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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3124 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1727
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Carlos González
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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 bill:
An Act relative to increasing racial diversity among judges in Massachusetts.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carlos González10th Hampden1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3124 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1727
By Representative González of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1727) of
Carlos González for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the
General Court) relative to increasing racial diversity among judges. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1528 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to increasing racial diversity among judges in Massachusetts.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 (a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special
2legislative commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to
3study the potential for legislative action to increase racial diversity among the judiciary in the
4Commonwealth. The commission shall consist of 15 members: 2 of whom shall be the chairs of
5the joint committee on the judiciary or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1 of whom
6shall be the chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus or a designee; 1 of
7whom shall be the chair of the Massachusetts House Asian Caucus or a designee; 1 of whom
8shall be the attorney general or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the secretary of public safety and
9security or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the American Civil Liberties
10Union of Massachusetts, Inc. or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of the National 2 of 2
11Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference or a
12designee; 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
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, 2026.