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Page 10 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2021 Baker files bills to protect survivors from dangerous individuals, limit distribution of pornography O n December 15, the BakerPolito Administration fi led two bills to create comprehensive new protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, assault and battery, the harmful distribution of explicit images, and other crimes. The two bills, which were refi led by the Administration, are An Act to protect victims of crimes and the public (H.4290) and An Act relative to the harmful distribution of sexually explicit visual materials (H.4291). Together, the proposals mandate strengthening public safety tools and statutes designed to keep survivors and communities safe. On December 16 the House referred both bills to its Committee on the Judiciary. Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the legislation at a roundtable event where they heard from survivors whose stories speak to the importance of these critical public safety reforms. The roundtable was held at Plymouth Public Library and was moderated by Executive Director Sandra Blatchford of the South Shore Resource and Advocacy Center, which works with several survivors. “SSRAC fully supports both legislative fi lings to address dangerousness and SEVM [sexually explicit visual materials]. Holding offenders on dangerousness enables survivors to focus on their safety,” said Blatchford. “Protection against the pervasive threat of a dangerous offender often means a victim may have to leave employment, uproot children, and move away from support systems. The provisions of the dangerousness legislation will enable survivors to evaluate options, work with advocates, and move towards healing and safety.” Other advocates and survivor resource organizations were also present to speak in support of the legislative package. Several survivors who spoke in support of the Administration’s dangerousness-prevention legislation shared their experiences with domestic violence and noted that the legislation would provide stronger protections for people who encounter similar experiences in the future. Other survivors told stories that highlighted the importance of strengthening and modernizing laws that hold people accountable for the distribution of sexually explicit visual materials. “Today’s proposals would provide stronger protections for survivors, and we are grateful for our partnership with providers and advocacy organizations who support survivors for sharing their stories in support of this legislation,” said Baker. “Our dangerousness proposal would update the current system of pretrial detention, which exposes victims and survivors to potential harm. Making these and other commonsense changes will strengthen the ability of prosecutors and the courts to hold dangerous individuals and protect survivors and our communities.” “Hearing survivors’ stories underscores the importance of acting soon to make these reforms that will make our families and communities safer,” said Polito, who is chair of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. “By modernizing the laws governing the harmful distribution of sexually visual materials, we can combat cyberbullying through prevention education, empower prosecutors to appropriately handle cases involving minors and explicit images and help state law keep up with what technology is now.” “We cannot overstate the courage of victims and survivors who have chosen to share their experiences and support these bills,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “As a former prosecutor now charged with leading the state’s public safety apparatus, I know these laws will equip criminal justice and law enforcement professionals to mitigate the threat of dangerous individuals and nonconsensual sharing of explicit content, especially among our young people. The measures in these bills demonstrate the Administration’s responsiveness to challenges facing today’s society.” “We have worked with too many victims brutally assaulted at the hands of a predator with a long and violent criminal history. While pending trial, these offenders often violate stay-away orders, with little consequence,” said Health Imperatives CEO Julia Kehoe. “This dangerousness legislation will provide law enforcement and criminal justice professionals with long-overdue tools to save lives and reduce incidents of domestic and sexual violence.” An Act to protect victims of crimes and the public: First fi led in 2018, the Administration’s proposal would expand the list of off enses that can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing and close certain loopholes at the start and end of the criminal process that currently limit or prevent eff ective action to address legitimate safety concerns. It would strengthen the ability of judges to enforce the conditions of pretrial release by empowering police to detain people who they observe violating court-ordered release conditions; current law does not allow this, and instead requires a court to fi rst issue a warrant. Under this proposal, judges will be empowered to revoke a person’s release when the off ender has violated a court-ordered condition, such as an order to stay away from a victim or from a public playground. Current law requires an additional fi nding of dangerousness before release may be revoked. The legislation also expands the list of off enses which can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing, including crimes of sexual abuse and crimes of threatened or potential violence. It also follows the longstanding federal model in including a defendant’s history of serious criminal convictions as grounds that may warrant a dangerousness hearing. Current law requires courts to focus only DEA: ‘One Pill Can Kill’ T he holiday season presents an opportunity to promote awareness of substance misuse and the widespread availability of dangerous substances. Many young adults are being exposed to illicit substances. Individuals experiencing isolation, loss or loneliness during the holidays might turn to misusing substances for relief. Check in with family and friends and have important conversations about counterfeit pills. The U.S. overdose epidemic has reached a tragic level. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the most recent 12-month reporting period show that more than 100,000 people died due to drug overdoses – primarily from fentanyl and methamphetamine. That is the equivalent of one death every five minutes due to an overdose. This year the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized 15,000 pounds of fentanyl – a record amount – which is the equivalent of 440 million lethal doses. Criminal drug networks are exploiting the U.S. opioid crisis by mass-producing fentanyl and fentanyl-laced pills that they’re distributing to all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These deadly, fake pills are made and marketed to look like genuine, prescription medicine. DEA laboratory analysis has shown that four out of 10 fake pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. Fake pills are widely available. Criminal drug networks take advantage of the anonymity and accessibility social media platforms off er to push deadly drugs more quickly, easily and cheaply than ever before. Drug traffi ckers are even using emojis as code when buying and selling deadly drugs on social media platforms. • Know the dangers of deadly drugs online. • Never take medicine that wasn’t prescribed to you by your own doctor. • Talk to your family and friends about the danger of buying drugs online. • Spread the word that One Pill Can Kill. Facts about counterfeit pills Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public. Counterfeit pills are easy to purchase, widely available, often contain fentanyl or methamphetamine and can be deadly. Fake prescription pills are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, making them available to anyone with a smartphone, including minors. Many counterfeit pills are made to look like prescription opioids – such as oxycodone (Oxycontin® ), hydrocodone (Vico) , Percocet® din® ) and alprazolam (Xanax® ). – or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall® Legit or counterfeit Authentic oxycodone: synthetic opioid drug prescribed for pain as OxyContin® , Tylox® and Percodan® . These drugs are derived from one species of the poppy plant and have a high potential for abuse. Counterfeit street names: 30s, 40s, 512s, Beans, Blues, Buttons, Cotton, Greens, Hillbilly Heroin, Kickers, Killers, Muchachas, Mujeres, OC, Oxy, Oxy 80s, Roxy, Roxy Shorts, Whites. Authentic alprazolam: depressants that produce sedation, induce sleep, relieve anxiety and prevent seizures. Available in prescription pills, syrup and injectable preparation. Prescribed as Valium® Restoril® , Xanax® , Ativan® pin® , and Klono. Counterfeit street names: Bars, Benzos, Bicycle Handle Bars, Bicycle Parts, Bricks, Footballs, Handlebars, Hulk, Ladders, Planks, School Bus, Sticks, Xanies, Yellow Boys, Zanbars, Zannies and Z-Bars. Authentic amphetamine: prescription stimulants used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Used as a study aid, to stay awake and to suppress appetites; prescribed as Adderall® Dexedrine® , Focalin® Methylin® and Ritalin® , Concerta® , Metadate® . Counter, , feit street names: A-Train, Abby, Addy, Amps, Christmas Trees, Co-Pilots, Lid Poppers, Smart Pills, Smarties, Study Buddies, Study Skittles, Truck Drivers and Zing. on the crime charged, ignoring a defendant’s criminal history when determining whether the defendant may be the subject of this sort of hearing. Additional elements of this proposal would: • Extend the requirement that police take the fi ngerprints of people arrested for felonies to all people arrested, regardless of the charge, and allows a court to order fi ngerprinting of any person arraigned on any criminal charge, to ensure that decisions about release can be made with knowledge of a person’s true identity and full criminal history. • Enhance the collection and value of data for the cross-tracking system required by Massachusetts General Laws c. 6A § 183/4, by ensuring that information about an individual who is arrested or arraigned can be linked to a unique fi ngerprint identifi er. • Require that the probation department, bail commissioners and bail magistrates notify authorities who can take remedial action when a person who is on pretrial release commits a new off ense anywhere in the Commonwealth or elsewhere. • Allow bail commissioners and bail magistrates to consider dangerousness in deciding whether to release an arrestee from a police station when court is out of session. • Create a new felony off ense for cutting off a court-ordered GPS device. An Act relative to the harmPROTECT | SEE Page 16

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