Senator Cindy Friedman

LEXINGTON – State Senator Cindy Friedman said that on the morning of Friday, October 4, when a grand opening and ribbon cutting that she attended was held at the new Minuteman High School, she could not get one song out of her mind – “The Long and Winding Road” by the Beatles.

Senator Friedman, who spoke at the event, told the crowd gathered at Minuteman she kept thinking of that wistful ballad because the journey from the new Minuteman school building’s inception in November 2008 to its completion in October 2019 was indeed a long and winding road – protracted, sometimes frustrating, and strewn with pitfalls and hurdles galore.

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A federal judge ruled Wednesday that supervised consumption sites, where individuals could use pre-acquired drugs under medical watch without facing arrest, would not violate a section of the Controlled Substances Act as government prosecutors alleged. Sen. Cindy Friedman, who served on a commission that this spring recommended the state pilot one or more sites, said the ruling ‘gives us momentum in Massachusetts to move our harm-reduction site pilot forward.’

“It is distressing that U.S. Attorney Lelling would try to create a barrier to desperately needed harm-reduction care for those suffering from a terrible illness,” Friedman said in a statement. “Conflating harm reduction sites with crack houses is ridiculous and dangerous. Establishing pilot sites is a logical, thoughtful, and humane action we must continue to push for in Massachusetts to reduce harm and save lives.”

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On September 26, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) testified before the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery on legislation she filed that would prohibit the use of correctional facilities for men who have been civilly committed under Section 35, a release from her office states. 

“Individuals struggling with substance use disorder are not criminals – they are suffering from a disease that must be treated, not punished,” said Friedman. “A jail cell is no place for someone trying to recover from and manage their illness. The passage of this bill is a moral, necessary and commonsense step in the right direction toward ending the criminalization of substance use disorder.”

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The student union of the new Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School was nearing capacity. The space, a large open area at the heart of the building, was filled with local politicians, school officials, media members, and students. They occupied every corner, filled in each gap, and pressed themselves up against two levels of balconies. Light streamed in from the room’s massive windows, positioned over the adjoining outdoor courtyard, to illuminate a scene years in the making: the official ribbon cutting and opening of the new school building.

After multiple attempts, Minuteman School Building Committee chairman Ford Spalding succeeded in quieting the room. Spalding’s remarks were followed by many more, including rousing speeches from State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, Sen. Cindy Friedman, and Superintendent Ed Bouquillon. Lexington state Rep. Michelle Ciccolo presented a congratulatory citation.

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Although U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling has threatened to prosecute any site that opens in Massachusetts, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone has said he plans to open a site in his site in 2020, no matter the legal repercussions. Supervised drug consumption sites – or “harm reduction sites,” as Massachusetts state Sen. Cindy Friedman termed them in a State House News Service story – could be a concept that offers hope to people addicted to opioids who want to stay alive, can’t easily break the addiction, but are willing to move into a treatment program to break the cycle. Careful evaluation of the Safehouse operation and a full debate must take place before opening that door in Massachusetts.

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BOSTON — State Sen. Cindy F. Friedman testified in support of a bill that would allow public safety officers who retire due to traumatic injury on the job to 100% of their benefits. Currently, officers who retire due to accidental injury receive 72% of their compensation at time of injury, according to a news release.

The bill was filed by Friedman’s predecessor, Sen. Ken Donnelly. “It is unconscionable and, frankly, insulting that we force police officers who have suffered a life-altering injury to go through such a burdensome and emotionally straining process to receive the benefits necessary to sustain themselves and their families after such a tragic event,” Friedman said.

Since 1947, there would have been around 40 public officers able to receive full benefits if this legislation already existed.

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US District Judge Gerald McHugh ruled that operating a center where people can use illegal drugs under medical supervision does not violate federal law. Although the Philadelphia court does not have jurisdiction over Massachusetts, McHugh’s decision is expected to have an impact nationwide. It is the first court ruling to poke holes in a key argument of opponents — one repeatedly made by Governor Charlie Baker — that such a facility cannot open because it violates federal law.

The Philadelphia ruling “is absolutely the correct interpretation of the crack house legislation,” said Massachusetts state Senator Cindy F. Friedman, who served on a state commission that recommended opening a safe injection site in Massachusetts. “Of course that statute wasn’t meant for people who want to save lives,” she said. “It’s absurd that anyone would think that.” Friedman said the ruling provides “some good momentum to move this forward” in Massachusetts.

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Two local police officers, forced to retire after facing death in the line of duty, are battling for a bill that would provide violently injured cops with benefits to spare them an added financial burden.

The officers told their stories Tuesday to the Joint Committee on Public Service during a hearing at the State House, pushing for a piece of legislation filed by Sen. Cindy Friedman that would give severely injured police officers 100% of their regular pay until they reach retirement age and then 80% of their pension. They noted that if the bill passes, they won’t receive the benefits, but urged the committee to report it out favorably.

“It is unconscionable and, frankly, insulting that we force police officers who have suffered a life-altering injury to go through such a burdensome and emotionally straining process to receive the benefits necessary to sustain themselves and their families after such a tragic event,’ said Friedman. “Surely, it is the least we can do.”

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BOSTON — Two police officers who were forced to retire due to line of duty injuries are advocating for state legislation that would improve benefits for all Massachusetts public safety officers, including corrections officers and firefighters. One piece of legislation, which was proposed by state Sen. Cindy Friedman, would increase compensation from 72% to 100% of regular for officers forced to retire due to a violent, accidental disability. Once they reach the age of mandatory retirement, they would become eligible for 80% of their pension, including cost of living increases.

“We expect our officers to show up for us when we need them. I think it’s fair that we support them,” Friedman said. “To put this in context: since 1947, roughly 40 municipal police officers would have been automatically eligible to receive the benefits associated with this legislation.”

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