The Massachusetts Bar Association will present its Legislator of
the Year Award to Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg (D-Amherst)
at its Annual Dinner on April 28, at the Westin Boston
Waterfront.
The MBA's Legislator of the Year Award is presented annually to
a state or federal legislator who has distinguished himself/herself
in public service through outstanding contributions to the legal
profession, the courts and the administration of justice.
"Senator Rosenberg has served the residents of Massachusetts for
more than 20 years and has become a highly respected leader within
our state Legislature," said MBA Chief Legal Counsel and COO Martin
W. Healy. "We welcome his insight on criminal justice reform, and
we're proud to recognize his well-established commitment to the
legislative process."
Elected by his colleagues as the 93rd president of the
Massachusetts Senate in January 2015, Rosenberg previously served
as Senate majority leader from 2013 to 2015.
Rosenberg is a supporter of criminal justice reform, including
reducing incarceration and recidivism by creating stronger re-entry
programs for those that have been incarcerated. He was instrumental
in the creation of the bipartisan Criminal Justice Commission,
which led to Massachusetts' selection as a Council of State
Governments Justice Reinvestment state. In addition, he also
advocated for the passage of Chapter 254 of the Acts of 2014, which
brought attorney-conducted voir dire to Massachusetts for
the first time.
His public service career began in 1987, when he was elected to
the Massachusetts House before joining the Senate in 1991. The
longest tenured member of the Senate, Rosenberg has served as
president pro tempore, assistant majority leader and
chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. In 2001 and
2011 he also served as Senate chair of the Joint Committee on
Redistricting.
Known as an advocate for education and social justice for all,
Rosenberg is committed to supporting working families, protecting
the environment, increasing government transparency and ensuring
all students have the opportunity to succeed. He was a chief
strategist behind a 2000 bill aimed at curtailing racial profiling
and a key leader in preserving the newly won right of same-sex
marriage in 2003.
A resident of Amherst, Rosenberg has lived in the Pioneer Valley
for 40 years and represents the Hampshire-Franklin District, which
includes both Amherst and Northampton. He is a graduate of Revere
High School and UMass Amherst.