Campaign History
- May 24, 2018
Senate passes Senator Cyr's FY19 Budget Amendment 791 Budget for full funding of the Tenancy Preservation Program (Line Item 7004-3045) in the amount of $1.3 million. 12 Sponsors. - April 13, 2018
Representative Walsh file FY19 Budget Amendments Housing Court Expansion, FY19 Budget Amendment 920 to increase $1.5 million proposed to $2.6 million to fully fund expansion. 25 Sponsors. Amendment did not pass. Representative Rushing files Tenancy Preservation Program, FY19 Fudget Amendment 664 to increase TPP from $500,000 to $1.3 million to expand TPP along with Housing Court. 14 Sponsors. Amendment did not pass. - July 17, 2017
Governor signs the FY18 budget which includes statewide housing court expansion. - May 25, 2017
Senator Spilka makes the case for housing court expansion on the Senate Floor and housing court proceeds to Conference Committee.
May 2, 2017
Judiciary Committee holds hearing, who testified?
October 20, 2016
Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Gants delivers Annual State of the Judiciary Address sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association stating: "We hope that the Legislature this year will rectify the injustice that nearly one in three of our residents are denied access to a Housing Court." - June 30, 2016
FY17 Budget Conference Committee cut $415 million, given significant projected revenue shortfalls, and housing court expansion was not included in final FY17 budget. - June 21, 2016
Metropolitan Mayors Coalition sends letter to FY17 Budget Conference Committee urging authorization and funding for housing court expansion. Click to see the Growing List of Municipal Supporters. - June 2, 2016
Senate passes FY17 budget and sends Senate Outside Sections 140-145, which would authorize housing courts statewide, and Line Item 0336-0003 with start-up funding in the amount of $1.2 million to FY17 Budget Conference Committee. - May 17, 2016
Senate Ways and Means reports includes in its FY17 budget both the authorization (Outside Sections 43-47) and start-up funding in the amount of $1.2 million for the expansion (Line Item 0336-0003). Click to see excerpt of Chairwoman Senator Spilka's exchange with Minority Leader Senator Tarr. - April 22, 2016
Rep Walsh files Amendment #1176 to expand the Housing Court effective January 1, 2017 and Amendment #1180 to provide $1.2 million in start-up funds. Rep Kaufman also files housing court expansion amendments. 47 Representatives sign-on to the amendments and many more supported it. Amendments were not passed. - March 8, 2016
Rep Walsh delivers letter signed by 49 Reps to House Ways & Means Chairman Dempsey urging expansion and funding of housing court expansion in FY17 budget. - March 3, 2016
Chelsea Collaborative delivers letter from children in Chelsea thanking Governor Bakers for including housing court in the FY17 budget. - February 23, 2016
SJC Chief Justice Gants and Trial Court Chief Justice Carey testify before Joint Committee on Ways & Means that housing court is a priority. [W]e request support to expand Housing Court jurisdiction to the one-third of the state’s population currently without access to a Housing Court. We believe that the need for this expansion is well documented . . . . Paula M. Carey Chief Justice of the Trial Court Ways and Means Testimony, February 23, 2016 We have proposed legislation that will give every resident of Massachusetts access to a Housing Court, and this module provides the funding we need to do that. It is neither fair nor sensible that residents of Boston and Boylston have access to a Housing Court, but residents of Brookline, Braintree, and Burlington do not. Ralph D. Gants Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ways and Means Testimony, February 23, 2016 - February 12, 2016
Boston Globe Op-Ed: Massachusetts needs to have a statewide housing court by SJC Chief Justice Gants - January 27, 2016
Governor Baker includes in FY17 Budget $1 million and authorization for expansion of the housing court statewide through Outside Section 15, Outside Section 16, Outside Section 17, and Outside Section 46 (setting effective of July 1, 2016) - June 17, 2015
House of Representatives Letter to House Ways & Means - June 3, 2015
Access to Justice Commission Letter to Conference Committee - May 27, 2015
Who submitted at the Judiciary Hearing - May 2015
Amendment 115 (2nd Draft): Senate Ways & Means FY16 Budget (passed Senate) - March 2015
Chief Justice Gants testimony Joint Committee on Ways and Means - February 2015
58 Senators and Representatives co-sponsors housing bills - November 2014
Bill submitted to Senator Spilka and Rep Walsh - October 2014
Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice State of the Judiciary Address - June 2014
House of Representatives Letter - 35 Reps Urge Passage of Original Amendment 118 - May 2014
Redrafted Amendment 118: Senate Ways & Means FY15 Budget (passed Senate) - May 2014
Original Amendment 118: Senate Ways & Means FY15 Budget - March 2014
Access to Justice Commission's Sign-On Letter
Comprehensive Housing Court Expansion Bill Language Submitted to Judiciary Committee
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Senate passes Senator Cyr's FY19 Budget Amendment 791 Budget for full funding of the Tenancy Preservation Program (Line Item 7004-3045) in the amount of $1.3 million. 12 Sponsors.
Representative Walsh file FY19 Budget Amendments Housing Court Expansion, FY19 Budget Amendment 920 to increase $1.5 million proposed to $2.6 million to fully fund expansion. 25 Sponsors. Amendment did not pass. Representative Rushing files Tenancy Preservation Program, FY19 Fudget Amendment 664 to increase TPP from $500,000 to $1.3 million to expand TPP along with Housing Court. 14 Sponsors. Amendment did not pass.
Governor signs the FY18 budget which includes statewide housing court expansion.
Senator Spilka makes the case for housing court expansion on the Senate Floor and housing court proceeds to Conference Committee.
May 2, 2017
Judiciary Committee holds hearing, who testified?
October 20, 2016
Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Gants delivers Annual State of the Judiciary Address sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association stating: "We hope that the Legislature this year will rectify the injustice that nearly one in three of our residents are denied access to a Housing Court."
FY17 Budget Conference Committee cut $415 million, given significant projected revenue shortfalls, and housing court expansion was not included in final FY17 budget.
Metropolitan Mayors Coalition sends letter to FY17 Budget Conference Committee urging authorization and funding for housing court expansion. Click to see the Growing List of Municipal Supporters.
Senate passes FY17 budget and sends Senate Outside Sections 140-145, which would authorize housing courts statewide, and Line Item 0336-0003 with start-up funding in the amount of $1.2 million to FY17 Budget Conference Committee.
Senate Ways and Means reports includes in its FY17 budget both the authorization (Outside Sections 43-47) and start-up funding in the amount of $1.2 million for the expansion (Line Item 0336-0003). Click to see excerpt of Chairwoman Senator Spilka's exchange with Minority Leader Senator Tarr.
Rep Walsh files Amendment #1176 to expand the Housing Court effective January 1, 2017 and Amendment #1180 to provide $1.2 million in start-up funds. Rep Kaufman also files housing court expansion amendments. 47 Representatives sign-on to the amendments and many more supported it. Amendments were not passed.
Rep Walsh delivers letter signed by 49 Reps to House Ways & Means Chairman Dempsey urging expansion and funding of housing court expansion in FY17 budget.
Chelsea Collaborative delivers letter from children in Chelsea thanking Governor Bakers for including housing court in the FY17 budget.
SJC Chief Justice Gants and Trial Court Chief Justice Carey testify before Joint Committee on Ways & Means that housing court is a priority. [W]e request support to expand Housing Court jurisdiction to the one-third of the state’s population currently without access to a Housing Court. We believe that the need for this expansion is well documented . . . . Paula M. Carey Chief Justice of the Trial Court Ways and Means Testimony, February 23, 2016 We have proposed legislation that will give every resident of Massachusetts access to a Housing Court, and this module provides the funding we need to do that. It is neither fair nor sensible that residents of Boston and Boylston have access to a Housing Court, but residents of Brookline, Braintree, and Burlington do not. Ralph D. Gants Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ways and Means Testimony, February 23, 2016
Boston Globe Op-Ed: Massachusetts needs to have a statewide housing court by SJC Chief Justice Gants
Governor Baker includes in FY17 Budget $1 million and authorization for expansion of the housing court statewide through Outside Section 15, Outside Section 16, Outside Section 17, and Outside Section 46 (setting effective of July 1, 2016)
House of Representatives Letter to House Ways & Means
Access to Justice Commission Letter to Conference Committee
Who submitted at the Judiciary Hearing
Amendment 115 (2nd Draft): Senate Ways & Means FY16 Budget (passed Senate)
Chief Justice Gants testimony Joint Committee on Ways and Means
58 Senators and Representatives co-sponsors housing bills
Bill submitted to Senator Spilka and Rep Walsh
Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice State of the Judiciary Address
House of Representatives Letter - 35 Reps Urge Passage of Original Amendment 118
Redrafted Amendment 118: Senate Ways & Means FY15 Budget (passed Senate)
Original Amendment 118: Senate Ways & Means FY15 Budget
Access to Justice Commission's Sign-On Letter
Comprehensive Housing Court Expansion Bill Language Submitted to Judiciary Committee