An Act To Promote Public Safety and Better Outcomes for Youth S1061 | Fact Sheet

Tuesday, September 23rd Hearing

Date: Tuesday, September 23rd @ 1pm
Link to sign up to testify here.
- Deadline to register: Sunday, September 21st @ 5pm.
- Oral testimony is limited to 2 minutes per person | 5 minutes per panel
In-person: State House, Room A-2
- Closest entrance: Bowdoin Street, and go up one floor
- From Beacon Street entrance: go to the 2nd floor, walk across the main hall of the State House and walk down the Grand Staircase (or take the elevator down to the 1st floor).
- The entrance will have staffers with paper sign ups for anyone interested in testifying in-person last minute.
Virtual: link will be emailed on a calendar invite after registration. If you are new to Microsoft Teams, you can join by downloading the Teams app or click on “Join from Current Browser”. You will be muted and when it is your turn to testify you will receive a notification asking you to unmute.
Submit written testimony by:
- email to Eduardo.MorenoMendez@masenate.gov and cc Christianna.Golden@masenate.gov.
- Use subject line: “Judiciary Committee Testimony in Support of S1061”
- Please cc your own state representative and state senator (find them here).
Deadline to submit written testimony: Thursday, November 20 @ 5pm

This hearing is for the Senate bill ONLY. A separate hearing will be scheduled for the House bill.
Timing The first hour (maybe two hours) will most likely be taken up by elected officials who get called first. The order of bills will not be known ahead of time unfortunately.
Restrooms: Closest women and men’s public restrooms are located on either side of Room 136. All gender public restrooms located in the basement (one floor down) between rooms 26 and 27. Men’s is in room 14 and women’s is in room 44.
Food: Pack a snack or visit the 4th floor cafeteria for vending machine snacks or refrigerated meals.
Accessibility: Request accessibility services here.

Focus your testimony: Choose talking points that will support one of two main messages:
- Don’t Delay: The juvenile system is set up TODAY to implement the first phase of Raise the Age (for 18-year-olds).
- Systemic Reform: Any package for 18-24 year olds that only focuses on incarceration is incomplete without Raise the Age. The adult system needs reforms, but the juvenile system will still be more effective from the front door (diversion) all the way to the collateral consequences (confidential records).
Prioritize one or two main points only. When the committee members deliberate privately, what do you want them to remember if they were to summarize your position in one sentence? Use your two minutes to go deeply on that point so it is memorable. See below for sample talking points.
Use Examples, if possible, but keep them clear and brief. Make policy issues real, and illustrate how your point above plays out in real life.

The bill sets our legal system on a path of a more effective intervention with older adolescents gradually raises the age at which 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds are automatically prosecuted as an adult and would instead be prosecuted in the juvenile system.
Public Safety talking points
Economic talking points
Public Health talking points