Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local representatives’ votes on roll calls from recent sessions. There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week.
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias (H 5613)
The House, 155-0, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that supporters say would strengthen dementia care, improve support for families and caregivers, expand workforce training and enhance public health efforts to address Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. They noted the bill takes a comprehensive approach to improving care for individuals living with dementia while equipping healthcare providers, first responders, hospitals and state agencies with the tools and resources needed to better serve patients.
The legislation establishes mandatory dementia training programs for municipal and state law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, including a minimum of two hours of initial instruction followed by biennial continuing education; expands notification requirements so that families or legal representatives are informed of an initial diagnosis of any dementia; enhances protections for patients and families by requiring acute care hospitals to allow medically appropriate visitation for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, as well as those exhibiting symptoms of cognitive impairment; expands the state’s Health Care Workforce Loan Repayment Program to provide loan repayment assistance for professionals specializing in geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry, to help recruit and retain clinicians with expertise in caring for older adults; and requires the Department of Public Health to expand public awareness efforts on brain health and dementia through culturally relevant education campaigns.
“Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are devastating illnesses that profoundly affect not only those diagnosed, but also the families and caregivers faced with the challenges of caring for their loved one,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy. “This legislation is about ensuring that the commonwealth is doing all that it can to care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by strengthening training, by improving coordination across the healthcare system and by investing in a workforce that is better prepared to provide the care that diagnosed individuals need.”
“With passage of this legislation, we demonstrate our continued commitment to Massachusetts residents living with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, as well as to their caregivers and healthcare providers,” said Rep. Danielle Gregoire, D-Marlborough, the sponsor of an earlier version of the measure. “This work began eight years ago with the passage of landmark Alzheimer’s legislation that made Massachusetts a national leader. Despite that work, dementia diagnoses are becoming more frequent, and patients and their caregivers need more help. As scientific advances continue to improve treatment options and make headway on a cure, so too must we in government adapt and implement policy such as the one we voted on today that will change lives for the better.”
A “Yes” vote is for the bill.
- Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes
- Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
Primary care and healthcare affordability (H 5630)
The House, 158-0, approved a bill that supporters say would expand access to primary care, shift the healthcare system toward prevention, invest in the healthcare workforce, support hospitals and community health centers, improve affordability by lowering prescription drug costs and increase accountability across the healthcare system. They noted the measure establishes historic primary care investment targets; creates advanced primary care payment models that reward prevention and coordinated care; and strengthens oversight to ensure primary care investments actually improve access, lower costs and support a sustainable, patient-centered healthcare system.
The Senate has already approved a different version of the proposal and a House-Senate conference committee has been appointed to hammer out a compromise version.
Provisions of the House bill include $25 million to ensure there are a sufficient number of healthcare professionals by funding scholarships, student loan repayment, primary care career pathways, and workforce recruitment and retention; establishment of statewide primary care investment targets that gradually increase spending to 9% by 2030, 12% by 2033 and 15% by 2036; expanding the allowable uses of the Commonwealth Federal Matching and Debt Reduction Fund to help the state respond to an estimated $3.5 billion loss of federal funding; expanding access to healthcare by strengthening community-based providers and allowing more patients to receive care where they live; establishing safeguards for artificial intelligence in health insurance reviews to ensure technology supports, not replaces, clinical decision-making; and reducing out-of-pocket prescription drug costs by requiring most manufacturer rebates to be applied at the pharmacy counter.
“When primary care leads the way on patient wellness, the entire system benefits,” said Rep. Kathy LaNatra, D–Kingston, chair of the House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability. “This legislation will help move more of our health dollars toward high-value primary care that delivers better outcomes for patients at a lower cost. It invests in the care that keeps people healthy and prevents disease, it strengthens our primary care workforce to make sure every resident of the commonwealth can access a primary care provider, and it ensures that pharmaceuticals remain accessible and affordable.”
A “Yes” vote is for the bill.
- Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes
- Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
Cancer screenings for firefighters (H 5631)
The House, 153-0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill mandating free insurance coverage of cancer screenings for firefighters. The firefighters would not be subject to co-payment, deductible, coinsurance or any out-of-pocket expenses.
The screenings would cover colon, lung, bladder, oral, thyroid, skin, blood, breast, cervical, testicular and prostate cancers. The measure provides that the first screening would be conducted no later than three years after the firefighter starts the job, with subsequent screenings happening every three years.
Supporters said firefighters are more likely to get cancer than the general public, and argued that these heroes must have early and regular access to lifesaving cancer screenings. They noted that the Occupational Cancer Research Centre attributes higher rates of sickness to greater exposure to cancer-causing hazards through inhalation of smoke, combustion byproducts, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in fire protection gear.
A “Yes” vote is for the bill.
- Rep. Aaron Saunders — Yes
- Rep. Susannah Whipps — Yes
Also up on Beacon Hill
Immigrants (H5620)
Gov. Maura Healey signed into law the PROTECT Act that supporters said would establish statewide standards governing interactions between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. They said the measure would create among the strongest protections in the nation for residents who have immigrated to their communities; strengthen due-process protections; limit civil immigration enforcement in courthouses, public school grounds, hospitals and other sensitive locations; expand protections for victims of crime; and increase transparency, accountability and clarity for correctional facilities and law enforcement relative to civil immigration enforcement.
Provisions bar Massachusetts law enforcement agencies from signing new deputization agreements with federal immigration authorities, except in narrow, criminal-law-focused arrangements that meet additional safeguards; prohibit civil immigration arrests without a judicial warrant at schools, childcare centers, medical facilities and courthouses; establish a civil cause of action against federal officers who violate a resident’s constitutional rights, putting them under the same accountability standards as state and local police; keep state and local police out of federal civil immigration enforcement, barring the use of local resources for that purpose, or detention, based solely on a civil immigration detainer; and protect immigrant crime victims, including trafficking survivors, who assist law enforcement as witnesses.
“Strong public safety requires strong partnerships with the communities we serve,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon. “The PROTECT Act helps preserve the trust that law enforcement, prosecutors and community organizations rely on to protect victims, investigate crimes and keep neighborhoods safe.”
The bill was not without its opponents.
“I voted against the PROTECT Act because the bill is prioritizing illegal immigrants in our communities over lawful residents,” said Rep. Kelly Pease, R-Westfield.
Child welfare (H 5629)
Gov. Maura Healey signed into law legislation that supporters say would guarantee certain basic rights for children in foster care related to their safety, education and healthcare. They argued that the measure safeguards the well-being of children, especially those in state care and foster care; increases access to community support for children at risk of court involvement; and strengthens the Office of the Child Advocate to support robust investigations into reports of harm or abuse to a child.
A key provision would expand the diversion of children dealing with behavior or attendance problems to Family Resource Centers (FRCs) instead of the court system. Supporters note that FRCs provide accessible, confidential support to children and families in crisis close to home. They noted this has proven successful in helping kids and teens stay in school, and connecting families with services such as mental health or substance use treatment, housing aid and legal help.
Other provisions include creating a Foster Child Bill of Rights to clarify and protect the basic rights and services foster children need to live healthy, safe and fulfilled lives; codifying a Youth Engagement program to ensure the voices of youth are included to inform relevant policy, oversight and programs; allowing a child the same ability as an adult to petition the court to extend any abuse or harassment protection order made on behalf of the child; tasking the Office of the Child Advocate with supporting families and caregivers by providing training materials to mandated reporters and individuals who frequently work with children; and creating and maintaining a list of resources for grieving parents who have experienced a sudden unexplained pediatric death.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safe, supported and set up to succeed, and every family deserves somewhere to turn before a challenge becomes a crisis,” Healey said. “We’re building one of the strongest child and family support systems in the country by strengthening protections for children, expanding community-based support for families, and making our child welfare system more transparent and accountable.”
Home care (H 5627)
Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a bill that would establish a licensure process for home care agencies that supporters say will ensure that consumers receive quality non-medical services and that home care workers are protected.
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services would implement the licensure process and have the authority to approve licenses, survey and investigate home care agencies, and impose fines. Home care agencies would be required to disclose anyone with at least a 5% ownership interest in the agency, carry workers’ compensation and liability insurance, and provide appropriate levels of training for their employees.
“We want people to have options as they age so that they can make the choices that work best for them,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “By establishing statewide safety and quality standards for home care agencies and strengthening protections for workers and consumers, we’re making it easier for more people to safely receive high-quality care at home while giving families greater peace of mind.”
Prohibit nuclear weapons
The Senate, on a voice vote without a roll call, adopted a bipartisan resolution calling on the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to support the federal treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. Twenty-one cities and towns in Massachusetts have individually adopted similar resolutions.
“It is extremely important that the Massachusetts Senate has added its voice to the national call for a fundamental change in U.S. nuclear policy.” said Ira Helfand, co-founder of the Back from the Brink campaign calling for international nuclear disarmament. “If we don’t change course, we are sleepwalking toward a nuclear disaster. The United States must actively pursue the security of a world free of nuclear weapons, not as some distant goal, but as an urgent national security priority.”
$5.9 million to help people find jobs
Gov. Maura Healey announced the awarding of $5.9 million in workforce development grant funding for 12 initiatives across Massachusetts, representing partnerships with employers, training providers and regional collaborators to train, upskill and provide job placement for 951 workers for in-demand occupations in healthcare, logistics, education, information technology and more.
“By partnering with industry, training providers and regional organizations, we’re creating talent pipelines for occupations that are essential to Massachusetts’ economy,” Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones said. “From healthcare to education to technology and beyond, these investments will help employers fill critical positions and enable more residents to build rewarding careers in regions across Massachusetts.”
$8 million for energy efficiency and clean energy projects
Gov. Maura Healey announced $8 million in grants to 57 cities and towns to fund energy efficiency and clean energy projects. Eligible projects include installing high-efficiency lighting and building weatherization, upgrading to energy management systems, insulating pipes and attic spaces, and transitioning heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems away from fossil fuels by installing air- or ground-source heat pumps.
“Energy efficiency is one of the smartest investments a community can make,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “These grants will help cities and towns lower energy costs, upgrade municipal and school buildings and fleets, and reduce pollution, all while saving dollars that can be put toward other critical projects.”