PRESCRIPTIONS DURING AN EMERGENCY
(H 1988) — The House approved and sent to the Senate a measure requiring the state to develop and publicize a statewide plan for ensuring the availability of prescription medications during a state of emergency. The plan would include allowing early refills of prescriptions; ensuring that vehicles delivering medications to pharmacies and hospitals be treated as emergency vehicles; and establishing a toll-free telephone number and a website for citizens to get assistance in locating prescription medication if no medications are available to them locally.
EXEMPTION FROM HEALTH CARE PENALTY (H 1037) — The House gave initial approval to a bill that exempts Massachusetts residents who live overseas for at least 330 days of a 12-month period from the financial penalty for not adhering to the state’s requirement to obtain and maintain health insurance coverage.
Current law imposes a penalty on most adult residents of the state age 18 and older who don’t carry health insurance that meets minimum coverage standards. The penalty varies and is based on a number of factors. Current law also exempts from the penalty anyone who has “sincerely held religious beliefs that are the basis of his or her refusal to obtain and maintain creditable coverage.”
RECORKING WINE
(H 199) — The House and Senate gave final approval to and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a bill that would expand the current law allowing restaurant and hotel customers to bring home an unfinished bottle of wine. The proposal would expand the law to taverns, clubs and veterans’ organizations like American Legion posts. The wine would have to be resealed and then placed in a one-time-use tamper-proof, transparent bag.
Supporters said it is time to expand this law to ensure that people do not finish their bottle of wine just so it doesn’t go to waste. They noted that often leads to drunken driving.
REGISTRY OF DEEDS (H 3862) — The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill allowing the Registries of Deeds to keep their records in electronic form. Current pre-computer age law requires the records to be kept in a book.
Supporters said it is long past time to bring these registries into the computer age.
PEACE DAY (S 2181) — On Thursday, Sept. 22, one day too late, the House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Baker a bill declaring Wednesday, September 21 as Peace Day to recognize and advance the goals of Peace Day in the United States and International Peace Day, in memory of those lost to acts of violence.
The bill was filed way back in March but the two branches were too slow to approve it and Peace Day came and went without the bill being approved and signed into law. International Peace Day was created by the United Nations in 1981 and was first celebrated in 1982. If Baker signs the bill into law, it would apply to 2017 and all future years.
MOST INCUMBENTS DO NOT HAVE OPPONENTS IN NOVEMBER — Secretary of State William Galvin released the official list of all the candidates for election to the Legislature in November. It looks like a free ride and no opposition for many of the incumbents. Twenty-five (62 percent) of the 40 senators have no opposition while 116 (72 percent) of the 160 representatives have no opposition.
BAN CELL PHONES UNLESS HANDS-FREE (H 3315) — The latest attempt to prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held cell phone but allow them to use a hands-free one has met the fate of previous efforts. The measure was given initial approval by the House in November but is still languishing in a House committee where it will likely stay and die when the 2016 session ends in early January.
Supporters say the bill would save lives and prevent accidents. They noted that the measure does not ban cell phone use but simply requires the use of hands-free ones. They pointed to accidents, deaths and injuries involving cell phones. They plan to file the bill again next year.
Opponents say the restriction is another example of government intrusion into people’s cars and lives. Others note that there are already laws on the books prohibiting driving while distracted.
BAN SEXUAL ORIENTATION CONVERSION THERAPY (H 97) — Another bill that won’t emerge for further debate this year would prohibit psychiatrists and other mental health professionals from providing conversion therapy to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender minors under 18, designed to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill has been approved by three committees including the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, the Committee on Health Care Financing and the Steering and Policy Committee but is hasn’t moved anywhere since January.
Supporters of the ban say being gay, bisexual or transgender is not a disease and therefore does not need a cure. They argue this type of “junk therapy” is very destructive and argue there is no sound evidence that it ever works.
Opponents of the ban say the treatment has been successful for children whose sexuality was influenced by sexual abuse. They note that the conversion therapy should not be used on any patient who believes that he or she is simply born with a specific sexual preference.
PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS (H 4030) — Also stuck in a committee since March, when the House gave it initial approval, is a bill that would allow cities and towns to exempt up to 50 percent of property taxes for seniors over 65 whose annual property taxes exceed 10 percent of their annual income. The house or condo would have to be owner-occupied and applicants must have lived in the city or town for at least 10 consecutive years.
Supporters say this targeted tax relief would help thousands of senior citizens living on fixed incomes remain in their hometowns. They noted that the bill is a local option one that leaves the decision up to local communities.