for its annual budget debate next week, now is the perfect time for you to contact your Senator to advocate for a couple of amendments on BBA priorities. Please let your State Senator know, by phone or e-mail, that you hope they’ll co-sponsor or otherwise support these amendments:
#903: Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation Funding
This amendment, filed by Senators Jamie Eldridge and Cindy Creem, would provide a $6 million increase in the state appropriation to MLAC, the state’s largest funder of legal services—matching the full amount MLAC has requested, with BBA support. Read more here.
#913: SJC Funding
Senator Jamie Eldridge has also offered this amendment to provide an additional $420,232 to the SJC’s line-item, in order to fund the Court at a maintenance level that would allow it to continue providing the same services.
Every call or e-mail from BBA members helps! If you don’t know who your State Senator is, or how to reach them, you can look that up here. Thanks for your support!
BBA President Meets with Superior Court Chief Justice
BBA President Hannah Kilson met this week with Superior Court Chief Justice Michael Ricciuti. Since taking on that role in December, he’s been prioritizing the safety and security of judges, staff, and court users, and he shared some of his ideas to promote efficiency by keeping cases on track better—a particular challenge at the moment, with the bench currently short by 12 judges. We also learned that he’s been focused on demystifying the judicial-application process and encouraging greater diversity in the candidate pool. A former BBA Secretary who now serves on the BBJ Board of Editors, Chief Justice Ricciuti also lauded the professional and social benefits of engagement with the organization
