Author: Cindy Friedman

Bill helps close gaps that caused the Steward Health Care collapse 

BOSTON (12/30/2024)—Today, the Massachusetts Legislature passed legislation that will close loopholes in the health care market regulatory process exposed by the collapse of Steward Health Care, increase financial transparency by gathering more information regarding hospital finances, and assist in maintaining a more stable and sustainable health care system.   

“This bill is a continuation of the Commonwealth’s long-standing effort to ensure that everyone in Massachusetts has access to quality, affordable health care,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Chairman Lawn for working diligently to get this legislation over the finish line, a process that included the incorporation of input from dozens of stakeholders and outside experts, and I want to thank all my colleagues in the House and our partners in the Senate for recognizing the need for this legislation amid a number of daunting challenges facing the Commonwealth’s health care system.”   

“Massachusetts is a health care leader globally because we take seriously our responsibility to invest in our health ecosystem and protect providers and patients,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “As we stare down a health care system plagued by high costs and the fallout from private equity mismanagement, we are doubling down on our responsibility to our residents by safeguarding patients, expanding access to care, and holding private equity accountable. I’m grateful to the unmatched work of Senator Friedman, the work of my colleagues, the countless advocates who have contributed their voices to this legislation, and our partners in the House for making this legislation a reality.”  … Read more.

Latest step to combat opioid crisis will expand treatment options and help save lives 

(BOSTON–12/19/2024) Today the Massachusetts Legislature approved legislation to combat the opioid crisis and support residents living with substance use disorder (SUD).  

H.5143, An Act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure, will expand non-opioid pain treatments, establish licenses for recovery coaches, and support pregnant people and their children who have been exposed to substances. It will vastly expand access to opioid-reversal drugs like naloxone. In 2023, 2,125 lives were lost as a result of an overdose, 232 fewer than in 2022, according to the Department of Public Health (DPH). Since 2023, naloxone has reversed more than 10,000 overdoses in Massachusetts.  

Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), the former Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery prior to becoming Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, offered support for the legislation. 

“Simply put, this legislation will save lives,” said Senator Friedman. “Increasing insurance coverage of proven life-saving measures, coupled with the registration of recovery coaches to expand options to treatment, are examples of the many strong policy changes that I am glad to see broad support of. I am especially glad to see the legislation require the development of a plan that will close the Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center (MASAC), a court-ordered SUD treatment program for men located inside a correctional facility, and replace MASAC beds with beds in more appropriate treatment settings overseen by Department of Public Health or the Department of Mental Health – a measure I have long fought for through my own legislation.… Read more.

Bill eases clean energy infrastructure permitting, mobilizes innovative technologies, expands EV network, and keeps costs down for residents 

(BOSTON—11/14/2024) Today the Massachusetts Legislature passed sweeping climate legislation to empower the state’s fight against climate change and accelerate progress towards the state’s goals of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted to advance the bill to Governor Healey’s desk for signature. 

S.2967, An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity, and Protecting Ratepayers, reforms the siting and permitting of clean energy facilities, while responsibly reforming the gas distribution system. It vastly expands the electric vehicle (EV) charging network, incentivizes innovative technologies such as battery storage, fusion energy, advanced metering and meter socket adapters, includes measures to protect residents from high energy costs, and equips state agencies with the mandate to fight climate change.  

“Climate change is a defining crisis of our time, one that I know the overwhelming majority of my constituents are passionate about addressing,” said Senator Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I am proud to support this legislation and the initiatives and policies it contains as we continue to work towards a cleaner, yet affordable, place to live. I thank Senate President Spilka and my senate colleagues on the conference committee for their tireless work on this legislation.” 

Together, the policies transform the future of energy generation, distribution, and consumption in Massachusetts. Major components of the legislation include: 

Expediting siting and permitting. The bill consolidates reviews of clean energy siting and permitting, which will speed the pace of planning, constructing, and bringing clean energy infrastructure online to support clean energy technologies such as solar, wind, and storage to create an electrified future and reduce emissions. … Read more.

Life sciences and climatetech among $4 billion in authorizations; support for small businesses, easing the nursing shortage, Everett stadium zoning, and ticket pricing transparency among policies 

BOSTON (11/14/2024)—Today, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a sweeping economic development bill authorizing a nearly $4 billion infusion into the Commonwealth’s economy while making wide-ranging policy changes to make Massachusetts more competitive. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in favor of the legislation. 

The bold investments in H.5100, An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership, will stimulate new and proven industries, support workforce development and talent retention, and modernize economic growth strategies. Provisions of the bill will support small businesses, communities, and cultural development, ensuring that businesses Main Streets across the Commonwealth benefit from the economic boost. 

“This comprehensive legislation will enhance our infrastructure, schools, public services, and private industry in all corners of the Commonwealth, all while strengthening the workforces that support these areas,” said Senator Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I am particularly excited to see Massachusetts enter into the Nurse Licensure Compact and create a pathway for foreign-trained physicians to practice in our state. These two workforce policies will make a tangible impact for hospitals who are struggling to hire and retain trained nurses, and also hospitals in underserved regions who are having trouble attracting physicians. I fundamentally believe that all residents deserve access to health care and public health protections, and this bill addresses challenges seen at the local and regional level.… Read more.

Breast cancer accounts for 30 per cent of new cancer diagnoses, approximately 5,000 residents live with Down syndrome 

(BOSTON—10/29/2024) This week the Massachusetts Senate passed two bills expanding services that must be covered by health insurers in the state.  

One requires that insurers provide coverage for the treatment of Down syndrome through speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and applied behavior analysis services. The other requires insurers provide coverage for diagnostic examinations for breast cancer.  

“I firmly believe that insurance coverage should never be a barrier to seeking and receiving comprehensive and evidence-based medical treatment,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. “One bill passed by the Senate today requires insurance coverage for therapies to treat individuals with a singular diagnosis of Down syndrome, helping to reduce financial stressors for families and ensure these individuals receive necessary interventions to help them thrive. The other bill passed by the Senate covers breast cancer screenings and diagnostic examinations, removing the financial barriers that could otherwise prevent early detection and treatment of beatable cases of breast cancer. The Massachusetts Senate will continue to work to address challenges to equitable health care access to ensure we can improve the lives of those who stand to benefit the most from these life-changing treatments.” 

Requiring Coverage for Breast Cancer Screenings 

H.4918, An Act relative to medically necessary breast screenings and exams for equity and early detection, requires health insurance providers, including the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) and MassHealth, to provide coverage for diagnostic examinations for breast cancer, digital breast tomosynthesis screening, and medically necessary and appropriate screening with breast magnetic resonance imaging.… Read more.

Closes Fiscal Year 2024 with funding for critical statewide programs 

(BOSTON—10/24/2024) Today the Massachusetts Senate passed a supplemental budget closing out Fiscal Year 2024, fulfilling the state’s obligations to critical programs and services used by residents statewide. 

The funding supports treatment for substance and alcohol misuse, public health hospital investments, universal school meals, and targets $12 million for fiscally distressed community health centers, among other investments. Boosting funding for health centers will help provide equitable care in cities and towns across the state.  

“As part of our obligation to close out the fiscal year, we reviewed where we have surplus and needs for the various state programs our residents rely on every day,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I was happy to see this budget direct funding to address critical health care needs, like the MassHealth caseload and supporting our community health centers, while also covering needs for school meals, housing protection, workforce development, and substance and alcohol use disorder treatment. I am grateful to my colleagues for their recognition of the importance of funding these necessary programs.” 

The bill makes several changes to benefit the state’s veterans, allowing veterans to receive free license plates and clarifying that municipalities can create veteran housing preferences within existing affordable housing frameworks.  

It also ratifies several approved collective bargaining agreements.  

Housing provisions of the bill will allow the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) to fund certified housing development projects that include new construction or substantial rehabilitation of an existing property, and allow for the carryover of the $30 million annual HDIP tax credit authorizations if not fully awarded in a given year. … Read more.

New law supports safety and well-being of children, brings national uniformity to child custody cases 

(BOSTON—10/7/2024) Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to simplify and modernize child custody jurisdiction laws in the Commonwealth.  

An Act relative to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act would simplify custody jurisdiction laws and bring Massachusetts into conformity with other states around the country. By so doing, the Commonwealth would be creating a more streamlined process for families going through challenging times while supporting the safety and well-being of children who find themselves in custody challenges. 

Under the new law, clear rules would be established for multi-state custody cases, prioritizing the home state of the child and ensuring Massachusetts courts can work effectively with courts in other states nationally and in other countries for international child custody orders. Going forward, once Massachusetts courts have exercised jurisdiction over custody, those courts would maintain jurisdiction over potential changes in the judgment or order, so long as a parent or the child remain in state. This will prevent forum shopping and competing lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions. 

“Today’s action in the Senate will help bring our Commonwealth in line with the practices of many other states to ensure that questions of custody challenges can be resolved in a more efficient way,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I thank Majority Leader Creem for spearheading this initiative to make these already challenging situations easier for the families and children involved.”… Read more.

Bill recognizes that all good pups can be a family’s best friend, regardless of breed 

(BOSTON—9/26/2024) Today the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to ensure families can foster a child regardless of the breed of dog in the foster home. 

Under the new law, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) would consider factors such as a pet’s history of dangerous behavior and their health records, instead of a pet’s breed. Currently, a family who is thinking of adopting cannot do so if they own breeds including Rottweilers, pit bulls, German shepherds, or a dog which mixes at least two of these three breeds. 

“Given all that we know about animal science, this is the right time to make this needed policy change,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “By relying on the history of a dog’s behavior instead of the dog’s breed, this new process will prevent the automatic disqualification of foster families who can provide a loving and supportive home and, instead, ensure that we are not leaving out foster families who could make a positive impact on a child’s life.” 

According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a dog’s breed is a poor predictor of behavior, and is uninformative with regard to how easily a dog is provoked by something frightening or uncomfortable.  

According to 2021 census data, nearly one in every three households (30%) in Massachusetts has a dog. Boston ranked eleventh nationally among metro areas with the highest pet ownership ranks, with 38.7% of households owning a pet.  … Read more.

Transportation, housing, climate projects could benefit from up to $17.5 billion in investment 

BOSTON (9/19/2024) — Today, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a bill that will allow the Commonwealth to more effectively compete for federal funding that could be invested in transformative projects related to transportation, housing, climate, economic development, and technology.  

S.2954, An Act to provide for competitiveness and infrastructure investment in Massachusetts, takes advantage of the interest accrued from the Commonwealth’s Stabilization Fund and leverages that interest to ensure the state receives the maximum possible share of federal funds. The Commonwealth’s Stabilization Fund has an all-time high balance of over $8 billion. It is currently estimated that Massachusetts could receive up to $17.5 billion through historic, once-in-a-generation federal funding opportunities. 

“This legislation allows our Commonwealth to draw down a significant amount of federal funding, supplementing projects in every corner of our state, simply through using interest generated from our stabilization fund,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Unlocking this tool will provide extra funds for the state and our municipalities, reducing the amount needed to be funded by taxpayers. This innovative approach will ensure that Massachusetts can take full advantage of the federal grant opportunities that allow us to stay competitive and invest in our future.” 

The initiative requires the Comptroller to transfer interest from the Stabilization Fund to the Commonwealth Federal Matching and Debt Reduction Fund on a quarterly basis if the stabilization balance reaches certain benchmarks.… Read more.