麻州參議員推動議會通過"家園法" 一旦通過，某些驅逐記錄可封存

              (Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州議會在7月21日晚深夜，通過了封閉驅逐的住宅機會及流動法 (Housing Opportunity and Mobility with Eviction Sealing) ，簡稱 “家園法 (HOMES)” 的法案。

       麻州參議員Lydia Edwards表示，在不分黨派的支持下，麻州參議會第二次通過這一法案，以確保數以千計民眾可以得到第二次機會。這是少數幾個擠進了” 經濟發展法案” 的議案。該法案有許多內容，但最重要的是它在社會，族裔，經濟及性別正義上跨了一大步。她非常高興在住宅方面，又有了另一個工具可以協助人們。

       “家園法” 允許個別人士封存某些驅逐記錄。一旦那些記錄封存了，就不能被用來決定信用分數，或者是用來傷害一個人取得可負擔住宅的機會。法院有權為公眾安全，學術及教育，新聞或政府等因素，解開已封存的記錄。

       麻州參議員Lydia Edwards表示，人們需要幫助那些有記錄，但嘗試著要恢復，向前邁進的人。這是允許數以千計人們有第二次機會的那些改變之一，從他們的記錄中刪除”E”這疤痕，也讓麻州的系統更為公正、公平。

       Lydia Edwards在聲明中感謝麻州眾議員Mike Moran，前任參議員 Joe Boncore，以及麻州法律改革研究所 (Massachusetts Law Reform Institute)，以及”通過家園法聯盟”的所有人。

       Lydia Edwards指出，“家園法”直接回應了麻州州長查理貝克 (Charlie Baker)對工安及司法經濟的憂慮。

       “家園法” 現已送交麻州議會的會議委員會，一旦會議委員會同意，就會列入最後版本的經濟發展法案。該法案將交由麻州州長查理貝克批准。在上一次的會期中，麻州州長以口袋否決來因應” 家園法” 。

       根據維基百科，口袋否決特指一種美國憲政運作現象，形容總統、州長等行政長官不主動行使否決權，而是以置之不理的方式來表達其否決意願。

Senator Edwards secures passage of the HOMES Act in the Senate’s Economic Development Bill (S2926)

(BOSTON – 07/21/2022) Late last night, with bipartisan support, the Senate passed the Housing Opportunity and Mobility with Eviction Sealing (HOMES) Act.  This was one of the few housing policies that made it into the economic development bill. This the second time the Senate   passed this bill to ensure that hundreds of thousands of people will get a second chance. “This bill does many things but most importantly it takes a giant step towards social, racial, economic, and gender justice. Many people have been waiting for this day, and I am so excited to add another tool to our housing toolbox, that allows people great access to housing” said State Senator Lydia Edwards  

The Homes ACT allows individuals to seal certain eviction records. Once those records are sealed, they cannot be used to determine credit score or used to hurt a person’s ability to access affordable housing.  Courts will have the discretion to unseal a record for public safety, scholarly, educational, journalistic, or governmental purposes. 

“In this moment, we are called to do more that provide a soft landing for people facing eviction.  We need to help those that have a record and are trying to recover and move on.  This is one of those changes that allows hundreds of thousands of people to have a second chance and remove the scarlet “E” from their records, thereby making our system more just and equitable” said State Senator Lydia Edwards. 

“I want to thank Representative Mike Moran, former Senator Joe Boncore, and the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and especially, the entire Pass the Homes Act Coalition. You will see on the Homes Act website that the coalition includes over one hundred organizations, from unions, to activist networks, as well as cities and towns. Moveover, I want to highlight that this was passed with bipartisan support and this version directly responds to the Governor’s concerns of public safety and judicial economy.   We spent hours talking with all stakeholders from consumer reporting agencies, landlords, trial courts and tenants.” said State Senator Lydia Edwards.

The HOMES Act now must go to the conference committee and if the committee agrees will be in the final economic development bill. The bill will then go to Governor Baker for approval. Last session the Governor pocket vetoed the HOMES Act.