The reform would eliminate the exorbitant charges people face to keep in touch with loved ones in jail and prison, removing a heavy financial burden for thousands.
Putting a paywall between an incarcerated person and their ability to communicate with anyone, especially when the ability for the inmate to earn income to overcome that paywall is extremely limited, is at least predatory, and arguably cruel.
Edit @5↑: And to be clear, there would absolutely be situations where an inmate's ability to communicate with specific people should be restricted. The blanket restriction on communication with anyone is where the problem is.
"Massachusetts one of very few states to acknowledge that first amendment exists" fixed. Forcing a paywall for the ability to speak with the outside world as an incarcerated person is unconstitutional no matter how many conservative judicial mental-gymnists want to pretend it isnt.
Nope, the phones that prisoners can use to call their lawyer, family, etc are run by whatever company wins the contract to provide the service, and they're allowed to charge whatever they want.