Preventing Violence Requires Community Response

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The following is an opinion piece from State Senator Katherine Clark: This month we have once again witnessed the devastating impact of gun violence on our children – right here in our district.  On the morning of September 10, a shooting occurred in Malden in a restaurant parking lot.  Both the alleged shooter and victim were only 17 years old.  No community is immune to violence.  Even one shooting is one too many, and we have seen far too many incidents of gun violence, including a fatal shooting in Reading last year.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that although rates of youth homicide have declined in recent years, homicide remains the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10–24 years in the …

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Don

6:43 am on Monday, September 24, 2012

Lets ask Senator Clark what she is doing to help end the violence in Malden? A true leader would go down there to the projects/parks and talk to the people, not sit and write a blog about it. Thats all I see happening.   more ›

Too Many Go Hungry

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The following is an opinion piece from State Senator Katherine Clark: “In the last twelve months, did any of the children ever skip a meal because there wasn’t enough money for food?” This is just one in a series of questions that are used by USDA researchers to determine how many American families are facing hunger.   And too often, the answer to this type of question is yes. According to the most recent USDA report, released this month, nearly 15% of American families are confronting food insecurity, meaning they have had inconsistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.  In Massachusetts the number is about 11.9%.   Those facing hunger are our neighbors, our friends, our seniors, and our co-workers: and far too many are …

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Back To School

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The following was provided by State Senator Katherine Clark: Many of our students will be heading back to school this week or next. Whether your child is off to pre-K or to high school – or anywhere in between – the first day of school is always full of excitement and hope for a year of achievement, growth and fun! As our children go back to school, we all must come together with one goal in mind: to operate and support a school system that allows every child to reach his or her true potential. This is a daunting challenge in times of fiscal restraint, but important progress has been made.  During the 187th legislative session that came to a close on July 31, the state legislature took several key steps to put in place the policy and …

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The Legislative Session Wraps Up

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The following is an opinion piece from State Senator Katherine Clark: July 31 marked the last day of the 187th session of the Massachusetts legislature.  During the final weeks of the session, the House and Senate approved a series of bills to strengthen the Massachusetts economy and create jobs, improve public safety, rebuild our infrastructure, control rising health care costs, and stabilize the housing market.  Capping a productive session and building on the state’s operating budget for fiscal year (FY) 2013 passed in June, together these bills will help address some of the most pressing challenges we face.  Among the legislation passed last month, I am proud that the House and Senate acted on several of my top priority bills to …

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The Fight Against ALS

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The following is an opinion piece from State Sen. Katherine Clark: In 2011, former Massachusetts Governor A. Paul Cellucci announced that he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). By sharing his diagnosis and committing to raise awareness and money for research, Governor Cellucci has made a significant difference in addressing and finding a cure for this insidious disease. The state’s annual budget for 2013 will also help shed light on ALS by revitalizing the state’s ALS registry that has been inactive due to a lack of funding. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative condition that attacks nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. Over time, individuals with ALS lose the ability to control …

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Senate, House Agree on Legislation Preventing Mortgage Foreclosures

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The Legislature has approved a bill that establishes greater protections for homeowners.  The legislation aims to prevent unnecessary and unlawful foreclosures, reduce the number of abandoned properties across the Commonwealth, and help remove one of the biggest remaining barriers to our economic recovery. Among other important provisions, the bill requires banks and other lenders to offer loan modifications to borrowers in certain circumstances to avoid foreclosures. Lenders must conduct a complete financial analysis of the loan and offer a modification if it would be more beneficial to receive lower monthly mortgage payments than to foreclose on the home. Senator Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) said, “When facing the devastating prospect of …

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Helping Every Child Succeed

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The following is an opinion piece from State Senator Katherine Clark: If a child is a proficient reader by the end of third grade, she is more likely to finish high school.   But Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)reading scores show that nearly 40 percent of third graders in the Commonwealth are reading at a level below proficiency.  This trend persists across the state, with the most alarming statistics coming from our lowest income school districts.  To address this challenge, I introduced legislation, along with Representative Marty Walz, aimed at strengthening third grade reading proficiency through the Massachusetts Early Reading Council.  I am very pleased that the Senate approved the bill this week. A 2010 report …

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Photo Of The Day

Young Advocate Backs Clark Bill Including Pets In Domestic Violence Orders

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Senator Katherine Clark with Representative Lewis, Rebecca Davis, her mother Bryna Davis, and Emily Marget. Rebecca and Emily have been actively advocating for Senator Clark’s legislation to include pets in domestic violence protection orders for more than a year, and they visited the State House again on Wednesday to speak with legislators about the importance of this bill.

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Senate Bill Invests in Economic Development and Job Creation

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The following is an opinion piece from State Senator Katherine Clark: Last week the State Senate acted to encourage investment, economic development, job creation and small business growth across the Commonwealth.  The bill, which includes a sales tax holiday on August 11-12, contains a series of targeted measures to support sustained, stable economic growth. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts stands at 6 percent according to the most recent data (for June 2012), the lowest level in more than three years and considerably better than the national average.  But that same jobs report showed that the Commonwealth actually lost 2,600 jobs in June, and that certain sectors – like manufacturing and construction – are still feeling the …

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Local Legislators Voted for 'Three-Strikes' Bill for Violent Crimes

The bill both aims to ensure violent criminals stay behind bars while easing prison overcrowding by reducing drug-offense penalties.

A bill that toughens sentences for violent repeat-offenders passed the Senate last Thursday after having been overwhelmingly in the House Wednesday evening.  The so-called "three-strikes" law eliminates parole for someone convicted three times of a violent crime, with at least one conviction having carried a minimum three-year prison term. It passed the House with a vote of 139-14. In the Senate, it passed 31-7. The movement to pass the law was fueled, in part, by outrage over two crimes. In one, Woburn police officer Jack Maguire was murdered by a felon. In the other crime more associated with the law, sometimes dubbed "Melissa's Law," 27-year-old Jamaica Plain schoolteacher Melissa Gosule was murdered in 1999 after being raped and …

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