1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2369 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1006
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Adam Gomez
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
resolve:
Resolve relative to increasing racial diversity among judges in Massachusetts.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampdenRussell E. Holmes6th SuffolkCarlos González10th Hampden 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2369 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1006
By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1006) of Adam Gomez, Russell
E. Holmes and Carlos González that provisions be made for an investigation and study by a
special commission (including members of the General Court) to increase racial diversity among
judges in Massachusetts. The Judiciary.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
Resolve relative to increasing racial diversity among judges in Massachusetts.
1 Resolved, that notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a
2special legislative commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General
3Laws to study the potential for legislative action to increase racial diversity among the judiciary
4in the Commonwealth. The commission shall consist of 15 members: 2 of whom shall be the
5chairs of the joint committee on the judiciary or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1
6of whom shall be the chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus or a
7designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the Massachusetts House Asian Caucus or a designee;
81 of whom shall be the attorney general or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the secretary of public
9safety and security or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the American
10Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Inc. or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of
11the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference
12or a designee; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the Governor’s Council; and 8 of whom shall be
13appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Bar Association, 1 of
14whom shall be from the Boston Bar Association, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts 2 of 2
15Black Lawyers Association, 1 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic
16Attorneys, 1 of whom shall be from the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts,
171 of whom shall be from the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Association or an Assistant
18District Attorney, and 1 of whom shall be from the Committee for Public Counsel Services.
19 (b) The appointments made by the governor pursuant to subsection (a) shall include
20women and people of color in such proportion as these groups exist in the commonwealth’s
21population as periodically determined by the state secretary as the commonwealth’s chief census
22officer.
23 (c) The commission shall evaluate the current and historic state of racial diversity among
24judges in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts including, but not limited to: (i) the impact
25legislative action could have on racial diversity within the judiciary; (ii) recommendations to
26ensure increased racial diversity across the judiciary; (iii) proposed standards for admission to
27the judiciary, including, but not limited to, age, education, community of origin, psychological
28and mental health; and (iv) any other information the commission deems relevant.
29 (d) The commission shall submit its findings and recommendations relative to increasing
30racial diversity within the judiciary by filing the same with the clerks of the house of
31representatives, the senate, the Governor’s Council, and the Governor not later than December
3231, 2024.