Governor Healey Commemorates Legislation on Historic Institutional Records for People with Disabilities
Governor Maura Healey participated in a signing ceremony on Beacon Hill to commemorate legislation that makes institutional records over 75 years old accessible. This legislative action is a direct outcome of the work of the Massachusetts Special Commission on State Institutions, which was established following protests against the use of the former Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center site for a holiday light show. Disability activists argued that such use trivialized the human rights violations experienced by tens of thousands of persons with disabilities in state custody over more than a century. The commission, notably led by persons with disabilities, conducted extensive research, including documenting unmarked graves at the MetFern Cemetery, and produced a 200-page report with recommendations. A key recommendation was to increase public access to institutional records, which were previously restricted due to privacy laws, hindering relatives, former residents, and researchers from understanding the...