10/10/23 - ACE ACT HEARING
From left to right: Doneeca Thurston from Lynn Museum, Annis Sengupta from Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and Emily Ruddock from MASSCreative testify at a legislative hearing.
BOSTON (10/3/23) - On Tuesday, October 10th, 2023 from 10 AM to 1 PM, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities is holding a hybrid hearing at the State House in Room B-2 covering matters related to accessibility.
One of the bills scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday is the ACE Act.
The ACE Act (H.151/S.113) would establish a fund to provide grants to organizations focused on the arts, culture, humanities, and interpretive sciences to remove barriers encountered by people with disabilities. By dedicating these resources to cultural organizations, we can build a creative economy where everyone can find enjoyment and belonging in the stories, performances, and exhibits present in our communities.
SIGN UP TO TESTIFY!
One of the best things you can do to support this bill is to testify in person or virtually on October 10th. Both in-person and virtual attendees must register to testify by 2 PM on Friday, October 6th. Attendees testifying virtually will be emailed a link the day before the hearing to join via Microsoft Teams.
The link to sign up to testify can be found here.
Written testimony can be submitted to the Joint Committee via email to JointCommittee.Children&Families@malegislature.gov.
Other Things to Consider When Testifying:
Individuals testifying orally will have 3 minutes to speak. Those who will be testifying on more than one bill must adhere to the 3 minute time limit as well.
If you miss the deadline to pre-register to testify, you may attend the hearing in person and sign up to speak on forms provided by committee staff. Individuals on this list will be called upon only after all pre-registered individuals have testified, time permitting.
Individuals who would like to attend as a part of the panel must also fill out the pre-registration form mentioned above.
ADA Accommodations:
CART services and ASL interpretation will be available. Additional accommodations can be requested by contacting Audrey Herrmann (audrey.herrmann@mahouse.gov) In Chair Livingstone’s Office or Carole Meehan Oyama (carole.meehanoyama@masenate.gov) in Chair Kennedy’s Office by email.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP!
Our team has put together a suite of resources to help you share your support for the ACE Act. Here’s a quick list:
MASSCreative also put together a guide to help you feel confident in preparing for the hearing and testifying. You can find the guide HERE.
Have questions on whether your nonprofit organization can advocate on bills? We have a guide for that, too! You can find the guide for Nonprofit Organizations & Advocacy HERE.
HOW ELSE CAN YOU SUPPORT THE ACE ACT?
Here are a few other ways you can support the ACE Act:
You can endorse the ACE Act and add your name to the growing list of supporting organizations and individuals! You can find the endorsement form for the entire Creative Sector Agenda on our Take Action page.
Make sure to submit written testimony to the Committee sharing your support!
Contact your state representative and state senator and ask them to co-sponsor H.151 and S.113. You can find your elected officials HERE.
Spread the word! Let others know this hearing is happening and encourage them to share with their networks, sign up to testify, send written testimony, and ask their legislators to co-sponsor the bills.
