WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement on Governor’s proposed amendments to the Massachusetts police reform legislation:

“The police reform legislation passed by my colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature is a step forward in the fight for justice in the Commonwealth. This bill is already a compromise and should serve as the floor that we will build upon going forward.  It includes essential long-overdue common-sense proposals that would save lives.

“By refusing to sign the legislation, sending it back to the Legislature and demanding amendments that will water down important aspects of the bill, Governor Baker is once again demonstrating his disregard for the communities most impacted by our broken status quo system of injustice.

“The Governor’s proposed amendments to the legislation—including striking the ban on fundamentally flawed and discriminatory facial recognition technology and undermining the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission—must be rejected outright by the legislature.

“With the public health crisis of police brutality continuing to ravage Black and brown communities in the Commonwealth and all across the country, we must act with urgency before more lives are needlessly lost. I urge my colleagues in the Legislature to reject any and all amendments that will weaken the bill and implore the Governor to sign it into law without delay.”

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