Across the country, fundamental freedoms are at stake: from near-total abortion bans to the criminalization of trans people to endemic voter suppression. We’re proud that Massachusetts has charted a different course, passing best-in-the-nation abortion protections, safeguards for gender-affirming care providers, and major voting reforms. Together, we’re making the Commonwealth a safer, more just, and more welcoming place for all.
But challenges remain. Bay Staters won’t feel at home in our democracy and our society until we can live our full lives and be our full selves—when we can seek medical care, drive to work, go about our daily lives without fear of surveillance, false arrest, or needless criminalization. We won’t feel at home while we face unjust and unnecessary economic roadblocks. We won’t feel at home if we cannot equitably access our local government.
We need a civil liberties approach to the challenges that hold people back. It's a daunting task, but there are clear steps that lawmakers can take to build on recent progress.
Here are the ACLU of Massachusetts’ priorities for the 2023-2024 legislative session:
Increase Participatory Democracy
Respect Personal Autonomy & Ensure Reproductive Health Access
Create Pathways to Economic Opportunity
Strengthen Civil Rights & Racial Justice
Adopt a Public Health Approach to Substance Use
Download 2023-2024 Legislative Priorities
Increase Participatory Democracy
Our democracy works best when everyone can participate. All Bay Staters should feel empowered to contribute and shape their own communities within a dynamic and responsive democratic system.
- Modern Open Meeting Access for All (H.3040/S.2024) | Learn More | Take Action!
- Polling Place Accessibility (H.701)
- Public Records & Transparency (S.1967 & S.1963)
- Voter Access Act (S.410)
Safeguard Our Digital Privacy
As technology advances, it’s important to ensure that the law keeps pace. Bay Staters’ civil rights should protect them in the digital world, too.
- Cellphone Location Privacy (H.357/S.148) | Learn More
- Driver Privacy (H.3404)
- Biometric Privacy (H.63)
- Consumer Health Data (H.386/S.184)
- Massachusetts Data Privacy Protection Act (H.83/S.25) | Learn More
- Private Electronic Communication & Browsing (H.1653/S.27)
- Artificial Intelligence Commission (H.64/S.33)
Respect Personal Autonomy & Ensure Reproductive Health Access
The decision about whether, when, or how to become a parent is one of the most important life decisions we make. We should all be able to make that decision without barriers or political inference.
- Cellphone Location Privacy (H.357/S.148) | Learn More
- Full-Spectrum Pregnancy Coverage (H.1137/S.646) | Testimony
- Birthing Justice & Maternal Health Equity (S.1415)
- Enhancing Access to Abortion Care (H.1599/S.1114)
- Massachusetts Parentage Act (H.1713/S.947) & (H.1602/SB.1130)
Create Pathways to Economic Opportunity
Opportunity should not be allocated according to race or income. It's time to remove unjust and unnecessary economic roadblocks, so people have more opportunities to live, work, and prosper.
- Debts & Driving Act (H.3314/S.2227) | Learn More
- HOMES Act (H.1690/S.956) | Learn More | Testimony
- Access to Counsel for Evictions (H.1731/S.864) | Learn More | Testimony
- Common Start: Early Education and Care (H.489/S.301) | Learn More | Take Action!
- Fairness for Agricultural Workers (H.2812/S.1837)
Strengthen Civil Rights & Racial Justice
Too often, police officers and other government actors act without checks and balances. We need commonsense legal frameworks to guarantee civil rights and secure racial justice.
- Facial Recognition Commission Recommendations (H.1728/S.927) | Learn More | Take Action!
- Fix the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act (H.1440/S.1004)
Adopt a Public Health Approach to Substance Use
Public health crises require public health solutions. Investing in public health over punishment saves lives and strengthens communities.
- Overdose Prevention Centers (H.1981/S.1242) | Learn More
- Medication for Addiction Treatment in All Correctional Facilities (H.1967/S.1252)
- Treatment, Not Imprisonment (H.1391/S.982) | Learn More
- Evidence-Based Prenatal Substance Use Policy (H.173/S.64)
- Non-Carceral Addiction Treatment for People Not Accused of Crimes (H.1966/S.1247)
Reduce Harms of Incarceration
Incarceration separates families and creates lifelong barriers to employment, housing, and other necessities. Massachusetts should address the scale and harm of our state’s incarceration system.
- No Cost Prison Phone Calls (H.1796/S.1494)
- Reduce Incarceration for Technical Violations of Parole (S.1540 & S.1534)
- End Life Without Parole (H.1821/S.1045)
- End Immigration Detention Agreements (H.1401/S.997) | Learn More | Take Action!
Enhance Youth Justice
Criminalizing young people causes serious social and emotional damage, and it harms prospects for success in the future. Instead, young people deserve services and support.
- Raise the Age (H.1710)
- School-Based Discipline for Court-Involved Youth (H.597/SB.294)
- Juvenile Data Collection (H.1802/S.931)