Policy Agenda - Liz Miranda

Rise together

“Growing up, I never dreamed I – a Black Cape Verdean woman from Dudley Street – would be able to make such a long lasting impact on my community. In just one and a half terms, I have been able to deliver substantial structural change to Massachusetts. I have delivered over $7.5 million dollars in state funding toward affordable housing, mental health services, protecting environmental justice communities, strengthening re-entry services for our neighbors exiting incarceration, and supporting small businesses most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And I am just getting started.”

Police Reform

After introducing An Act to Save Black Lives by Transforming Public Safety, Liz Miranda secured key provisions in the police reform omnibus bill to reform the rules regarding appropriate use of physical force, create a duty-to-intervene provision when an officer witnesses use of force violations, and severely restrict dangerous practices including no-knock warrants, choke holds, tear gas, and rubber pellets. In contentious debates on the House floor, Liz Miranda didn’t back down, and her amendment to ban no-knock warrants in households with children or older adults present passed 83-76.

“It’s time to end dehumanizing police tactics that harm and kill black and brown people. We must demilitarize our local police, demand accountability, and transform what we call public safety.” –Rep. Liz Miranda, June 17th, 2020

Ending Solitary Confinement

Liz Miranda has visited over 200 incarcerated residents of the Commonwealth to center their voices in policy responses to mass incarceration. Working with the survivor-led MASC coalition, Liz filed legislation to end solitary confinement in Massachusetts prisons. After her advocacy, DOC committed to ending solitary confinement over the next three years, but Liz knows that even one more day in solitary confinement is dangerous and inhumane for incarcerated residents, and has stood with Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley to fight for an immediate end to solitary confinement.

“Punishing people with prolonged isolation is inhumane, period. No matter what we call it.” –Rep. Liz Miranda, July 15th, 2021

Equitable Response to COVID-19

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rep. Miranda filed An Act providing emergency access to equity and justice for all in response to COVID-19, ensuring that communities and small businesses most impacted by the pandemic had access to cash assistance and grants. In collaboration with her colleagues, the core tenets of this legislation have been included in the House CARES Act and ARPA spending bills. Working with the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Representative Miranda understood that minority-owned businesses across the Commonwealth are implementing every best practice available to protect employees and provide stimulus to our local economies, but need strong public investment for their survival.

In partnership with Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Senator Becca Rausch, and Rep. Mindy Domb, Rep. Miranda filed legislation, An Act effectuating equity in COVID-19 vaccination, emergency legislation designed to secure racial, economic, and regional equity through widespread access to vaccination in most impacted communities across the Commonwealth. As a direct result of this advocacy, funding for grassroots organizations, mobile vaccination, and community outreach was included in the Commonwealth’s vaccine distribution plan.

Maternal Health & Birthing Justice

Liz Miranda filed and passed An Act to Reduce Racial Inequities in Maternal Health, which established a special legislative commission to investigate and recommend policy solutions to tackle the public health crisis of racial disparities in maternal health. The commission is predominantly led by Black women who are midwives, doulas, nurses, researchers and community members who have been most impacted by inequities in maternal health outcomes.

“Reproductive justice is racial justice; we cannot do this work in silos. Our response to stark racial inequities in maternal health must start with policy solutions that center and place anti-racism at the forefront. Legislatures were not designed to center Black women—they were designed to exclude us. I am working to change that in Massachusetts.” –Rep. Liz Miranda, April 12th, 2021

As a result of Rep. Miranda’s legislation and advocacy to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months and ensure doula care coverage, MassHealth has included both critical tools in their amendment demonstration request to the federal government. This extension of care is critically important in improving maternal health outcomes in communities of color.

Environmental Justice

Working with grassroots partners, Liz Miranda filed and passed legislation to codify the definition of environmental justice communities and require the assessment of cumulative impacts for projects proposed in or near environmental justice communities. This law provides enforceable tools to protect the life and health of environmental justice communities.

“We deserve to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and play on clean soil and be protected by the powers that be so that we can also live normal lives. There is no climate fight without the environmental justice fight.” –Rep. Liz Miranda, June 5th, 2019

Immigrant Justice

As the daughter of immigrants who’s experienced the tragedy of family separation, with her father and brother being deported in 1998, Rep. Liz Miranda has led the fight to pass the Safe Communities Act in Massachusetts to end the Commonwealth’s collaboration and involvement with ICE. She has fought to end family separation and ensure Massachusetts leads the way on immigrant rights.

Liz’s grandfather, in the 1930’s after taking a journey to Boston on a boat for 4 months, worked on a cranberry bog in Scituate. She never met him, but from an early age, understood the immigrant experience as one of hard work, sacrifice, and hope in pursuit of a dream deferred.