SENATOR SONIA CHANG-DÍAZ

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State Hearing Focuses On Racial Inequities, Among Other Issues With Vaccine Rollout

By Greater Boston Staff | Feb 26, 2021

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, D-Suffolk, and Atyia Martin, former chief resiliency officer for Boston, joined Jim Braude to talk about the key takeaways from the COVID Oversight Hearing.

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Vaccine equity czar among new coalition's demands

By Chris Van Buskirk | Feb 19, 2021

A senior-level director in charge of COVID-19 vaccination equity and an allocation of $10 million to community organizations for outreach and engagement in communities of color are part of a list of five demands outlined Wednesday by a new coalition seeking to address what they say are serious racial injustices in the state's vaccine distribution plan.

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State Lawmakers, Community Organizations Push For Vaccine Equity

By Paris Alston and Callum Borchers | Feb 18, 2021

Senator Chang-Díaz and the Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition discuss Massachusetts' vaccine rollout

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4 proposals to improve the Massachusetts vaccine rollout

By Nik DeCosta-Klipa | Feb 09, 2021

From pre-registration to a mobile vaccine program.

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Massachusetts Creates New Police Accountability System

By Colin A. Young | Jan 06, 2021

"At the end of the day, when I zoom out and I look at what this bill accomplishes... there is a ton in this bill that is really going to set a new standard for the national policy landscape on police accountability that could potentially ripple through the other forty-nine states."

WGBH

Reform Advocates Cautiously Praise New Police Oversight Bill, Say More Changes Needed To Dismantle Systematic Racism

By Tori Bedford | Jan 01, 2021

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, who was one of the bills sponsors, said the law is a “mile-marker,” but not an end to an ongoing fight against racism in policing.

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Baker signs police reform bill into law

By Sarah Betancourt | Jan 01, 2021

Gov. Charlie Baker signed sweeping police reform legislation on Thursday that will create a mandatory certification process for law enforcement and launch the nation’s first civilian-led police oversight board with subpoena power and decertification authority.

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Massachusetts Senate agrees to Baker’s demands for key changes in policing bill

By Matt Stout | Dec 22, 2020

Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat, lamented that many things “over-policed communities pleaded for” are not in the bill, including binding definitions of use of force. But she said there was much for advocates to celebrate.

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Rep. Russell Holmes & Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz On Passage Of Long-Awaited Police Reform Bill And What Comes Next

By Greater Boston | Dec 02, 2020

State Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, who served on the police reform conference committee, and state Representative Russell Holmes, who has long pushed for many of the changes included in the bill, join Jim Braude to discuss the long-awaited police reform bill.

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Mass. legislators reach compromise on police reform; officer certification a key component

By Chris Lisinski and Sam Doran | Dec 02, 2020

"I'm really satisfied with the total product of this bill," Sen. Chang-Diaz said. "...It is a final package that strikes a lot of wins for accountability, for community voice at the table of power, for changing our vision for what public safety is and means from one of force and punishment to one of de-escalation and helping and prevention."

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Activists push legislation as budget debate winds down

By Morgan C. Mullings | Nov 26, 2020

Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz filed an amendment to create more guidelines for the Department of Corrections when working to reduce harm and depopulate facilities during an outbreak.

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Lawmakers Push DOC To Reduce Prisoners, Increase Testing Amid Pandemic

By Deborah Becker | Nov 20, 2020

The lawmakers say the Department of Correction will expand testing and take steps to release prisoners to home confinement.

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Pandemic Pushes Debate Over Driver’s Licenses

By Chris Burrell | Nov 17, 2020

With immigrant communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, the debate about whether to allow unauthorized immigrants in the state to get driver’s licenses is heating up.

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Protest Held to Save MBTA Green Line's E Branch From Proposed Cuts

By NBC Boston Staff | Nov 12, 2020

Holding signs saying "No service cuts" and "Save the Mission Hill trolley," protestors heard from state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz and Boston city councilors Kenzie Bok and Matt O'Malley.

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State Equity Panel Focused On Data, Vaccine, Virus Spread Mitigation

By Katie Lannan | Oct 14, 2020

Data collection and reporting, vaccine distribution and funding for COVID-19 response initiatives are identified as "critical priorities" for the state to pursue, in a preliminary report approved Wednesday by members of a state health equity task force.

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Electeds join effort to save Melnea Cass trees

By Yawu Miller | Sep 16, 2020

Roxbury activists have voiced opposition to the plan from the beginning, citing what they said would be unsafe street crossings and the loss of trees that help mitigate pollution and reduce extreme temperatures.

State House News Service

Mass. Senate Leaders Propose Sweeping Police Reforms

By Katie Lannan | Jul 06, 2020

The Massachusetts Senate plans to vote Thursday on a wide-ranging bill that would create a process for certifying and de-certifying officers and impose new limits on use of force, including a ban on chokeholds and restrictions on the use of tear gas.

The Boston Globe

‘I have wounds that I’ll never lose.’ The state’s top political leaders of color press for change across all levels of government

By Matt Stout and Dasia Moore | Jun 02, 2020

Mobilized by the social unrest gripping the country, the state’s top political leaders of color gathered Tuesday to urge action across all levels of government, their words underwritten by a docket of resolutions, policies, and legislation they say are designed to transmute anger into change, increasing police accountability and chipping away at structural racism.

Jamaica Plain News

State Law Puts Moratorium on Evictions, Foreclosures During COVID-19 Emergency

By David Ertischek | Apr 23, 2020

“Ensuring people have safe, reliable housing throughout this crisis is one of the most important things we can do to flatten the curve and save lives right now,” said state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-2nd Suffolk).

WGBH

How Are People Who Don't Primarily Speak English Getting Information About Coronavirus?

By Esteban Bustillos | Mar 20, 2020

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz’s Twitter feed has been filled with information about local resources in both English and Spanish.