DATA DISAGGREGATION MOVES FORWARD, A MAJOR STEP TOWARD EQUITY BY IMPROVING STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION

APIs CAN! 與華人前進會(Chinese Progressive Association)新聞稿

数据分类向平等和公义迈进重要一步. 改善全州数据分类收集 州议员们承认数据分类不仅是只对亚裔社区重要，而是对所有种族和族裔群体都很重要的问题。联合委员会已设立一个包容性委员会，将数据分类扩大到所有族裔群体。 波士顿 - 经过上星期二，1 月 30 日，冗长的聆听会后，州务行政和监管联合委员会已投票推动 H3361这个法案，会设立一个包容性的委员会，负责更新法案，并把数据分类扩大到麻州所有种族和族裔群体。 这是对提倡改善数据收集分类一个非常重大的胜利，州府的官员终于听到提倡者的声音。在过去数十年来，数据分类一直在亚裔社区是一个关键性的民权问题，亚裔人士并不是全部一样的种族群体，不认清亚裔各族裔不同的需要只会阻碍社区人士得到应有的服务和代表。 这个原来的提案，H3361，包括收集亚裔主要族裔细分的数据，总共得到超过 50 个本地亚太社区团体和各大联盟的支持。由于得到非裔和拉丁裔团体的大力支持，非裔和拉丁裔核心立法小组也全力支持改善数据收集，并扩大到所有种族及领导今次的委员会成立特别小组草议更全面性的法案。 社区提倡者和社会服务团体很高兴能见到这个运动的实现，并会继续在麻州与新成立的委员会一起为被忽略的社区争取平等和能得到重视。 越裔发展协会的主任，黎丽莎解释说：“越裔比其他人更容易患乙型肝炎这些数据可以指引我们准确地提供服务和我们所建立的伙伴关系，以帮助缓解我们社区所需要的心理健康，住房，经济发展和教育/青年服务方面的问题。对于我们服务的许多家庭来说，我们了解影响他们的条件才有能力挽救他们。” H.3361 法案的发起人，昆市的州议员代表陈德基说：“我很高兴 Timilty 主席和 Benson 主席已经同意推动我们的法案。我也感谢非裔和拉丁裔社区的支持和包容。意识到，数据分类对于我们所有的社区都将是非常有利，我期待着与委员会成员合作，制定一个广泛而包容的方式，将数据分类在麻州通过。” 特别委员会名单将会由下列部门任命：包括众议院议长，参议院院长，参议院少数族裔党领导人，众议院议员，参议院议员，非裔咨询委员会，拉丁裔顾问委员会，卫生与公共服务行政办公室，总检察长的民权部，州务卿等。新的草案和任命人仕必须于 2018 年 12 月 31 日之前提交。

DATA DISAGGREGATION MOVES FORWARD, A MAJOR STEP TOWARD EQUITY BY IMPROVING STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION

State legislators recognize data disaggregation as an important issue, not only in the Asian American communities, but across ALL race and ethnicities. Joint Committee establishes an inclusive commission to expand disaggregated data to all groups.

BOSTON – Following a long hearing last Tuesday, the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight has voted to move House Bill 3361 forward by establishing an inclusive commission tasked with updating the initial placeholder bill, to expand statewide racial and ethnic data collection through disaggregation to all racial and ethnic groups.

This is a significant victory for advocates of  improved data collection, who have been critical voices in moving the issue forward at the State House. For decades, data disaggregation has been an important civil rights issue for Asian American advocates, who view a monolithic racial identity as an impediment to recognizing the underserved and underrepresented.

The initial placeholder bill, H.3361, included data collection for major subgroups in the Asian American communities and was supported by broad coalition of over fifty community-based organizations in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. As support from Latino and Black organizations poured in, the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus offered its full support to expand and improve data collection for all races and will lead the Committee to establish a commission to craft a more comprehensive bill.

Community advocates and social service agencies are thrilled to see this movement and will work constructively with the newly established commission to fight for recognition of marginalized communities and equity in our Commonwealth.

Lisette Le, Director of Vietnamese American Initiative for Development, explained, “Vietnamese Americans are more likely to have Hepatitis B than other populations. These data points, along with others, are what guide us to determine the services we provide and partnerships we make in order to help mitigate issues around mental health, housing, economic development and education/youth services that our community needs. For many of the families that we serve, our ability to know the conditions that affect them saves their lives.”

“I’m thrilled that Chairman Timilty and Chairwoman Benson have agreed to move our legislation forward,” stated State Representative Tackey Chan (D-Quincy), the sponsor of H.3361. “I’m also grateful for the support and inclusion of the Black and Latino communities in our endeavor. They realize that data disaggregation will be an immensely beneficial tool for all our communities, and I look forward to working with Commission members as we craft a broad and inclusive way to bring data disaggregation to Massachusetts.”

The Special Commission will include House and Senate Members appointed by the Speaker of the House, Senate President and House and Senate Minority Leaders; appointees of the Black Advisory Commission and the Latino Advisory Commission; an appointee of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services; an appointee of the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Division; and an appointee of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.  Recommendations and proposed legislation to the clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate have to be submitted by December 31, 2018.