Below is all of the legislation I filed for the 2025-2026 session of the Massachusetts Legislature. You can filter by what committee they were assigned to, or expand the bills to download the full bill text, a summary, and more!
S.130 — An Act relative to a livable wage for human services workers
Summary: Requires the state, over the course of four years, to increase its rate of reimbursement for human services providers employed by agencies with which the state contracts. The rate will increase by the amount necessary to eliminate the pay disparity between these workers and workers who perform similar tasks but who work directly for the state, as opposed to working for an agency with which the state contracts. An annual report will be published until the disparity amount is eliminated that details the current disparity amount, the amount of annual increases in the rate of reimbursement needed to achieve the reduction and elimination in disparity amounts, and the amount needed to be appropriated annually to achieve the reduction and elimination of disparity amounts.
S.761 — An Act ensuring access to full spectrum pregnancy care
Summary: This bill requires that insurance cover for all medical care related to pregnancy, including c-section, without any deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays or other cost-sharing. The bill also adds licensed certified professional midwives to the types of providers who can conduct a covered home visit after delivery. Further, the bill adds these midwives to the types of providers who, in consultation with the mother, can decide that the mother does not need the full amount of post-delivery in-patient care that their insurance covers. Finally, the bill ensures that the appropriate oversight agency enforces health plan compliance with these provisions.
S.762 — An Act relative to streamlining notice and disclosure
Summary: Requires patient notification of procedure and service costs and reconciles state law with the federal No Surprises Act.
S.866 — An Act to protect medically fragile children
Summary: Requires EOHHS to increase the budget for continuous skilled nursing care in a stepwise fashion with the goal of achieving fulfillment of at least 85% of continuous skilled nursing hours authorized by MassHealth by 2025. Also requires MassHealth to submit an annual report detailing the number of filled and unfilled hours authorized by MassHealth, the number of reductions in hours, and the number of appeals of reductions or modifications of hours of continuous skilled nursing care. Finally, the bill directs the Office of Medicaid to review the wage payment rates established by home health agencies that provide continuous skilled nursing care, conduct an analysis and make recommendations on criteria to be included in any future reporting by these home health agencies.
S.867 — An Act relative to primary care for you
Summary:
This bill takes several different approaches to increase investment in primary care, including:
- Requiring the Health Policy Commission (HPC) and the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to set a primary care expenditure target goal for the Commonwealth and individual entities so that by 2030 not less than 12% of total health care expenditures is spent on primary care;
- Replacing the primary care task force established by Chapter 343 of the Acts of 2024 with a permanent primary care board under the HPC to: (i) study primary care access, delivery and payment in the commonwealth; (ii) develop and issue recommendations to stabilize and strengthen the primary care system and increase recruitment and retention in the primary care workforce; and (iii) increase the financial investment in and patient access to primary care across the Commonwealth;
- Directing the primary care board to develop an all-payer primary care capitation model that can be implemented by all health insurers in the commonwealth to the extent permissible under federal law and to take into consideration MassHealth’s primary care sub-capitation program;
- Directing the Department of Insurance (DOI) to promulgate rules and regulations for health insurers to implement the same all-payer primary care capitation model and to take into consideration recommendations from the primary care board;
- Requiring health insurers to offer contracted primary care providers and provider organizations the option to participate in the all-payer primary care capitation model and to receive a prospective per-member per-month payment for patients receiving primary care;
- Requiring commercial insurance rate parity with MassHealth for federally qualified health center (FQHC) services provided by community health centers (CHCs);
- Requiring commercial insurance coverage and rate parity with MassHealth for community behavioral health center (CBHC) services and prohibiting cost-sharing for CBHC services; and
- Requiring commercial insurance coverage and rate add-ons for behavioral health urgent care (BHUC) services and prohibiting cost-sharing.
S.868 — An Act enhancing health care market oversight and pharmaceutical access
Summary:
*Italicized text indicates new provisions from the Senate’s 2024 market oversight and pharmaceutical legislation.
This legislation builds on Chapter 342 (PACT Act) and Chapter 343 (Health Care Market Oversight) of the Acts of 2024, two new laws which strengthened state oversight of transactions between health care entities, brought pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) under state oversight, reduced cost-sharing for certain prescription drugs, and established a licensure requirement for PBMs. This session’s bill focuses on improving affordability for residents of the Commonwealth by directing the Health Policy Commission (HPC) and the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to set affordability goals for the state and establish an affordability benchmark. The bill would direct HPC to determine whether a material change for a health care entity is likely to result in a significant negative impact on health care consumers and would authorize HPC to recommend modifications to mitigate such impacts. A material change with a significant negative impact on health care consumers would constitute an unfair method of competition or unfair trade practice and would allow the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to take action under Chapter 93A.
To improve affordability of prescription drugs, the bill would direct the HPC, in consultation with stakeholders, to establish a process for identifying high-cost drugs and essential public health drugs with large price increases. HPC would be authorized to determine the drug’s proposed value, request more information from manufacturers, and set an upper payment limit for drugs with prices that substantially exceed HPC’s proposed value. The upper payment limit would serve as a price ceiling for what purchasers and insurers would pay for drugs subject to the limit. Insurers would be required to use savings from the upper payment limit to reduce out-of-pocket costs for members.
Chapter 342 of the Acts of 2024 established cost-sharing limits on prescription drugs used to treat diabetes, asthma, and the two most prevalent heart conditions among members of health insurance plans. This bill would expand cost-sharing limits to the three most prevalent heart conditions and include continuous glucose monitoring systems and drug delivery devices.
The bill would establish a prescription drug cost assistance program funded by penalties on pharmaceutical manufacturers for excessive drug prices and on PBMs for violations of Chapter 176Y of the General Laws. Funds would be used to provide financial assistance to residents of the Commonwealth for the cost of prescription drugs.
The bill would improve affordability of health insurance plans by authorizing the Division of Insurance (DOI) to modify health insurance premium rates for merged market plans during the rate review process. Parties of records, including the HPC, would be authorized to review and submit comments on mergers and acquisitions between two or more health insurance companies.
Chapter 342 of the Acts of 2024 established Chapter 176Y of the General Laws, which brings PBMs under state oversight. This bill would add pharmacy services administrative organizations to Chapter 176Y and prohibit PBMs from engaging in practices that would unfairly reduce payments to pharmacies and increase costs for patients.
The bill would protect the financial stability of the Commonwealth’s health care system by prohibiting private equity companies and real estate investment trusts (REITs) from engaging in transactions that would likely cause financial distress to providers or provider organizations that the private equity company or REIT owns or controls. Private equity companies seeking to acquire providers or provider organizations in the Commonwealth would be required to deposit a bond with the Department of Public Health (DPH) upon submission of an MCN to the HPC. The bond would be equivalent of one year of the provider or provider organization’s operating expenses and the private equity company would be required to maintain the bond for as long as the company owns or controls the provider or provider organization and for 7 years after exiting. DPH would be allowed to collect the bond if the provider or provider organization declares bankruptcy, is at risk of closure, or closes a majority of essential services. The bill would also prohibit management services organizations (MSOs) and health care entities from interfering with or controlling the clinical decisions of health care practitioners.
Other provisions in the bill that would improve oversight and stability of the health care market and increase access for patients include protecting federally qualified health centers and certain safety-net hospitals participating in the federal 340B program, requiring continuous MassHealth coverage for 12 months for people under 19, and shifting the health care cost growth benchmark to a rolling two-year period.
S.994 — An Act prohibiting algorithmic rent setting
Summary: This legislation would prohibit landlords from the use of algorithmic devices to set rental rates for new or existing tenants, including employing companies that use algorithmic devices to set rental rates. Additionally, this legislation declares the practice a violation of section 2 of Chapter 93A of the Massachusetts General Laws.
S.1113 — An Act relative to removing criminal penalties for limited psilocybin possession. (FILED BY CONSTITUENT REQUEST)
Summary: This legislation was filed by request of a constituent and does not indicate support or opposition by Senator Friedman.
S.1114 — An Act requiring clean slate automated record sealing
Summary: Mandates automatic sealing of criminal records by the Commissioner of Probation within 90 days of adults and juveniles becoming eligible for sealing after the applicable waiting period is completed. The bill would also require automatic sealing of criminal records of adults and juveniles found not guilty without the defendant having to file a petition or other request. If for any reason an individual or their legal representative needs access to the sealed records, this bill will allow them to access the records without first obtaining a court order or having to unseal the records.
S.1115 — An Act to provide continuum of care for severe mental illness
Summary: This bill would create a new process to involuntarily commit an adult individual with a severe mental illness to community-based health, behavioral health, and social services. The court would only be able to mandate critical community health services if it finds that the individual meets the eligibility criteria and finds that these services are the least restrictive alternative available. The court would then approve a treatment plan and order a mental health professional to supervise the plan.
S.1116 — An Act to strengthen justice and support for sex trade survivors
Summary: Eliminates the crimes of common nightwalking and streetwalking but does not alter the criminal prohibition on paying for sex. Expunges the criminal records of trafficking and sex trade survivors for all previous prostitution charges. Expands access to critical community resources for those who want out of the sex trade, while maintaining current anti-trafficking laws. Also establishes a special commission to review and develop a set of recommendations to prevent, identify and respond to all forms of prostitution in the Commonwealth.
S.1117 — An Act relative to treatment, not incarceration
Summary: This bill would allow a court to order a defendant to participate in treatment as a condition of probation if the defendant has an alcohol or substance use disorder. The bill would prohibit the court from revoking a person’s probation and incarcerating them if the person’s only probation violation was a positive drug or alcohol test and the person is otherwise participating in treatment.
S.1118 — An Act relative to sexual harassment
Summary: This bill creates a new Chapter 151G of the General Laws to prohibit sexual harassment by professional investors when making investment decisions. Specifically, the bill makes it unlawful for a professional investor to make sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submitting to or rejecting them forms a basis for the investor deciding to invest in a business, or when they create a hostile work environment. To enforce these prohibitions, the bill allows the Attorney General and any individual harmed by an investor’s actions to bring an action for damages or injunctive relief.
S.1119 — An Act relative to fair investment
Summary: This bill would create a new Chapter 151G of the General Laws to increase the investments that professional investors make in historically disadvantaged members of protected classes. Under the bill, professional investors must write and adopt policies detailing how they will make progress towards providing a greater share of their investments to historically disadvantaged members of protected classes. The attorney general will develop guidelines for professional investors to follow when adopting these policies and has the authority to enforce the requirements.
S.1334 — An Act amending the unemployment insurance law for workers with fluctuating work schedules
Summary: Currently, workers that have been employed for the same length of time and earned exactly the same amount of wages may have unequal access to UI benefits depending on how those wages were distributed between 2 calendar quarters of the year preceding their claim for benefits. This problem arises for workers whose average weekly wage and weekly benefit amount are calculated on the basis of wages paid in their high quarter. Deserving workers who earn different amounts of income in 2 quarters due to mandatory overtime, business slow-downs, or other work schedules over which they often have no control, or who earn money in 1 quarter but are not paid those wages until the next quarter, are denied UI eligibility unfairly. This bill fixes this loophole in current UI law.
S.1335 — An Act relative to the defense against abusive waivers
Summary: Voids any contract that waives a substantive right or remedy or procedural right, remedy, standard or practice relating to a claim of discrimination, retaliation or harassment, non-payment of wages or benefits, or violation of public policy in employment. Prohibits any person, employer or prospective employer from retaliating against a person who declines to enter into an agreement or contract that contains such a waiver and provides such person with a civil cause of action. Finally, where a contract is presented to an employee with the purpose of requiring the employee to bring to arbitration any matter relating to employment discrimination, retaliation or harassment, or nonpayment of wages or benefits that may later arise in the future, the bill would allow the employee to void the agreement after the dispute has arisen.
S.1399 — An Act to increase investment in behavioral health care in the Commonwealth
Summary: Requires a shift in health care spending to achieve a significant increase in investment in behavioral health care services. The initial investment target would be 30% higher than the baseline behavioral health care spending, as calculated by CHIA and would be in effect for 3 years. Thereafter, subsequent 3-year targets would be set by HPC. Health care systems and insurers would be held accountable for achieving the behavioral health investment target through the HPC cost growth hearing process and the performance improvement plan process.
S.1400 — An Act authorizing a pilot for the use of psychedelics in licensed treatment facilities
Summary: This bill establishes a pilot program under the Department of Public Health to explore the use of psychedelics in mental health care. It authorizes a maximum of three specialized mental health clinics, excluding those tied to the cannabis industry, psychedelic development, or pharmaceutical companies, to use psychedelics under strict supervision. Participating clinics are tasked with reporting patient outcomes to contribute to the development of refined treatment protocols and regulatory frameworks for psychedelic use in mental health care within the state.
S.1401 — An Act to provide more timely treatment of inpatient mental health care
Summary:
This bill would help protect and improve access to inpatient psychiatric care in Massachusetts by addressing a number of areas:
- Requires DMH regulations that set minimum standards for physician coverage in department-run facilities to consider the national standards for such coverage as well as physician availability;
- Requires patients who want a second medical opinion regarding whether they need to involuntarily be administered antipsychotic medication to request that opinion within 24 hours from when the court appoints the patient with counsel;
- Requires the second opinion to be completed within 3 business days;
- Removes the ability to for a patient or attorney to delay the hearings for 14 days;
- Ensures that guardianship hearings for patients in mental health facilities begin within 7 days of when a petition is filed; and
- Directs DCF and the Child Advocate’s Office to create an expedited process for children under DCF care who are hospitalized in inpatient psychiatric hospitals and in need of antipsychotic medication.
S.1402 — An Act ensuring access to addiction services
Summary: Requires that all Section 35 commitment beds for alcohol and SUD be in treatment facilities approved by DPH or DMH, and not in jails or correctional facilities. Tasks the Secretary of HHS with ensuring that there is an adequate supply of beds for the treatment of alcohol or SUD approved by DPH or DMH. Also allows an exception for individuals concurrently committed pursuant to an order issued in a criminal case, as long as such correctional facility is capable of providing appropriate, evidence-based treatment.
S.1403 — An Act relative to reducing administrative burden
Summary:
— Requires student health plans and the GIC to adopt standardized utilization review criteria and prior authorization requirements, to apply those requirements consistently and to publish those requirements on their website;
— Requires carriers to report annually to DOI detailed prior authorization approval and denial information on all admission, items, services, treatments, procedures, and medications;
— Prohibits a carrier from denying payment for a claim for medically necessary covered services on the basis of an administrative or technical defect in the claim unless the claim rendered was submitted fraudulently;
— Standardizes the electronic prior authorization process;
— Ensures that patient who is stable on a treatment, service or course of medication as determined by a health care provider and approved for coverage by a previous carrier or health benefit plan, shall not be restricted from coverage of such treatment, service, or course of medication for at least 90 days if the patient switches health plans or carriers;
— Requires prior authorization approval for a prescribed treatment, service, or course of medication to be valid for the duration of a prescribed or ordered course of treatment, or at least 1 year;
— Directs HPC to conduct an analysis of and issue a report on the use of utilization management tools, including prior authorization, and the effect on patient access to care, administrative burden on health care providers, and system cost; and
— Requires DOI to develop and implement rules, regulations, bulletins or other guidance that prohibit carriers from imposing prior authorization requirements for any generic medication or on all admissions, items, services, treatments, procedures, and medications that have: (1) low variation in utilization across health care providers; (2) low denial rates across carriers; and (3) an evidence-base for the treatment or management of certain chronic diseases.
S.1542 — An Act relative to the definition of podiatry
Summary: Repeals the existing statutory prohibitions on podiatrists from (i) using other than local anesthetics; (ii) treating systemic conditions; and (iii) amputating the foot or toes; includes podiatrists in the definition of physicians in Chapter 112.
S.1543 — An Act establishing a nursing workforce center
Summary: This bill would establish at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester a Nursing Workforce Center. The purpose of the Center is to gather data, research, and provide analysis to advise policy leaders on how to address the current and future nursing workforce needs of nurses and others who support nursing care, and provide recommendations to advance nursing science and practice in Massachusetts.
S.1544 — An Act relative to patient access to health care services
Summary: This bill requires access to appropriate language services at all health facilities.
S.1867 — An Act relative to the annual allowance for certain survivors of public retirees and employees
Summary: Upon the death of an active employee outside of work, their spouse may be entitled to an Option (d) survivor pension, which is similar to survivor benefits afforded under Social Security. Currently, the maximum Option (d) pension for a state employee or state employee survivor is $500 dollars a month. This bill would increase the Option (d) maximum pension from $500 to $750 monthly, or from $6,000 to $9,000 annually.
S.1868 — An Act relative to Option (d) beneficiaries
Summary: Changes M.G.L. c. 32, § 12 to allow members of the retirement system to choose more than 1 beneficiary. Additionally allows, if there is more than one beneficiary, and upon the death of a beneficiary, for the deceased beneficiary’s portion to be divided evenly among surviving beneficiaries.
S.2009 — An Act relative to regional transportation ballot initiatives
Summary: Allows municipalities to fund local or regional transportation projects through ballot initiatives and the implemention of tax surcharges. For regional transportation projects, municipalities may vote to join a district with other municipalities. Requires municipalities accepting this chapter to establish a transportation committee to study the transportation-related needs, possibilities, and resources of the municipality, and deliver recommendations at least every other fiscal year. All revenue from the tax surcharge must be placed in a separate local and regional transportation fund. Also creates the Massachusetts Local and Regional Transportation Trust Fund, which would consist of revenues the state receives from the tax surcharge implemented, public and private sources, or other monies designated for the fund.
S.2010 — An Act relative to taxes due upon the death of active duty personnel and the elderly
Summary: Extends the time period of the deferred property tax rate to one year after the death of the property owner receiving the deferment in order to allow for probate and the settling of any will. This gives heirs time to either sell the property or pay the taxes before the interest rate rises back up to 16% on deferred taxes. This change would only be applicable to active duty military personnel and the elderly who have received a deferment.
S.2152 — An Act designating June 7 as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day
Summary: This bill would recognize June 7th annually as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day.
S.2153 — An Act establishing the fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day
Summary: This bill would recognize the fourth Thursday of March annually as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day.
S.2284 — An Act relative to the failure to remove existing utility poles
Summary: Mandates that a distribution or telephone company that has installed a double pole must complete the necessary wire transfers and pole removal within 90 days from the date of installation, or pay a $200 daily fine (after 90 days) to the municipality where the pole is located. For any commercial or industrial construction project expected to take longer than one year to complete, the distribution and telephone companies would have six months to remove the double pole before paying the daily $200 fine to the municipality where the pole is located.
S.2522 — An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth
Summary:
This bill builds on the protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care established in Chapter 127 of the Acts of 2022. The bill would protect the personal information of individuals providing, facilitating, or promoting reproductive health services or gender-affirming care, add licensure protections for such individuals, and create protections for lawyers advising or representing clients related to the provision of reproductive health services or gender-affirming care. State agencies would be prohibited from cooperating with or providing information for federal or out-of-state investigations or inquiries into legally-protected health care activity in Massachusetts. The Department of Public Health would be prohibited from collecting and disclosing surveillance data on abortions and gender-affirming care provided in Massachusetts and prohibited from disclosing prescription drug monitoring program data in response to an out-of-state inquiry. Third parties that store or maintain electronic health records related to reproductive and gender-affirming care would be required to limit access of such records to out-of-state entities.
The bill would also guarantee access to emergency services by requiring acute care hospitals to provide emergency services to any person who presents at the hospital or is brought to the hospital by emergency medical services. Insurance companies would be prohibited from discriminating against a non-profit charitable organization that offers reproductive health care services or gender-affirming care, engages in legally-protected health care activity, or is the subject of abusive litigation.
SD.2739 — An Act adjusting the MBTA Assessment
Summary: This legislation would amend the definitions found in G.L. Chapter 161A Section 1, moving Arlington from the category the “14 cities and towns” to the “51 cities and towns” and renaming each category to the “13 cities and towns” and the “52 cities and towns” and renaming those definitions in each instance across the General Laws. This recategorization would drop the annual MBTA Assessment that the Town of Arlington pays by a factor of 3, changing the town’s weighted share of the population of the MBTA from 9 to 3, but would not reduce the total assessment that the MBTA receives from cities and towns.
To view my filed legislation on the Legislature’s website, visit: https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/CFF0/Bills