CORI REFORM IN MASSACHUSETTS History & Accomplishments

1. CORI REFORM IN MASSACHUSETTSHistory & Accomplishments

2. CORI Reform Efforts - History & Accomplishments 2000 - Mass Law Reform Institute published the first “CORI Reader” to educate the public on protecting themselves from CORI abuse March, 2001 - Councilor Turner and activists from the American Friends Service Committee are arrested for a sit-in at the Department of Public Health protesting Governor Celluci’s CORI regulations 2001 - Stanley Jones Clean Slate Project publishes first research paper documenting “CORI-based Employment Discrimination” with Northeastern University Law School

3. 2004 - City of Boston changes its hiring guidelines to become CORI friendly, removes the CORI question from job applications, led by Councilor Turner 10/05 - Boston City Council unanimously passes CORI Ordinance expanding CORI policies to all City Vendors, led by Mass Alliance to Reform CORI (MARC) 4/06 - Over 500 rally on Boston Commons at MARC’s CORI reform rally in support of the “Public Safety Act”

4. 10/06 - BWA organizes “CORI Justice & Peace Day” at Malcolm X Park, community BBQ and speak-out calling on candidate Patrick to support CORI reform 2006 - Across the country, cities like St. Paul Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco start to adopt Boston’s model of “banning the box” and removing the CORI question from city applications

5. 4/07 - BWA organizes “March for Jobs and CORI Reform” - over 1,500 people and 50 organizations march from Roxbury to the State House

6. 5/07 - City of Cambridge adopts “Bans the Box” for all City job applications 11/07 - Over 500 people attend CORI Hearing at State House clamoring for CORI reform 1/08- Cambridge City Council unanimously expands CORI friendly laws to thousands of its City Vendors

7. 1/08 - Governor Patrick signs Executive Order no. 495, making Massachusetts first to remove CORI question from State job applications, requiring training on how to read CORI, and reversing Celluci’s Health and Human Service CORI regulations 3/08 - Over 600 people flood State House for Judiciary Committee hearing on CORI. Governor Patrick, legislators, Bishop, Sheriffs all testify in support of passing a CORI reform bill

8. 5/08 - 25 ex-prisoners and allies launch 5-day “Walk to Freedom” from Worcester to the State House for CORI reform, organized by EPOCA 7/08 - Judiciary Committee favorably reports out CORI bill for the first time. Bill includes proposal to “ban the box” for all employers in Mass, but legislative session times out without a vote.

9. 12/08 - Executive Office of Health and Human Services release major reforms to CORI discrimination. Remove the CORI question from job applications, reduce waiting period to 5 and 10 years, remove non-convictions 2/09 - Commonwealth CORI Coalition files new bill - secures 57 House Co-sponsors and 12 Senate Co-sponsors, coordinated by Neighbor to Neighbor to prepare for 2009 legislative session

10. We Thank All of the Organizations and Individuals Who Stand for Fairness and Fight for CORI Reform!