Author: Cindy Friedman

Friedman-led legislation in response to federal threats bans data sharing, shields patients and providers

(BOSTON—7/31/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a bill known as the healthcare Shield Act 2.0, a bill that will fortify protections for those seeking and providing reproductive and gender-affirming care in the Commonwealth. The bill, S.2543, which was approved by both the Senate and House chambers on a bipartisan basis, continues the Legislature’s track record of ensuring patients are able to make decisions regarding their own health care.

The Shield Act 2.0 protects access to reproductive and transgender healthcare in Massachusetts. It also adds a layer of protection for patients and providers at a time when attacks on reproductive and transgender rights are escalating on multiple fronts, including executive orders from the Trump Administration, federal funding freezes for care providers, a Supreme Court decision ruling against transgender care, and other states’ lawsuits against physicians providing reproductive healthcare. It builds off the model legislation of the ROE Act and the original shield legislation enacted in 2022.

“Massachusetts will not back down when it comes to protecting our residents and defending our values,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Our residents—indeed all Americans—deserve the right to make their own health care decisions in consultation with their providers. In Massachusetts, we do not discriminate based on the type of care you seek, and this bill strengthens protections for transgender people and those who have the ability to get pregnant. I applaud Senator Cindy Friedman and the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy for coalescing around this bill at this crucial time as part of the Senate’s Response 2025 initiative.… Read more.

Bill removes ‘greatest distraction device ever created’ from classrooms, keeps students focused on learning 

(BOSTON—07/31/2025) The Massachusetts Senate today passed legislation to create cell phone-free schools across the Commonwealth. By requiring school districts to prohibit student cell phone use during the school day, the bill aims to boost focus, improve mental health, and foster healthier learning environments. 

S.2561, An Act to promote student learning and mental health, requires all public school districts to adopt cell phone-free school policies by fall 2026. Reasonable exceptions to the rule will be made for students who need their personal devices for treating medical conditions, off-campus travel requirements, individualized education plans (IEP), or to accommodate a disability. Districts must ensure that students and caregivers have at least one method of communication during school hours and that students and families can communicate during emergency situations. 

“I’ve heard from many constituents who are concerned with the use of personal electronic devices by children at a younger and younger age,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “Even adults know how distracting these devices can be, so it is important that we help preserve instruction in public schools for future generations by removing cell phones from the classroom to allow kids to focus on learning and building meaningful relationships. This legislation and the model policy developed by DESE will give school districts a clear framework that will be consistent across the Commonwealth, easing the challenge of implementing a new initiative.… Read more.

Senate bill codifies program that fosters safer interactions between police and persons with autism 

(BOSTON—07/24/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder, which would make permanent the ‘blue envelope’ program first advanced by the Senate early last year. 

Blue envelopes prevent miscommunication and promote better understanding during traffic stops that involve a person with autism spectrum disorder. The Senate unanimously approved a similar bill in January 2024, and the Massachusetts State Police then proactively implemented a blue envelope program last spring. This bill, S.2558, would write the practice into state law. 

The outside of the envelope notes that the person has autism spectrum disorder. It also prominently features guidance about how to best interact with an individual with autism whose ability to communicate is likely to be negatively affected by a stressful situation. Inside the envelope, there are places to store the individual’s driver’s license and vehicle registration.  

Individuals with autism, or their parents or guardians, can request the envelopes from the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). 

“The blue envelope provides a subtle, yet meaningful mechanism to ensure that drivers with autism spectrum disorder can remain comfortable and communicate calmly in situations that have the potential to cause significant stress,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This is a simple solution that will be beneficial to both neuro-diverse drivers and law enforcement officers during traffic stop interactions.… Read more.

Legislation strikes unconstitutional laws that criminalize blasphemy, consensual sex acts 

(BOSTON—07/24/2025) The Massachusetts Senate today passed two separate bills to bring Massachusetts laws into the 21^st century by removing offensive language from state statute and repealing outdated, unconstitutional laws that hamper civil rights. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in favor of both measures. 

One piece of legislation, An Act amending certain laws relative to individuals with disabilities, strikes the ‘r-word,’ a derogatory slur for people with disabilities, out of state law in the dozens of instances where it currently appears. This includes renaming an entire chapter of law that prominently includes the r-word. 

The bill, S.137, also builds person-first language into state law, prioritizing terminology like ‘person with a disability’ that places the individual first. Other outdated references such as ‘handicap’ or ‘needy’ to describe people with disabilities are also erased from the law. 

The Senate also passed An Act relative to archaic laws, which repeals outdated statutes that criminalized acts now understood to be protected under the Constitution. This update includes the repeal of centuries-old laws that criminalized sodomy as a ‘crime against nature’ and so-called ‘unnatural’ acts between consenting adults. The criminalization of sodomy, which was punishable by up to 20 years in prison, was used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ residents in the past. Any remaining sodomy laws in the United States were invalidated by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2003. 

The bill also creates a panel of experts—including bipartisan appointees from the Legislature, the executive branch, prosecutors, and public defenders—would search for any defects or anachronisms in state laws, aided by suggestions from the Judiciary and other officials.… Read more.

Senate efforts bring national uniformity to child custody cases and fairness to debt collection practices 

(BOSTON—7/17/2025) Today the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed two pieces of legislation — one that would modernize laws that protect children and families going through child custody proceedings and another that would protect consumers and keep people from being pushed into financial ruin if they are sued for financial debt.  

“These two bills would make important changes to the laws governing extremely consequential, often life-changing, circumstances,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “Our action would ensure uniformity with every other state regarding child custody and also provide a fairer system for those working to break out of debt. These bills are another example of how the Massachusetts Senate is working to improve the quality of life for all residents in every way we can.” 

The child custody legislation, S.2550, would ensure Massachusetts courts follow the same procedures as the other 49 states in the country, bring laws up to date with international best practices, and simplify the process for families going through multi-state custody cases.  

More specifically, this legislation creates clear rules for multi-state custody cases and prioritizes the home state of the child when determining custody jurisdiction, thereby preventing forum shopping by a parent seeking a more-favorable outcome in another state. It also updates the law to streamline case registration and enforce out-of-state determinations, enhances protections for children and families who are going through custody proceedings in Massachusetts, and boosts flexibility for families through the creation of hearing notice requirements and by allowing remote participation in proceedings.  … Read more.

Budget upholds ongoing fiscal responsibility, protects core services, and reinforces the state’s economic foundation in the face of federal uncertainty 

(BOSTON—6/30/2025) Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) cast an affirmative vote as both chambers of the Massachusetts Legislature today enacted a $61.01 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026, a fiscally responsible plan that protects core services for the state’s most vulnerable residents, maintains critical investments, and positions the Commonwealth to confront the underlying budget challenges that are a result of federal funding uncertainty. 

Approved on a bipartisan basis in both chambers, the budget neither raises taxes on residents and businesses nor spends dollars from the state’s stabilization fund—also known as the ‘Rainy Day Fund’—which currently stands at a historic $8.1 billion. The budget also includes strong policy reforms and local investments in the communities of the 4^th Middlesex district: Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Lexington and Woburn. 

“As we confront uncertainty around federal funding that the state has relied upon to help provide services to residents for many years, this budget funds important priorities while also providing us the flexibility to address areas of need throughout the fiscal year.” said Senator Friedman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “Throughout the fiscal year, I will be paying especially close attention to any federal changes that result in a loss of critical Medicaid dollars that fund health care for millions of Bay Staters. Despite this unpredictability, this budget makes targeted investments in the programs and services that we know make the Commonwealth such a great place to live and includes policy changes that will further improve our quality of life.… Read more.

Response 2025 legislation bans data sharing and shields providers from legal threats

(BOSTON—6/26/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed the An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth—otherwise known as the Shield Act 2.0—legislation that would fortify protections for those seeking and providing reproductive and transgender care.

The bill, S.2538, which was approved by a vote of 37-3, adds a layer of protection for patients and providers at a time when attacks on reproductive and transgender rights are escalating on multiple fronts, including executive orders from the Trump Administration, federal funding freezes for care providers, a Supreme Court decision ruling against transgender care, and other states bringing lawsuits against physicians providing reproductive health care. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), and strengthens the Shield Law, which was passed in 2022 and also championed by Senator Friedman.

“This bill makes it clear that the Massachusetts Senate will not back down when it comes to protecting our residents and defending our values,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Our residents—indeed all Americans—deserve the right to make their own health care decisions in consultation with their providers. In Massachusetts, we do not discriminate based on the type of care you seek, and this bill strengthens protections for transgender people and those who have the ability to get pregnant. I applaud Senator Cindy Friedman and the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy for coalescing around this bill at this crucial time as part of the Senate’s Response 2025 initiative.… Read more.

Wide-ranging reforms deliver more information to the public and adjust the legislative calendar 

(BOSTON—6/26/2025) The Massachusetts Legislature today adopted joint rules that will make lawmaking more efficient, transparent and accessible to the public while adjusting the legislative calendar to allow more time to get meaningful policy accomplished. The first agreed-upon joint rules since 2019, these new rules will now govern the legislative process, joint committees, and interactions between the House of Representatives and the Senate for the 2025-2026 legislative session. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) celebrated the package, voting in favor of the new joint rules in Thursday’s Senate session. 

“In February, we put forward significant reforms to how the Senate chamber operates, but also a joint rules proposal that would address the pressure points that impact how the Legislature as a whole conducts business,” said Senator Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules. “With these new joint rules, we still honor the traditions of one of the oldest state legislatures in the country but also improve and modernize our procedures. These reforms allow us to be more transparent, effective, and efficient so that we are able to better serve our constituents.” 

To increase public accessibility, committees will now post plain-language bill summaries online, the public will have more advance notice of hearings, and committee attendance and votes will be made public. To increase legislative efficiency, committees are allowed to act independently on bills from their respective chambers, and formal lawmaking will be allowed to continue for the full two-year session. … Read more.

Millions in veterans’ benefits and housing assistance also included

(BOSTON—6/18/2025) Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed a supplemental budget that directs funding to hospitals and community health centers throughout the state confronting rising costs while working to serve vulnerable populations.

The $532 million bill, S.2529, includes $174 million for fiscally strained acute care hospitals and $35 million for community health centers facing financial challenges. Community health centers—many serving residents who live in low-income areas and are uninsured or underinsured—were on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to deliver essential care that is increasingly under threat from federal policies.

Language in the Senate legislation ensures that state funding will go to the hospitals and care centers specifically providing a high percentage of services to vulnerable populations.

“Massachusetts has a healthcare ecosystem that is the envy of other states, and that doesn’t happen by accident. Supporting every resident is part of what it means to be a leader in healthcare access,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “This funding will help our hospitals and community health centers provide high-quality care in every region, no matter a patient’s insurance status, as well as provide critical services to our veterans, seniors and municipalities. I’m grateful to Chair Rodrigues for his leadership, Senator Friedman for her unrivalled expertise, and my colleagues for their support on this important legislation.”

“The Senate took action today on reconciling deficiencies of $532 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, most notably providing $209 million in critical assistance to fiscally strained acute care hospitals and community health centers,” said Senator Michael J.… Read more.

Friedman joins colleagues to uphold ongoing fiscal responsibility, protect core services, and reinforce the state’s economic foundation in the face of federal uncertainty 

(BOSTON—5/22/2025) The Massachusetts Senate today approved a $61.4 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Over three full days of debate, the Chamber adopted 493 amendments, adding a total of $81.1 million in spending for statewide initiatives and local priorities for communities throughout the Commonwealth to the Senate Ways and Means Committee’s originally proposed budget.   

The final budget—which safeguards the state’s financial health, protects the state’s most vulnerable residents, and makes investments that reinforce the Commonwealth’s economic vitality in the face of mounting federal threats—was passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 38-2, with Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voting in favor. It neither raises taxes nor spends dollars from the state’s stabilization fund—also known as the ‘Rainy Day Fund’—which currently stands at a historic $8.1 billion.  

“As we continue to evaluate the status of the economic health of our Commonwealth in the midst of federal funding cuts and policy changes, this budget strikes a necessary balance between preparing for an unknown future and funding important priorities on behalf of our residents,” said Senator Friedman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “Importantly, this budget allows us to remain vigilant and makes targeted efforts to fund programs that are under threat from the federal government. Through an amendment I filed that was adopted, this budget also gives the Commonwealth an additional tool to lower certain prescription drug costs, which will lead to renewed physical and financial health for our residents.… Read more.