CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES PREPARATIONS AHEAD OF THE 2022 STATE ELECTION

CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES PREPARATIONS AHEAD OF THE 2022 STATE ELECTION  Preparations include early voting at sites throughout the City including Fenway Park

BOSTON - Wednesday, October 5, 2022 - The City of Boston’s Election Department today announced its preparations ahead of the State Election taking place on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, including two weeks of early voting and ballot drop box locations. The City previously announced the addition of 20 new voting precincts, following the Boston Election Precinct Adjustment Plan completed in October 2021, which aimed to increase voting accessibility by distributing voters equitably across precincts. The number of voting precincts has now increased from 255 to 275. As a result, the City of Boston is advising voters that they may experience a change in their precinct and polling location. Voters can find their polling location here. The Elections Department has been conducting outreach to ensure that residents are aware of any change to their polling location ahead of the election. Voters can also check their registration status via the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website to find their election day polling location. In-Person Early Voting Voters registered in Boston can vote during the early voting period starting Saturday, October 22  and lasting through Friday, November 4, 2022 at any of the early voting sites. Hours and locations for in-person early voting can be found here.  The Boston Red Sox have partnered with the City to make Fenway Park available as an early voting location on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters may access the ballpark using the Gate A entrance located on Jersey Street. Voters will cast their ballots in the Third Base Concourse and will have an opportunity to view the field before exiting onto Lansdowne Street.    All early voting sites are equipped with electronic poll books for voter check in. Early voting locations are well-staffed with poll workers and interpreters, and fully accessible to voters with disabilities.  Accessible Voting Massachusetts has implemented an Accessible Electronic Voting System. Boston voters may now request, receive, complete, and return their ballot electronically using a secure web portal.  More information about voting for persons with disabilities is available here. Boston residents may also make requests through the Boston Election Department. The deadline to make a request is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Vote By Mail Applications for vote-by-mail ballots have been mailed out to every voter in Boston. To be eligible to vote by mail in the State Election, vote-by-mail applications must reach the Boston Election Department by Tuesday, November 1, at 5:00 p.m. Vote-by-mail applications can be returned by U.S. mail using the prepaid postcard, in person at the Boston Election Department (located at Boston City Hall, Room 241), or by emailing absenteevoter@boston.gov.  If a voter did not receive a vote-by-mail application or misplaced the application, they should apply directly on the Massachusetts online portal. Voters should follow the instructions enclosed with their ballot package. Voters must sign the yellow ballot affidavit envelope. Unsigned ballot affidavit envelopes will cause a ballot to be rejected.  Ballot Drop Boxes Voters are able to drop their mail-in ballot at any of the 21 ballot drop boxes the Elections Department has placed around the City, including at both the first and third floor entrances of Boston City Hall. All drop boxes are monitored under 24 hour video surveillance. Drop boxes will also be available at each early voting location during the scheduled voting hours. To find a ballot drop box location, visit here. Voters can track their ballot through the state's website.  Voters may drop their ballots into a drop box until 8 p.m. on November 8, 2022. Ballots that are returned by U.S. mail and are postmarked by November 8, 2022 must be received by the Election Department by November 12. Voting on Election Day    Polling locations for the State Election will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Ballots will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Language assistance will be available on Election Day by interpreters at polling locations or by contacting the Election Department’s interpreters phone bank. Those interested in volunteering can apply to be a poll worker here. For more information on how to participate in this year's elections, please visit boston.gov/election.

Governor Charlie Baker Makes Nominations to Superior Court and Boston Municipal Court

 Governor Charlie Baker Makes Nominations to Superior Court and Boston Municipal Court

 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker nominated Attorney Jeremy C. Bucci as Associate Justice of the Superior Court, Clerk Magistrate Kirsten L. Hughes as Clerk Magistrate of the South Boston Division of the Boston Municipal Court and First Assistant Clerk Magistrate Christopher E. Phillips as Clerk Magistrate of the Brighton Division of the Boston Municipal Court.

 

“Each of these candidates will bring valuable knowledge and experience to their new roles if confirmed,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are proud to submit their nominations for consideration.”

 

“These nominees have years of experience in public service that make them each well-qualified candidates for these positions,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to the Governor’s Council’s advice and consent on these excellent candidates.”

 

The Superior Court, the trial court of general jurisdiction for Massachusetts, is committed to delivering high quality justice in a timely and fair manner in accordance with the rule of law. The Court's 82 justices sit in 20 courthouses in all 14 counties of the Commonwealth. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000 and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions including labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, exclusive authority to convene medical malpractice tribunals, appellate jurisdiction over certain administrative proceedings, and may hold sittings for naturalization in any city or town. The Superior Court also has exclusive original jurisdiction of first-degree murder cases and original jurisdiction of all other crimes.

 

For more information about the Superior Court, visit their homepage.

 

The Boston Municipal Court Department serves the City of Boston, handling both criminal and civil matters while maintaining a commitment to the rule of law, and protecting human dignity through respect, compassion, correction, and the fair resolution of cases. The Boston Municipal Court Department has 30 judges in 8 court divisions located in Brighton, Central (downtown), Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston, and West Roxbury. The Boston Municipal Court also has jurisdiction to review appeals of decisions made by some government agencies on issues such as unemployment compensation and firearms licensing.

 

For more information about the Boston Municipal Court, visit their homepage.

 

Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council. Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth's diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April 2015.

 

About Jeremy C. Bucci

 

Jeremy C. Bucci began his legal career in 2001 as an assistant district attorney at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Attorney Bucci served on various investigative units, and from September 2008 until December 2010, he served as the Chief of the Narcotics and Asset Forfeiture Unit. Since 2011, Attorney Bucci has served as Chief Trial Counsel for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Throughout his legal career, Attorney Bucci has been a guest lecturer at several legal institutions, law enforcement organizations and conferences. He has been a member of the Franklin and Hampshire County Bar Associations since 2011, and a member of the Franklin County Bar Association Community Fund since 2017.   Attorney Bucci received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1998 and his juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School in 2001.

 

About Kirsten L. Hughes

 

Clerk Magistrate Kirsten L. Hughes began her legal career in 2004 as a litigation paralegal for White & Case LLP. Later, after earning her law degree, Clerk Magistrate Hughes worked as a legal analyst for Robert Half Legal. From 2008 to 2019, Clerk Magistrate Hughes worked as a sole practitioner, practicing in a variety of manners, and representing indigent clients on behalf of the Committee for Public Counsel Services. In 2019, Clerk Magistrate Hughes served as General Counsel at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office and was appointed Special Sheriff. Currently, Hughes serves as Clerk Magistrate of the Stoughton District Court following her confirmation in December 2019. A member of the Quincy City Council from 2012 until 2020, Clerk Magistrate Hughes served as Council President from 2016 until 2018. Clerk Magistrate Hughes received her bachelor’s degree from New York University in 2003 and her juris doctor from New England School of Law in 2008.

 

About Christopher E. Phillips

 

First Assistant Clerk Magistrate Christopher E. Phillips has served in the Boston Municipal Court since 2006 as an Assistant Clerk Magistrate and as the First Assistant Clerk since May 2020. Previously, First Assistant Phillips worked as a business manager and administrative assistant for the Massachusetts State Senate from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2003 to 2006. In the interim, First Assistant Phillips served as procurement director and business manager for the Office of the President of the University of Massachusetts from 1996 to 2003. A former United States Marine, First Assistant Phillips serves as the Civil Affairs Military Government Officer specializing in the Judiciary and Legal Systems. He mobilized as a Judge Advocate with the 10^th Mountain Division and the Office of Soldiers Counsel with the Army's Medical Command supporting wounded soldiers. First Assistant Phillips has been a member of the Association of Magistrates and Assistant Clerks, Inc. since 2006, and since 2021 has served as Chairman of its Legal Defense Fund. First Assistant Christopher E. Phillips received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1988 and his juris doctor from Suffolk University in 1998.

第四屆波士頓台灣影展 8部片呈現台灣生態、社會

波士頓台灣影展工作人員和波士頓經文處處長孫儉元等嘉賓合影。 (主辦單位提供)

             (Boston Orange) 波士頓台灣影展 (TFFB) 今年第4屆，10月1、2兩日在波士頓 AMC Boston Common電影院，放映2部短片及6部影片，藉「裂縫與光」這主題，把不同層面的台灣，帶到美國社會大眾面前。 

其中「老鷹之手」一片，還獲得受邀出席的阿靈頓國際電影節工作人員青睞，和TFFB洽商，邀請賴麗君執導的這部片，參加它們的影展。 

導演王小棣回答現場提問。 (主辦單位提供)

TFFB今年選映的影片，有動畫片「魔法阿嬤」，以環保生態為主題的「尋找神話之鳥」，探討社會議題的「我的兒子是死刑犯」，以及描寫牛斗山藕農的紀錄片「老鷹之手」、贏得2009年第46屆金馬獎最佳紀錄片獎的「乘著光影旅行」，敘述台灣原聲兒童合唱團成立故事的喜劇劇情片「聽見歌再唱」，以及新北市政府所提供，入選2021新北市優選紀錄片的《通道》、《苦伶的臉譜》。 

第四屆波士頓台灣影展工作團隊。 (主辦單位提供)

其中「魔法阿嬤」導演王小棣、「尋找神話之鳥」導演梁皆得，以及「我的兒子是死刑犯」導演李家驊，經策展團隊努力，專程從台灣來到波士頓，在哈佛大學商學院教授黃樂仁，以及哈佛大學博物館鳥類館館長Scott V. Edwards的主持中和觀眾座談。 

今年的影展，還有企業點片贊助放映，波士頓遠見地產 (Montivista) 冠名贊助「魔法阿嬤」，綠楓 (Green Maple) 法律事務所贊助「我的兒子是死刑犯」。 

波士頓經文處處長孫儉元致詞。(主辦單位提供)

在導演與觀眾對談時，「魔法阿嬤」導演王小棣透露，他們找了一名5歲的小孩子來為片中一條蛇配音，為求效果，錄音時他還得掐著這小朋友的脖子。他笑說，礙於預算有限，拍片時常被逼著發揮創意。在回答觀眾提問的為什麼選擇「鬼」做主題時，王小棣直言「因為阿嬤相信」。他也藉題發揮的指出，要用影展來向美國人介紹台灣，不是件容易的事，但波士頓台灣影展籌備單位做到了。 

和王小棣導演一同抵埠的製片人張可欣也表示，他們認為動畫片更容易跨越文化界限，在世界各地引發共鳴，動畫片也更容易表達親情與宗教等主題。 

廢除死刑議題，最近在台灣又有轟轟烈烈的討論。「我的兒子是死刑犯」導演李家驊透露，他自己原本支持死刑，但2008年參與拍攝「島國殺人紀事」，卻改變了他的想法，也觸使他拍攝「我的兒子是死刑犯」這部紀錄片，藉由捷運隨機殺人的鄭捷，砍殺父親111刀的陳昱安，以及一名殺害好友後勒贖的這3名死刑犯的故事，從父母的角度來探討台灣的現行司法制度。 

導演梁皆得本身是一名生態攝影大師。「尋找神話之鳥」是他耗時20年，跨越6國，讓已消失60年的神話之鳥，瀕臨絕種的「黑嘴端鳳頭燕鷗」，現身大螢幕的作品。TFFB請到哈佛大學博物館鳥類館長Scott Edwards與他對談，讓他興奮不已。他還藉「今日鳥類，明日人類」來強調環境保護的重要。 

波士頓台灣影展今年的3名共同會長姚映如，湯敏，王予柔指出，本屆影展的主題是「裂縫與光（Crack & Light）」，而象徵人生缺憾的裂縫，正是給人溫暖之光進入的源頭。他們希望今年的影展可以讓人看到更多不同層面的台灣社會，思考人與人，以及人與社會、大自然之間的關係。今年的影展有更多非台灣人社區觀眾出席，也讓該會藉由電影像美國社會介紹台灣的理念，進一步落實。 

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元、影展顧問林嘉賢醫師，以及波士頓亞美電影節（BAAFF）創辦人甄翠嬿 (Susan Chinsen) 這天都應邀出席致詞，盛讚TFFB團隊的同心協力，一年比一年好。

AG HEALEY LEADS COALITION IN SUPPORT OF FEDERAL PROPOSAL TO RESTORE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS IN HEALTHCARE

 AG HEALEY LEADS COALITION IN SUPPORT OF FEDERAL PROPOSAL TO RESTORE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS IN HEALTHCARE 

New Proposed Rule Will Reinstate Important Protections for Vulnerable Patients, Including Transgender People, Under the Affordable Care Act  

 

BOSTON – Today, Attorney General Maura Healey co-led a coalition of 22 attorneys general, in issuing a letter supporting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) proposed rule to restore and strengthen anti-discrimination protections for vulnerable patients under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  

 

The new proposed rule would rescind a Trump Administration regulation that rolled back essential anti-discrimination protections in the ACA for people who are transgender, have limited English proficiency, or are seeking reproductive care. The new rule restores these protections and adds new provisions to protect telehealth patients and prevent algorithmic bias, and applies these protections broadly, including to health insurers. 

 

In the comment letter, co-led by AG Healey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the coalition argues that the new rule is critical to safeguarding the health and well-being of vulnerable populations including communities of color, pregnant people, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with limited English proficiency, and those with disabilities. Additionally, it would help to create a more equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare system for states across the country. 

 

“It is essential that our federal government does everything in its power to expand equal access to health care,” said AG Healey. “We applaud HHS for taking this important step toward ensuring that vulnerable patients do not face needless and discriminatory barriers in getting the life-saving care they need.” 

 

When Congress enacted the ACA in 2010, it contained a landmark civil rights provision, Section 1557, which prohibits discrimination in federal health care programs. Section 1557 specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. The Obama Administration implemented this provision through regulations that provided particular, express, protections in a number of key areas, including for transgender individuals, pregnant people, and those with limited English proficiency.

 

However, in 2020, the Trump Administration rescinded this rule and replaced it with a new rule that rolled back those protections. The Trump Administration implemented this new rule despite clear warnings from AG Healey and a coalition of attorneys general that doing so would seriously undermine critical antidiscrimination protections when they were most needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the 2020 rule, AG Healey co-led a lawsuit challenging this rollback to try to prevent its harmful impact on marginalized and vulnerable communities throughout the country. 

 

The coalition applauds the rule for restoring and broadening the anti-discrimination protections under the ACA, including: 

 

• Adding express prohibitions against discrimination based on sex and gender identity; 
• Restoring detailed language access requirements to ensure people of all national origins, including those with limited English proficiency, have meaningful access to health programs and activities; 
• Reinstating protections against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy-related medical conditions, including past pregnancy and the termination of pregnancy; and 
• Adding provisions relating to the use of algorithms in clinical decision-making, and telehealth. 

 

The states strongly support these provisions because they will improve health outcomes for our most vulnerable residents, reduce healthcare costs that would otherwise be borne by the states’ public health systems, and meaningfully address disparities and inequities in the provision of healthcare. 

 

In filing the comment letter, AG Healey, AG James, and AG Bonta, are joined by the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

 

This letter is being handled for Massachusetts by Assistant Attorney General and Managing Attorney Amanda Hainsworth, of AG Healey’s Civil Rights Division, with assistance from Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Chief Sandra Wolitzky, of AG Healey’s Health Care Division.  

 

A copy of the comment letter is available here. 

波士頓市推出新版 311軟體 民眾與市府互動今後更容易

 

           (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 今 (4)日在南端的堡壘村 (Castle Square)宣佈推出新版「波士頓311」手機應用程式，擴大為有11種語言版本，讓民眾更容易使用。

波市府的這新版311是由市府創新及科技局，市長辦公室的新市區機械 (New Urban Mechanics)辦公室合作修訂的，將容許市民24小時的和市府各個部門，就非緊急事故互動，例如道路坑洞，公園維修，垃圾，執行停車法規等。

波士頓311最早在2009年時由波士頓市政府推出，當年名稱為市民連接 (Citizens Connect)，讓市民使用311熱線電話，手機應用程式，或者網站來要求某些市府服務。過去13年來，波士頓居民用這應用程式總共提出110萬次服務要求。時至今日，約50%的市民服務要求都是經由波市頓311手機應用程式提交的。

            波士頓市府數位長Julia Cutierrez表示，藉由以波士頓市內最常使用的11種語言來提供波市頓311服務，將可使波士頓社區民眾更容易地和市府互動。

           這11種語言為英文，西班牙文，海地克里奧爾文，正體中文，簡體中文，越南文，俄文，佛得角克里奧爾語，阿拉伯文，巴西葡萄牙文，法文。

                     新版波士頓311還根據市長辦公室新市區機械所做，為期6週，共有來自7個社區的31名居民參加使用者調查研究，做了功能及設計上的更新。

                  民眾可免費下載這軟體，安卓版或蘋果板手機都可安裝。

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW VERSION OF BOSTON 311 APP  Users can now submit service requests in ten additional languages.

BOSTON - Tuesday, October  4, 2022 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of a new version of the Boston 311 mobile app, aimed at improving user experience with expanded language access and redesigned features. The City of Boston 311, in partnership with the Department of Innovation and Technology and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, updated the app to offer increased language access capabilities and a user experience that is easier to navigate. Boston 311 is a 24-hour service that works with various City departments to fulfill non-emergency service requests across the city including potholes, park maintenance, litter, and parking enforcement. Launched in 2009 as Citizens Connect, constituents can use the 311 hotline, mobile app, or online website to make a service request. Over the past 13 years, residents have submitted 1.1 million requests through the app. More than 50 percent of all the requests that constituents report today are through the Boston 311 mobile app. “Tackling the big challenges our city faces starts with addressing the daily constituent issues that our residents experience across Boston’s neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The 311 app helps instantly alert City teams to neighborhood issues, and now that it is available in 11 languages, the app is more accessible and easy to use than ever before. I want to thank all the City departments who worked on this upgrade, and encourage all residents to use it where needed.”   “Our goal at the City of Boston is to put our residents’ needs at the forefront of our work, and to use their feedback and input to continually improve how we’re delivering services online,” said Julia Gutierrez, Chief Digital Officer for the City of Boston. "By providing our 311 app in the City's top 11 languages, we hope to empower members of our communities who may not have otherwise interacted with the City.”  The new Boston 311 app, which is now available for download, enables users to submit service requests in 11 languages — English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Cape Verdean Creole, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, and French. These are the top 11 most common languages in Boston. The old version of the app only included an English language option. The updated app also incorporates design recommendations based on a six-week user research study, conducted by the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics. Interviewees gave feedback on the new design and features of Boston 311. Thirty-one residents from seven neighborhoods were interviewed; they represented seniors, immigrants, people with disabilities, youth, City employees, and native speakers of Boston's most-spoken languages. By listening to resident feedback, the City was able to identify key usability concerns and create a more accessible app with app developer Connected Bits. Additionally, users can now view the Status of City Services, a section that was previously only available on the Boston.gov homepage, in the above 11 languages. This upgrade builds on the City’s commitment to ensuring that all residents have equitable access to City services and information. Constituents can also now submit multiple photos as part of their service request. The City’s Community Engagement Cabinet will host a 311 app training session on Friday, October 7 to help constituents learn how to use the app and what kinds of service requests it should be used for. At the training, which will be 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Bruce Bolling Building, residents will be able to view 311 employees navigating the application on a projector and ask any questions they may have. Neighborhood liaisons in the Office of Neighborhood Services have already been testing the new 311 app while out in the community. Interpretation will be available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Vietnamese, and Cantonese. “The 311 app is a crucial tool for connecting with our constituents, but it only works if residents know how to properly use it,” said Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor. “The expansion of language options in the app and the upcoming City-run training are critical to ensuring residents can effectively use City services. Together we can use the experiences of our constituents to fix problems and create a Boston for everyone.” “The new update to the 311 app is wonderful and more user friendly,” said Annie Le, President of the board of Boston Little Saigon. “It also has resources that are available in one place with direct links. The language additions open the City’s resources and lines of communication to ALL of Boston’s residents, making it easier for residents to access information and communicate their needs. The app makes it faster and easier to communicate than calling 311, which may not have a translator available.”   The new version of the Boston 311 app is free to download and is available for both iPhone and Android or can be accessed by visiting boston.gov/311. Those with the automatic update feature enabled on their mobile device would have received the new version of the Boston 311 app. Those without automatic updates will have to manually update the app in the App Store.    Please note, the app should not be used to report emergencies, such as medical emergencies or criminal activities. To report an emergency please call 9-1-1.    For questions and more information visit boston.gov/311 or call 3-1-1. Residents are encouraged to share feedback about their experience with the app via the Boston 311 Feedback Survey