Senator Cindy Friedman

Cities and towns could permit outdoor alcohol zones and later service hours through the end of July 

(BOSTON—6/8/2026) With a landmark summer on the horizon, the Massachusetts Legislature has approved a bill to let communities create outdoor drinking districts and keep bars and restaurants open an hour later than usual. 

“This pilot program gives our cities and towns more flexibility to bolster economic development in downtowns and public spaces across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “I look forward to reviewing the impacts analyzed by the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission of this temporary law to help inform future discussions and decisions on our municipal alcohol laws.” 

Both measures are opt-in, requiring individual cities and towns to authorize them locally before taking effect. 

Under the bill, municipalities could designate outdoor areas, including streets and public parks, where residents and visitors may consume alcohol, provided their drinks are purchased from a licensed establishment within the zone. 

The bill would also give municipalities the option to extend permissible service hours by one hour at bars, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and any other establishment licensed for on-premises consumption—up to a maximum of 3 a.m. 

Both provisions would expire before August begins.  

Having been passed by both chambers of the legislature, the legislation now goes to Governor Healey for her signature. 

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New registration framework gives commercial interior designers greater independence and economic opportunity 

(BOSTON—6/4/2026) New opportunities to grow the commercial interior design industry in Massachusetts would be unlocked through legislation passed by the Senate today. 

The Senate voted to advance a bill to create optional state licensure for commercial interior designers, a step that would empower smaller designers to bid individually for certain projects rather than having to contract with a larger firm. 

“Building off of the proposal that passed the Senate last session, this bill continues the critical work underway in Massachusetts to address wage disparity by providing a system of licensure that levels the playing field for commercial interior design professionals,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “These professionals deserve to be recognized for the work they do through professional licensing, should they choose to do so. This bill is especially important for our small business owners to open up a wider market of projects that match their existing skillset. I hope to see the House of Representatives move this proposal forward so we can finally get it to the Governor’s desk this session.” 

The legislation—S.3107, An Act relative to advancing the profession of commercial interior design—would ensure flexibility for designers by making the new licensure process optional. 

Currently, smaller interior design operations have to contract with larger firms that have architectural licenses in order to bid on certain projects. 

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the bill to the full Senate with a 16-0 vote on June 1, 2026. A previous version was vetted and advanced by the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. … Read more.

Legislation would prohibit DEHP — linked to breast, liver, lung, and testicular cancer — from intravenous bags and tubing used in Massachusetts hospitals 

(BOSTON—6/4/2026) Use of a toxic chemical which is commonly added to plastic intravenous bags and linked to cancer cases would be banned in Massachusetts under a bill advanced today by the Massachusetts Senate. 

Senators voted to pass the bill, which would phase out the use of DEHP—a toxic chemical—in IV bags and tubing in Massachusetts. Many IV bags currently contain DEHP, which is added to improve the plastic’s flexibility but can pose serious health dangers to patients. 

The legislation—S.3106, An Act relative to toxic-free medical devices—would prohibit the manufacture or sale of IV containers and tubing made with intentionally added DEHP. DEHP—Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate—has been linked to breast, liver, lung, and testicular cancer, according to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. 

“This bill will help keep patients across the Commonwealth safe, especially our most vulnerable that frequently receive treatments delivered through IV bags and tubes,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. “It is antithetical to good health care to subject residents to additional health dangers from carcinogenic chemicals when receiving treatments to keep them healthy, and I am glad that the Senate is taking the lead on this initiative to help keep Massachusetts patients safe.” 

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means reported the bill to the full Senate with a 17-0 vote on June 1, 2026. A previous version was vetted and advanced by the Joint Committee on Public Health. 

The Senate passed the bill and sent it to the House of Representatives for further review. … Read more.

 Legislation would give over 6,500 educators until mid-2027 to join RetirementPlus 

(BOSTON—6/4/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today unanimously passed legislation to allow longtime public school teachers the opportunity to buy into an enhanced savings program if they missed out when the program was first launched a quarter century ago. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in favor of the measure, which passed unanimously on a roll call vote. 

An estimated 6,500 to 8,500 current teachers in Massachusetts have been unable to participate in the RetirementPlus pension program because they missed the window to opt into the plan in 2001. 

The bill—S.3109, An Act relative to benefits for teachers—would provide another one-time opportunity to that group of longtime educators and give them until mid-2027 to choose whether they would like to join RetirementPlus. 

“Our educators should not be unduly withheld from retirement benefits as a result of unclear guidance 25 years ago,” said Senator Friedman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “This bill allows educators who were otherwise eligible in 2001 for RetirementPlus to catch up by paying into the system and unlocking an earlier retirement date than if this bill was not passed. I heard loud and clear how important this is to the educators in my district-—this is a win not only for them, but for the many thousands of teachers statewide who have dedicated a lifetime of service to the growth of student achievement.”  

Teachers who join RetirementPlus through this new opportunity would pay into the program as if they had joined at the outset, which would include interest payments, to ensure both fiscal stability and fairness for teachers and retirees who have been participating throughout the past 25 years. 

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. … Read more.

Bill removes out-of-date and offensive terms related to persons with disabilities 

(BOSTON—6/4/2026) The Massachusetts Legislature today passed a bill that removes outdated and offensive language in the General Laws to describe persons with disabilities.  

The bill, S.2563, removes all variations of outdated terms such as “handicapped,” “disabled,” and the “r-word.”  

The bill replaces these terms with current terminology such as “person with a disability.” 

“There is no place for harmful or discriminatory language in the Massachusetts General Laws,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “Sending this bill to the Governor today, we affirm that as our society evolves, we make sure our laws reflect the values and makeup of modern-day Massachusetts. I am so grateful for my colleagues and the stakeholders who painstakingly combed through the General Laws to develop this bill and passionately advocated for its passage, and I hope to see this signed into law soon.” 

Last year, the Massachusetts Legislature renamed the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) as MassAbility, a change that defines the agency’s role in supporting residents with disabilities to live independently.  

The name change reflects the intention to empower individuals living with disabilities and move away from outdated terminology as the office undergoes broad changes towards a more expansive model for disability employment services and independent living. 

The Massachusetts Legislature approved the bill today and sent to the Governor for her signature.  

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Spending plan completes Student Opportunity Act commitment, expands housing growth, and shields residents from federal cuts—without increasing a single tax or fee 

(BOSTON—5/21/2026) Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate today to unanimously pass a $63.37 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) that invests responsibly in public education and municipalities, unlocks new opportunities for housing growth, and upholds the Commonwealth’s core commitments to its residents. 

Every investment made by the Senate comes without raising a single tax or fee on Massachusetts residents, who are already feeling the weight of inflation, tariffs, and the impact of the federal government’s costly foreign entanglements. 

“In the midst of another challenging and uncertain fiscal year, the FY27 Senate budget prioritizes responsible spending and investments in the programs and departments that help the Commonwealth thrive,” said Senator Friedman, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. “This budget provides a substantial increase in local aid, by providing municipalities with flexible funding to keep up with the rising costs of goods and services and continues to meet our implementation timeline of the Student Opportunity Act, with a record level of per-pupil Chapter 70 funding. In addition to securing funding for local initiatives, I was also pleased to see several healthcare-related amendments that I put forward adopted during the Senate’s debate, including a report on the impact of discontinuing health insurance coverage for GLP-1 medications for weight loss and another protecting public employees’ access to health care. This is a budget that I believe meets so many needs of residents statewide, all in a fiscally responsible manner.” 

The budget makes historic investments in cities and towns through record levels of Chapter 70 school aid—which helps support the full range of school expenses from teachers to school supplies—and Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), which local leaders can use as flexible spending for everything from paving sidewalks to hiring police officers. … Read more.

Package includes funding for pothole repairs, bridge modernization, rail improvements across Massachusetts 

(BOSTON—5/21/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today unanimously approved a $2.737 billion bond bill to help municipalities make local road and bridge repairs, invest in public transit infrastructure, and support transit-oriented housing development statewide. 

The legislation authorizes $300 million to support departments of public works in local cities and towns as they fill potholes and strengthen bridges at a crucial time for many municipalities dealing with strained finances. 

The bond bill—H.5375, An Act financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges—also contains $500 million in bonding to target and fast-track repairs to the roads that are in the worst condition, through MassDOT’s Lifecycle Asset Management Program. 

“The Senate recognizes that municipalities are facing significant economic challenges, and both this bond bill and the Senate’s FY27 budget passed this week provide additional sources of support for communities to improve their delivery of service and maintenance to benefit residents,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “In addition to roads and bridges, this Chapter 90 bond bill funds improvements that will impact residents across the 4^th Middlesex district including enhancements to the rails and vehicles of the MBTA and the roads maintained by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. I am pleased to be able to vote in support of this legislation to fund these important transportation improvements in the communities I represent.” 

Support is included for all cities and towns through financing for the traditional Chapter 90 program, while a portion of the bonding would especially aid rural areas by distributing support solely based on communities’ road mileage. 

Based on this formula, the preliminary FY27 estimates for local apportionment of Chapter 90 funds in the 4^th Middlesex district amounts to over $7.5 million, broken down by community as follows: 

• Arlington — $1,131,253.65 

• Billerica — $1,970,420.30 

• Burlington — $1,400,257.87 

• Lexington — $1,399,018.84 

• Woburn — $1,676,084.26 

In addition to improving the condition of roadways and integrity of bridges across Massachusetts, the legislation supports commuter rail and public transit at the MBTA with $200 million for rail improvements, vehicle modernization, and procurement of new vehicles. … Read more.

(BOSTON—4/30/2026) The Massachusetts Senate advanced its version of the PROTECT Act today—a major legislative package to protect the rights of all Massachusetts residents, particularly immigrants, young children, and victims of crimes. Below are statements of support.

Members of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy

Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Senator William N. Brownsberger (D-Belmont), Senator Joanne M. Comerford (D-Northampton), Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton), and Senator Pavel M. Payano (D-Lawrence):

“The actions of federal immigration enforcement officials, at the direction of President Trump and Congressional Republicans, have brought fear and chaos to neighborhoods across Massachusetts and our nation. These actions must be met with a policy response that makes clear that we will defend both the people and the values of this Commonwealth—and which goes as far as we can as a state to deliver protections to the residents of Massachusetts, especially our immigrant communities.

“The Senate version of the PROTECT Act, which builds off the work of Governor Healey and our colleagues in the House of Representatives, is the product of countless conversations with immigrants’ rights advocates, government officials, law enforcement stakeholders, residents of the Commonwealth, and our colleagues in the Senate.

“These conversations have shaped the Senate’s version of this bill, which would:

• Ensure sensitive locations remain places of trust where all residents have the safety they deserve;
• Prohibit state and local law enforcement from engaging in civil immigration enforcement;
• Ban government entities from entering into new 287(g) agreements;
• Protect residents from direct actions by federal law enforcement that violate individual protections under the United States Constitution; and
• Prohibit state and local law enforcement from unnecessarily questioning a person about their immigration or citizenship status or stopping a person because of their citizenship or immigration status.

… Read more.

Landmark bill reduces plastic waste, invests in climate preparedness, and protects natural resources statewide 

(BOSTON—4/15/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today passed the Mass Ready Act, an environmental bond bill that takes action to support the removal of ‘forever chemicals’ from drinking water, help municipalities withstand floods and droughts, and make outdoor recreation possible for more residents through improved trails and parks. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in support of the measure. 

In an effort to preserve the natural world and cut down on pollution, the legislation would remove single-use plastic bags from retail checkout counters and take other steps to curb unnecessary and wasteful reliance on single-use plastics. 

The bill—S.3050, formally known as An Act to build resilience for Massachusetts communities—features policy proposals such as the preservation of public beach access, expedited timelines for culvert replacement projects, and requirements to inform prospective homebuyers and renters of flood risks, in addition to $3.94 billion in bonding authorizations.  

The bonding measures would allow strategic state borrowing, including $120 million for PFAS remediation in public water supplies and private drinking water wells, $500 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program to help prepare for extreme weather and climate challenges, and $50 million for MassTrails grants to support the development of recreational trail systems across Massachusetts. 

“Bonding is the quintessential investment in the Commonwealth’s future, as it authorizes borrowing to sustainably fund longer term projects in Massachusetts,” said Senator Friedman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health Care Financing. “In addition to bond authorizations I secured to support funding for communities in my district, I am also pleased with the policies this bond bill proposes to improve our environment and our climate resilience. Particularly, the Senate led on an issue that I know many of my constituents care deeply about — allowing cities and towns to limit the use of rodenticides in their communities and prevent harmful impacts to their local ecosystems.” … Read more.