By Bob Katzen

It’s been five months since the House on March 19, on a voice vote without a roll call, gave initial approval to a measure that would prohibit any prisoner from being transferred to another state and being required to work on labor projects in that state. The ban does not apply if the governor determines that an emergency in another state or territory creates the need for prisoners to be transferred from the Bay State and the prisoner agrees in writing to be transferred. The House has taken no further action on the proposal.

The measure was first filed in 2017 when former Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson was planning to transport Bristol County prisoners across state lines to the nation’s southern border to help build President Trump’s proposed border wall.

Supporters said Massachusetts, unless there is an emergency and the prisoner agrees to go, should not be shipping prisoners to other states where the Bay State has no control over the prisoners. They said that rehabilitation works better in the local community where the prisoner has been.