In December 2024, a conference committee of the Massachusetts House and Senate reached agreement on An Act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure. This compromise legislation widely expands access to opioid reversal drugs, bolsters non-opioid pain treatments, and strengthens treatment for Massachusetts residents going through recovery.
Read MoreToday the Massachusetts Legislature approved legislation to combat the opioid crisis and support residents living with substance use disorder (SUD).
Read MoreToday, 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.
Read MoreToday 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.
Read MoreMassachusetts may be the home of American democracy, but it is also the community we call home—and I take the responsibility to protect our community—and its residents—very seriously.
Read MoreThis 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.
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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
Read MoreAn 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.
Read MoreToday, the Massachusetts Senate will take up legislation to simplify and modernize child custody jurisdiction laws in the Commonwealth.
Read MoreMassachusetts State Senators today celebrated the official launch of MassEducate, universal tuition-free community college for Massachusetts. Senate members joined the Healey-Driscoll administration and higher education leaders to officially launch the program at an event at Massachusetts Bay Community College in Framingham.
Read MoreToday the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to ensure families can foster a child regardless of the breed of dog in the foster home.
Read MoreA delegation from the Massachusetts Senate today joined a roundtable of Worcester’s early education and care leaders to discuss the impact of the historic $1.5 billion investment made in the sector in the Legislature’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget.
Read MoreOn Thursday September 26, the Massachusetts Senate will take up legislation to ensure families can foster a child regardless of the breed of dog in the foster home.
Read MoreToday the Massachusetts Senate gave final passage to compromise legislation adding 225 new alcohol licenses for the City of Boston over the next three years.. The licenses would be distributed across 13 Boston zip codes, expanding equity for restaurant owners in historically underrepresented parts of the city and boosting economic opportunity in communities of color that have been systemically excluded for decades.
Read MoreThe Massachusetts State Senate announced today that Kathryn A. Bethea-Rivera, Ph.D., has been hired as the new Human Resources Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Senate.
Read MoreToday the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to rename the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) to MassAbility, a change that will define the agency’s role in supporting residents with disabilities live independently.
Read MoreToday, the Massachusetts Legislature passed sweeping reforms to the long-term care and assisted living sectors, taking a powerful step towards delivering high quality and safe care for older residents across the Commonwealth.
Read MoreToday, The Massachusetts Legislature passed a comprehensive maternal health bill which creates a state licensure pathway for midwives and lactation consultants, encourages the creation of more freestanding birth centers, establishes a grant program to address maternal mental health and substance use disorder, and expands the statewide universal postpartum home visiting program. This legislation also mandates that insurers provide coverage for postpartum depression and major depressive disorder screenings for perinatal individuals.
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