Author: Cindy Friedman

BOSTON (09/23/21) – On Thursday, September 23, 2021, the Massachusetts Senate passed three bills that would provide students with age-appropriate, medically accurate and inclusive sex education; allow a non-binary option other than male or female on birth certificates and drivers licenses; and ensure that more children in Massachusetts have access to nutritious school meals. These bills all provide essential building blocks to ensuring a safe, healthy, inclusive, and resilient Commonwealth.

“I gladly voted for these bills, which reflect the Senate’s commitment to continue supporting the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Every student should have access to nutritious school meals and to medically accurate, inclusive sex education curricula. Likewise, every person should be able to claim accurate gender identity information on their drivers’ license. Thank you to the Senate President, the Chair of Ways and Means, and my colleagues in the Senate that advocating so passionately for our children, students, friends, and neighbors.”

Senate Bill 2534, An Act to healthy youth, would ensure that Massachusetts schools electing to provide their students with sex education use age-appropriate and medically accurate curriculum that covers a comprehensive and inclusive range of topics.

Currently, when Massachusetts public schools provide their students with health education that covers sexual activity, there is no way to ensure that students are being taught research-informed and comprehensive curricula. Schools are still able to utilize abstinence-only or abstinence-centered programming, as well as curricula that excludes important information for LGBTQ+ youth and critical lessons on consent.… Read more.

Ensures adequate funding for school districts, RTAs, police training, behavioral health and more

BOSTON (07/29/21) – Today, the Massachusetts Senate overturned Governor Baker’s vetoes on certain items in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget passed in the Legislature earlier this month. The actions taken by the Senate will ensure adequate funding for school districts, regional transit authorities (RTAs), and public and mental health supports, as well as the implementation of last year’s landmark police reform bill. Additionally, action by the Senate reinstates certain guidance relevant to state bodies such as the MBTA and prison facilities.

“Overriding the Governor’s vetoes on parts of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget was necessary to safeguard the health and wellness of some of our most vulnerable populations,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “These vetoes allow the Disability Law Center to continue to play an important role in protecting persons served at Bridgewater State Hospital, as well as restore funding for a crucial study to help us analyze the existing and anticipated impacts of the pandemic on children’s behavioral health. I would like to thank Senate President Spilka, Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues, and my colleagues for their swift action in reinstating these vital provisions.” 

Many of the Governor’s vetoes were cost-cutting measures deemed unnecessary by the Legislature in light of the state’s need to invest in crucial programs and services. Gubernatorial vetoes threatened $150,000 in funding for the children’s behavioral health advisory council, as well as $150,000 for Emergency Family Assistance Shelters.… Read more.

BOSTON (07/21/2021) – Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature in passing a $261.6 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). The FY21 supplemental budget addresses time-sensitive deficiencies, extends expanded voting options, provides supports for the implementation of the 2020 landmark police reform law, and makes investments to support the Commonwealth’s continued recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continuing to pave the way to an equitable recovery, the supplemental budget includes $191 million to provide support and stability for our early educator workforce, $27.9 million for one-time economic relief payments to families on transitional assistance, and $12.5 million for costs associated with the implementation of last session’s landmark police reform bill.

“As we continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic, we must maintain funding for critical services throughout the Commonwealth, which this supplemental budget allows us to do,” said Senator Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Through this budget, we are making important investments in our early education and care system, reforming the representation of the MBTA’s governance and management board to better reflect the population it serves, and ensuring voter access by extending mail-in and early voting options.”

Notable components of the funding package include:

Extended Voting Options

The legislation allows for the popular practice of voting early by mail to continue through December 15, 2021, giving eligible voters the ability to exercise their right to cast a ballot while protecting their health and safety.… Read more.

BOSTON (07/15/2021) – The Massachusetts Legislature passed a bill that will invest $350 million in municipal transportation and selected statewide transportation infrastructure projects. The bill, An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges, authorizes $200 million for municipal roads and bridges through the Chapter 90 program and $150 million to support statewide projects to address congestion, support electric vehicle infrastructure, prioritize bus infrastructure, and improve public transit.

“The Chapter 90 proposal advanced by the Legislature directly supports our communities as travel and commuting increases,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “Investing in projects that support reliable, safe, and accessible transportation infrastructure is vital to our communities’ overall well-being, both in the short- and long-term. Thank you to Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, Senator Boncore, and my colleagues in the House for prioritizing these much needed transportation improvements.”

The bill includes the following components:

• $200 million in Chapter 90 funding for cities and towns for projects to maintain, improve, and repair roadways, bridges, sidewalks, and bikeways.

	Fiscal Year 2022 Apportionment for the 4th Middlesex
Arlington	$784,626
Billerica	$1,325,478
Burlington	$1,092,064
Lexington	$982,231
Woburn	$1,251,922

• $25 million for the Municipal Small Bridge Program to support replacement or preservation of structurally deficient local bridges critical to local communities and not eligible for existing federal aid programs.

• $25 million for the Local Bottleneck Program to address localized traffic bottlenecks and invest in infrastructure to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and reduce idling and greenhouse gas emissions.

• $25 million for Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure to support municipalities and regional transit authorities in their efforts to install EV infrastructure and purchase EVs and zero-emission vehicles. 

… Read more.

BOSTON (07/09/2021) – On Friday, July 9, 2021, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts State Legislature in unanimously passing a $48.07 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). This budget maintains fiscal responsibility, does not cut services, makes targeted investments to address emerging needs, safeguards the health and wellness of the most vulnerable populations, and ensures residents will benefit equitably as the state recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking into consideration strong tax revenue performance in FY21, the final FY22 budget increases revenue assumptions by $4.2 billion over the December consensus revenue projection; the new tax revenue projection is now $34.35 billion. As a result, the FY22 budget does not make a withdrawal but instead transfers funds into the Stabilization Fund, projecting an estimated balance of approximately $5.8 billion for this crucial ‘rainy day’ fund at the end of the fiscal year.

“We could not have predicted the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but over the past 16 months we have done our best to prepare for the future, and I’m proud the FY22 budget continues that work by making robust short- and long-term investments in mental and behavioral health services, education, local health departments, and so much more,” said Senator Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and member of the FY22 Budget Conference Committee. “I sincerely thank Senate President Spilka, Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues, and the rest of my colleagues in the Legislature for their work supporting all residents of the Commonwealth, especially those most in need.”… Read more.

BOSTON (07/01/2021) – Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) and her colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature voted to override Governor Charlie Baker’s veto of language from the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home bill financing the construction of the new Home requiring a project labor agreement.

In May, Governor Baker signed the bulk of a bill authorizing $400 million in bonds for the design and construction of a new soldiers’ home facility in Holyoke and $200 million in bonds to increase geographic equity and accessibility related to the continuum of long-term care services for veterans across the state, but struck a provision requiring the home to be built with a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), under which non-union workers would have to affiliate with construction unions to have a chance to work on the new facility

Overturning the veto ensures that construction of the project utilizes a diverse workforce and provides for well-paying, middle class jobs. The inclusion PLA language mandates a pre-bid, pre-hire labor agreement for the construction of the new facility in Holyoke, ensuring that the workforce is local, diverse, inclusive, well-trained, safe and skilled. Historically, such agreements on large taxpayer funded projects result in the completion of construction on-time and on or under budget.

“Rebuilding the soldiers’ home in Holyoke and increasing access to services for our veterans is necessary and long overdue, especially after tragically losing many residents of the soldiers’ home to a COVID-19 outbreak last year,” said Senator Friedman, lead Senate negotiator of the Soldiers’ Home Conference Committee. “This funding will ensure that the Commonwealth’s veterans are met with the services that they deserve and that address their unique and changing needs and that this construction project creates lucrative jobs for everyone.… Read more.

BOSTON (07/01/2021) – Joining her colleagues in the Massachusetts State Senate, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted to pass legislation to invest $300 million in municipal transportation projects and selected statewide transportation infrastructure projects. The bill, An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges, authorizes $200 million for municipal roads and bridges through the chapter 90 program and $100 million to support statewide projects to address congestion, support electric vehicle infrastructure, and improve public transit.

“The Senate’s Chapter 90 proposal ensures that our transportation systems are safe and accessible as travel and traffic increase as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Friedman. “The robust investments appropriated to the 4^th Middlesex, in particular, will strengthen local infrastructure and support our communities’ overall well-being.”

The bill includes the following local investments:

City/Town	FY 2022 Apportionment
Arlington	$784,626
Billerica	$1,325,478
Burlington	$1,092,064
Lexington	$982,231
Woburn	$1,251,922

The bill includes the following statewide components:

• $200 million in chapter 90 funding for cities and towns for projects to maintain, improve, and repair roadways, bridges, sidewalks, and bikeways.

• $25 million for the Municipal Small Bridge Program to support replacement or preservation of structurally deficient local bridges critical to local communities and not eligible for existing federal aid programs.

• $25 million for the Local Bottleneck Program to address localized traffic bottlenecks and invest in infrastructure to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and reduce idling and greenhouse gas emissions.

• $25 million for Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure to support municipalities and regional transit authorities in their efforts to install EV infrastructure and purchase EVs and zero-emission vehicles. 

… Read more.

BOSTON (06/24/2021) – Today, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts State Senate to pass a $261.6 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). This supplemental budget primarily addresses time-sensitive deficiencies, covers costs related to implementation of the 2020 landmark police reform law, and makes investments to support the Commonwealth’s continued recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This spending bill maintains funding for critical services throughout the Commonwealth,” said Senator Friedman, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “It was particularly important that we made investments in our early education and care system, and that we reformed the representation of the MBTA’s governance and management board to better reflect the population it serves.”

To maintain the Senate’s strong support for early educators who have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic, the supplemental budget invests $131 million of federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding into the Early Education and Care (EEC) COVID-19 Stabilization and Workforce reserve. This funding will provide early educator stabilization grants, workforce supports, and system-wide technology upgrades. 

In addition to supporting early educators, the Senate’s supplemental budget takes meaningful action to combat the lingering effects of the economic crises the Commonwealth has faced over the last 15 months and ensure families receive the economic supports they need to live, work, and provide stability for their children. To that end, the supplemental budget passed today invests $27.9 million to provide for one-time payments to families that receive Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) benefits, totaling $525 to $580 per child.… Read more.

Legislation supported by animal rights and farm advocates would update 2016 ballot referendum to reflect national industry standards

BOSTON (06/24/2021) – Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined the Massachusetts Senate in passing legislation to create a more secure egg supply chain and raise Massachusetts’ farm animal welfare standards to align with other states. An Act to upgrade hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards would upgrade Massachusetts’ egg production law to create predictability and certainty by mirroring the national United Egg Producers cage-free guidelines, which have been adopted by leading retailers, producers, and other states.

In 2016, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly passed what at the time was the strongest law for farm animals in U.S. history, An Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals, known as Question 3. Since then, leading retailers, producers, and other states mandated even stronger standards in the shift to cage-free conditions for hens. The legislation passed in the Senate, An Act to upgrade hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards, updates existing state law to meet this new standard. This bill has the support of the animal welfare groups that supported the 2016 ballot question, as well as the support of the leading egg producers in the Commonwealth.

“Updating Massachusetts’s farm animal welfare law was overdue,” said Senator Friedman. “This bill will not only benefit the Commonwealth’s farm animals by improving standards for egg-laying hens but will also benefit consumers through affordable egg prices.”

Upgrading the standards of the 2016 farm animal law would help streamline regulatory and enforcement processes to mirror similar laws in other states.… Read more.