Thursday, May 23, 2013
Massachusetts State Senate unanimously backs bill, spurred by the Marathon Bombings, to protect off-duty first responders who aid others during an emergency.
The Massachusetts State Senate has unanimously approved a “Good Samaritan Bill” aimed at protecting off-duty first responders from lawsuits if they provide assistance at an emergency scene. The issue of protecting first responders and others from lawsuits has come up at various times in recent years, but quickly regained traction in the aftermath of the recent Boston Marathon bombings. “While the many off-duty firefighters and EMTs who rushed to help in the aftermath of the Marathon bombings brought this into sharp focus, the fact is we are lucky to have brave men and women who come to the aid of their fellow citizens every day in emergencies from car accidents to heart attacks,” said State Senator Katherine Clark, who chairs the …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Legislation filed in aftermath of John Burbine arrest aims to fix weaknesses in the state's sex offender registry system.
Local lawmakers and Wakefield’s chief of police were among those calling for changes to the state’s sex offender laws during a Tuesday hearing at the State House. State Senator Katherine Clark, who represents Wakefield, chaired the Joint Committee on the Judiciary hearing, focused on a bill she and Rep. Paul Brodeur are sponsoring. The legislation aims to address weaknesses in the sex offender registry system that were brought to light by the John Burbine child sex abuse case. Wakefield Police Chief Rick Smith testified at the hearing and was quoted in a Boston Herald report talking about how last summer a parent came to the station asking for information Level 1 sex offenders – and was unable to do so. “They came to the window and asked…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Mostly pro-gun control experts weighed in at the discussion, part of the senator's 'Policy Forum Series.'
Experts from around the commonwealth weighed in on gun control issues during a forum held in Malden by State Sen. Katherine Clark Wednesday night. The panel mostly spoke of the benefits of increased gun control, and the challenges faced by policymakers at the state and federal level. The panel also accepted questions from the audience during a Q&A session. "This is a topic brought to the forefront (here) by continued acts of violence, both on the news and right here in our community," Malden Mayor Gary Christenson said. Panelists included Christenson, State Rep. David Linsky, Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis, Harvard professor David Hemenway, "Stop Handgun Violence" founder John Rosenthal, as well as Dawn Tringas and Molly Malloy from "…
Friday, March 29, 2013
Three bills seeks now in the Joint Committee on the Judiciary would make public the names of lower-level sex offenders.
This week's state auditor report that a large number of sex offenders live at addresses registered as childcare facilities has only fueled the effort on Beacon Hill to publicize the names of all those who've committed sex crimes. "The auditor's recent findings should serve as a catalyst to pass targeted legislation which protects the Commonwealth's citizens from dangerous sex offenders," House Minority Leader Brad Jones Jr. (R-North Reading) said in a statement Wednesday. "The report published today is an unfortunate example of why comprehensive sex offender legislation I filed will, in part, open the lines of communication between the Department of Early Education and Care and the Sex Offender Registry Board." Jones' bill is one of …
Sunday, March 3, 2013
State Senator for Wakefield announces legislation that would crack down on those who repeatedly violate restraining orders.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, March 3
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month, and this is a good time to consider our collective effort to ensure that our children, and all individuals, thrive in healthy and safe relationships. For teens, dating violence can be physical, sexual or emotional, and often involves stalking and harassment via social media and other electronic communications. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 1 in 10 high school students report they have been physically hurt in a dating relationship over the past year, and that violence can have health repercussions throughout life. The CDC reports that teens who are victims are more likely to be depressed and do poorly in school, may engage in unhealthy behaviors, …
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Send local opinion pieces and letters to the editor to william.laforme@patch.com.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, February 24
The following was provided by State Senator Katherine Clark: This session I have introduced legislation to bring online voter registration to the Commonwealth. This bill would allow citizens to complete an affidavit of registration online to register to vote or update their voter information. At present, registration forms are available at City or Town Clerk’s Offices, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, or other registration site, and online (as a PDF) per the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The online forms must be filled out, printed, signed and mailed to a local election official. Under an online system, every citizen with a Massachusetts ID Card or Driver’s License, who is eligible to vote, could register online. The online affidavit …
Monday, February 18, 2013
Sen. Katherine Clark has announced to supporters that she will run for Congress.
In a letter emailed to her supporters on Friday afternoon, State Senator Katherine Clark announced that she will be running for Congress. Clark is a Melrose Democrat whose district includes Wakefield. U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-Malden), who represents Stoneham in the House, is currently running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry. If Markey wins that Senate seat, it would leave open the Fifth Congressional District seat in the House, which Clark would run for. If he loses his bid, he would retain his current House seat. Two other Massachusetts legislators have also announced their intentions to run for Markey's seat, if he wins the Senate seat: state Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford) and …
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Send local opinion pieces and letters to the editor to william.laforme@patch.com.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Saturday, February 16
The following was written by State Senator Katherine Clark: The Commonwealth’s public transportation network must be transformed. We need a solution that is financially stable, modernized, reliable and affordable. We must include all regions of the state and all parts of the network – roads and bridges, buses and rail, bike access and pedestrian safety. Our system must be innovative, recognizing that our state’s economy depends on a transportation network that efficiently connects individuals to their jobs, students to their schools, and communities to each other. As we build such a system, we also must address past mismanagement, crushing debt, and years of underinvestment in our public infrastructure. And we cannot afford to wait. …
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Send Wakefield-related opinion pieces and letters to the editor to william.laforme@patch.com.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, February 10
The following was provided by State Senator Katherine Clark: It seems like a simple enough idea: if all children are to learn and achieve to their full potential, they need a safe and supportive school environment. But ensuring such an environment for all students is no easy feat. Indeed, school districts often struggle with how to implement, in a comprehensive and consistent way, a whole range of important behavioral health initiatives, including drop-out and truancy prevention programs, anti-bullying training, trauma sensitivity programs, and support for social and emotional development. This is a lot to ask of our teachers but they embrace it, as they do with every aspect of learning. They do so because they know better than anyone …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
State Senator Katherine Clark, whose district includes Wakefield, named Judiciary Committee chair for coming legislative session.
State Senator Katherine Clark has been named chair of the joint committee on the judiciary for the new legislative session. The announcement was made by Senate President Therese Murray last Thursday. Clark also was named chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy, Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight. She previously served as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue and led a comprehensive review of the Commonwealth’s tax expenditure system. "I am honored to receive this appointment," said Clark. "The Judiciary Committee will tackle a number of important issues during this session, including sex offender registry …
Pat
7:34 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013
These changes are just going to cause more legal challenges to the registry more ›