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Bills Followed by LWVMA in the 2023-2024 Legislative Session, listed by subject area
Bills are listed to date, with more being evaluated for support through May.
Affordable Housing, Lori Stewart, Lucy Kennedy
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Eviction Record Sealing | An Act promoting housing opportunity and mobility through eviction sealing (HOMES) | Support | |
| Access to Counsel | An Act promoting access to counsel and housing stability in Massachusetts | Support Testimony Testimony | |
| Real Estate Transfer Fee to benefit affordable housing | An Act granting a local option for a real estate transfer fee to fund affordable housing | Support | |
| Emergency family housing assistance | An Act improving emergency housing assistance for children and families experiencing homelessness | Support | |
| Codifying Mass Rental Voucher Program MVRP | An Act codifying the Mass. Rental Voucher Program | Support Testimony | |
| Prohibiting exclusionary zoning | An Act promoting fair housing by preventing discrimination against affordable housing | Support Testimony | |
| Increase community preservation revenue | An Act to increase community preservation revenue | Support Testimony |
Children and Family Issues, Palma McLaughlin
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Lift Our Kids | An Act to lift kids out of deep poverty | Support Testimony | |
| Universal school meals | An Act relative to Universal School Meals | Support | |
| Basic needs assistance for immigrant residents | An Act Establishing Basic Needs Assistance for Massachusetts Immigrant Residents | Support Testimony | |
| H249/S146 | Domestic violence training for salon employees | An Act to mandate domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for aestheticians, barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, hairdressers, manicurists, and massage therapists | Support |
| Adds coercive control to definition of domestic violence | An Act improving protections relative to domestic violence | Support | |
| Limits abusive litigation | An Act relative to controlling and abusive litigation | Support | |
| Expands the list of professions, volunteers, and citizenry required to report suspicions of child abuse | An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to establish additional mandated reporters for the purpose of the protection and care of children | Oppose | |
| Increases the number of judges in family court | An Act to improve the administration of justice in probate and family court | Support |
Criminal Legal System, Nancy Bettinger
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Promoting humane treatment and rehabilitation | An Act related to rehabilitation, re-entry and human rights for incarcerated people | Support | |
| Establishes corrections inspector general | An Act establishing a correctional inspector general office | Support | |
| Juvenile diversion | An Act promoting diversion of juveniles to community supervision and services | Support | |
| Parole review for the elderly incarcerated | An Act relative to parole review for aging incarcerated people | Support | |
| Establishes the right to a parole hearing after 25 years in custody | An Act to reduce mass incarceration | Support Testimony |
| Restructures the juvenile justice system to include 18 to 20-year-olds | An Act to promote public safety and better outcomes for young adults | Support |
Education policy K-12, Robin Chen
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
Affordable Early Education & Childcare | An Act Providing Affordable and Accessible High Quality Early Education and Care to Promote Child Development and Well-Being and Support the Economy in the Commonwealth (Common Start) | Support | |
Ensures K-12 education includes accurate histories contributions of racial and ethnic groups | An Act to promote racially inclusive curriculum in schools | Support |
Elder Affairs, Pat Costello
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Tax deferrals for seniors and active duty military | An Act relative to taxes due upon the death of active duty personnel and the elderly | Support Testimony |
Elections and Voting, Nancy Brumback, Nell Forgacs
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
S410* | Voting reforms including Same Day Registration *Note that the four provisions of S.410 have been filed as separate bills in the House, below | An Act making voting administrative changes to create equitable systemic solutions (ACCESS Act) | Support Testimony |
| Same-day voter Registration | An Act establishing same day registration of voters | Support Testimony | |
| Uniform mail voting forms | An Act providing uniform mail voting forms | Support Testimony | |
Decouple municipal census from voting | An Act decoupling the municipal census from voter registration | Support Testimony | |
| Monitor polls for disability access | An Act enforcing accessibility for voters with disabilities | Support Testimony | |
| Implement risk-limiting post-election audits | An Act Protecting Elections using Risk-Limiting Audits | Support Testimony | |
| Felon voting | Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to voting rights | Support Testimony | |
| Voter ID requirements posted | An Act mandating the posting of identification requirements at polling places | Support Testimony | |
| Free public transit on Election Day | An Act to establish free access to ride to Support elections in Massachusetts (FARE Act) | Support | |
| Ranked choice voting in municipal elections | An Act providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections | Support | |
| Allow use of campaign funds for child care | An Act empowering parental participation in elected office | Support Testimony | |
| Allow use of campaign funds for child care | An Act supporting parents running for public office | Support Testimony | |
| Allow municipalities to lower voting age in municipal elections | An Act ensuring municipal participation of the widest eligible range | Support Testimony | |
| Photo ID to vote | An Act requiring photo IDs to vote | Oppose | |
| Show ID to vote | An Act ensuring the election integrity through voter identification | Oppose | |
| Photo ID to vote | An Act establishing identification at the voting polls | Oppose Testimony |
Environment—Climate Emergency, Launa Zimmaro
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Climate bank | An Act creating a climate bank in Massachusetts | Support | |
| Transition gas to thermal energy utilities | An Act relative to the future of heat in the Commonwealth | Support | |
| Supply heating energy from zero emissions sources | An Act relative to the clean heat standard | Support Testimony | |
| Bottle bill expansion | An Act to expand the bottle bill | Support Testimony | |
| Reduce waste and recycling costs | An Act to reduce waste and recycling costs in the Commonwealth | Support | |
| Building decarbonization | An Act relative to Better Buildings | Support Testimony | |
| Building decarbonization | An Act relative to Building Energy and Decarbonization | Support |
Environment—Natural Resources, Carolyn Lee
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Water Resources – Drought policy | An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management | Support | |
| Water Resources – “Water Banking” trust fund | An Act improving municipal water infrastructure | Support | |
| Water resources – Flushable wipes labeling | An Act protecting water systems through the labeling of flushable wipes | Support | |
| Environmental Protection – pest management | An Act providing for the public health by establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth | Support Testimony | |
| Environmental Protection – invasive species | An Act responding to the threat of invasive species | Support | |
| Environmental Protection – hazardous chemicals (PFAS) | An Act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS | Support | |
| Environmental Protection | An Act increasing the conservation land tax credit (CLTC) | Support Testimony |
Good Governance, Carolyn Lee
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
Privacy protection | An Act to implement the recommendations of the special commission on facial recognition technology | Support | |
Privacy protection | An Act establishing the Massachusetts Information Privacy and Security Act | Support | |
| Prohibits book bans | An Act regarding free expression | Support | |
Call for Article V Constitutional convention | Resolutions for a United States Constitutional Amendment and a limited amendment proposing convention | Oppose | |
Hybrid meetings | An Act to modernize participation in public meetings | Support | |
| Cable access | An Act to modernize funding for community media programming | Support Testimony |
Gun Violence Protection, Art Desloges, Sue McCalley
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
Analysis of crime gun data to determine illegal gun trafficking patterns | An Act relative to crime gun data analysis and reporting | Support | |
Classifies 3D printed guns and ghost guns (or unserialized, untraceable guns) as illegal | An Act Relative to 3D Printed Weapons and Ghost Guns | Support | |
Firearms omnibus bill | An Act to modernize firearm laws | Support |
Health Care, Ellen Church
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Universal single payer healthcare | An Act establishing Medicare for all in Massachusetts | Support | |
| Uniform collection and reporting process for immunization information | An Act Promoting Community Immunity | Support | |
| Ensure minimum local public health standards, uniform data collection and reporting | An Act relative to accelerating improvements to the local and regional public health system to address disparities in the delivery of public health services | Support Testimony | |
| License midwives practicing in out-of-hospital settings | An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options | Support Testimony | |
| Tax credit for caregivers of family members at home | An Act to establish the family caregiving tax credit | Support Testimony | |
| Death with dignity | An Act Relative to End of Life Options | Support |
Immigration, Amy Cooper
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Provide services in multiple languages | An Act relative to language access and inclusion | Support | |
| “Safe Communities Act” prevents state/local involvement in federal immigration enforcement | An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents | Support | |
| Fair wages for agricultural workers | An Act establishing fairness for agricultural laborers | Support | |
| Tuition equity for all MA HS graduates | An Act to ensure tuition equity for Massachusetts residents/ An Act providing access to higher education for high school graduates in the Commonwealth | Support | |
| Ends 287g ICE agreements | An Act relative to Massachusetts state sovereignty | Support Testimony |
Meeting Basic Human Needs, Clare Gordon
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Rights for Homeless persons | An Act establishing a bill of rights for individuals experiencing homelessness | Support Testimony | |
| Earned Income Credit State Match | An Act improving the earned income credit for working families | Support | |
| IDs for homeless individuals | An Act to provide identification to youth and adults experiencing homelessness | Support Testimony |
Racial Justice, Felina Silver
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Commission to study improving education outcomes for Indigenous youth | An Act providing for the creation of a permanent commission relative to the education of American Indian and Alaska Native residents of the Commonwealth | Support | |
| Curriculum standard to include MA Indigenous peoples | An Act relative to celebrating and teaching Native American culture and history | Support | |
| Bans use of Native American mascots in schools unless tribe has granted permission | An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth | Support | |
| Establishes Indigneous Peoples Day as a state holiday | An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day | Support |
Transportation, Franny Osman, Lois Levin
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| Regional transit authorities | An Act to increase regional transit accessibility in the Commonwealth | Support | |
| H2737/S1828 | Authorizes municipality to impose tax surcharge to fund transportation-related projects | An Act relative to regional transportation ballot initiatives | Support |
| H3366/S2285 | Sets deadlines to electrify regional transit authorities | An Act Electrifying Regional Transit Authorities | Support |
| H3139/S2218 | Sets deadlines to electrify school buses | An Act Setting Deadlines for School Bus & Public Fleet Electrification and Programs to Encourage Electrification of Private Fleets | Support |
| H3392/S2217 | Sets deadline to electrify the commuter rail | An Act Setting Deadlines to Electrify the Commuter Rail | Support |
Women’s Issues, Jan Soma
| Bill # | Topic | Bill Title | LWVMA Action |
| No cost menstrual products | An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products | Support Testimony | |
| Ensures age appropriate, medically accurate sex education in schools | An Act relative to healthy youth | Support | |
| Health insurance coverage for all pregnancy related care | An Act ensuring access to full spectrum pregnancy care | Support | |
| Ban on mandatory arbitration in the workplace | An Act relative to defense against abusive waivers | Support Testimony | |
| Equal Pay | An Act relative to transparency in the workplace | Support | |
| Equal Pay | An Act relative to pay range disclosure | Support Testimony | |
| Parity on public boards | An Act to ensure gender parity and racial and ethnic diversity on public boards and commissions | Support Testimony | |
| Black maternal health omnibus-new | An Act relative to birthing justice in the Commonwealth | Support | |
| Independent commission to investigate State House sexual harassment/abuse | An Act promoting equality and respect in the legislature | Support Testimony |