Letter: Rep. Davis Asks for Support Passing 'Upskirting' Bill

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To the Editor:
 
A recent incident at Williams College — where a student allegedly hid a camera in a fitness center restroom and secretly recorded 18 people — reveals a troubling gap in Massachusetts law.
 
This isn't the first time we've seen this. In 2014, a man placed a hidden phone in a public bathroom in Dalton and recorded both adults and children. While some charges eventually stood, the state's highest court made it clear: the law was too vague and needed to be fixed.
 
The core problem? Secretly filming a nude child in a bathroom is only a misdemeanor, while filming under a child's clothing in public is a felony. That inconsistency leaves children and vulnerable people exposed.
 
As the state representative for the 3rd Berkshire District, I filed H.1633, An Act updating and clarifying the statute relating to "upskirting," to close this loophole. The bill makes it a felony — punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine — to secretly record a child or vulnerable person's private parts, whether clothed or unclothed, in any setting. For adult victims, it remains a serious misdemeanor.
 
Felony classification matters. It ensures these crimes show up in background checks and keeps offenders from working with children, coaching, teaching, or holding positions of trust. Without it, someone who secretly films a child could avoid long-term consequences and retain access to minors.
 
This isn't just about keeping up with evolving technology — it's about ensuring basic safety and privacy in places like restrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas.
 
The Legislature acted quickly in 2014 to ban upskirting. Now it's time to finish the job.
 
Please urge the Joint Committee on the Judiciary to advance H.1633. Email the chairs: Lydia.Edwards@masenate.gov and Michael.Day@mahouse.gov. Please also copy me at Leigh.Davis@mahouse.gov.
 
Let's make sure the law protects everyone — especially our kids.
 
State Rep. Leigh Davis        
3rd Berkshire District         

 


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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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