Hello John, 

Many of you have asked us about the status of the prison moratorium bill. Here's a brief update on the moratorium and other money matters! 

Language freezing Department of Correction spending on new prisons was added into the next Bond Bill (H4790), which the House will be voting on this week. An essential part of accountability in DOC funding is ensuring decarceration continues and funds do not go towards creating new beds.

Making sure DOC funding is used to improve conditions and quality of life for inmates and the broader DOC Community is part of the DOC culture shift work Rep Nika has been diligently working on as House Chair of the DOC Commission on Structural Racism. Stay tuned for the Commission Report & Recommendations to be released this summer. 

Speaking of the Bond Bill, it's actually an exciting time for State bonding. Sometimes referred to as “Monopoly Money” because the funding is not guaranteed, bonds are tied to an influx of federal infrastructure dollars this year. That makes this Session's bonding bills (at least four more bonding bills will be released in the coming weeks) and their amendments more important.

Rep Nika, as usual, filed amendments for her district as well as for citywide and statewide needs. Check out the amendments below, or go to the MA Legislature's page for H4790. We'll keep you posted on which ones get passed!

District

• #124, Mildred C Hailey Food Distribution Service
• #179, Jamaica Plain Main Streets

Citywide

• #101, Nubian Square k-12/Community College Partnership in Life Sciences Workforce Training
• #107, School-Based Adult Education for Court-Involved and Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
• #228, Greening Environmental Justice Community Public Housing
• #238, Neighborhood Relief to Urban Food Deserts

Statewide

• #254, Urban Neighborhood-based Food Programs

Best,
Isabel Torres
Campaign Manager