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League-Supported/Opposed Legislation 2015-2016

The legislative advocacy efforts of the LWVMA are led by the Legislative Action Committee (LAC), composed of the League’s legislative specialists.  Each legislative specialist follows one or more focus areas.  For those areas, the specialist researches bills filed with the Massachusetts legislature, recommends League action on them to the LAC, writes testimony on the League’s position to submit to the relevant committee of the legislature, and follows the progress of the bill. The bills LWVMA acts on must be consistent with LWVMA or LWVUS positions. The specialist may also join with approved coalition partners or advocacy groups to work together to support or oppose bills.  The Legislative Action Committee, after researching and voting on support or opposition for a bill, makes a recommendation the LWVMA board of directors on the League position on that bill.  The board then votes whether to support or oppose a specific bill. Once the board has made its decision, LWVMA and local Leagues can actively work to support or oppose the bill.

Legislative specialists encourage League members who are interested in closely following an area of legislation or a specific bill to contact them and be added to that specialist’s “team” for notifications of committee hearings and other activities related to specific legislation.

To contact any of the legislative specialists, email specialists@lwvma.org.

Bills Followed by LWVMA in the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, listed by subject area

Affordable Housing, Clare Gordon

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.1111Increase housing constructionAn Act relative to housing productionSupport
Testimony

Agriculture, Louise Haldeman

Casino Gambling, Louise Haldeman

Child Safety, Palma McLaughlin

 Bill #TopicBill TitleLWVMA Action
 S.827Domestic violence
training
An Act relative to improving training  for child advocates to recognize indicators of domestic violenceSupport Testimony
H.1207/ S.834 Child centered family lawAn Act relative to child centered family lawOppose
Testimony

Criminal Justice and Courts, Colleen Kirby and Carolyn Lee

Bill #TopicBill TitleLWVMA Action
S.844Felony larceny amountAn Act updating the definition of felony larcenySupport Testimony
S.71Restorative justiceAn Act promoting restorative justice practicesSupport Testimony
 H.1584/ S.802Bail reformAn Act reforming pretrial processSupport Testimony
Letter
H.1620/ S.786Eliminate mandatory minimum drug sentencesAn Act eliminating mandatory minimum sentences related to drug offensesSupport Testimony
H.1270Remove record of mistaken arrestsAn Act relative to the expungement of records of persons falsely accused and juvenilesSupport
H.3039/
S.2014
Change rules on driver’s license suspensionAn Act relative to motor vehicle license suspensionSupport Testimony
Action Alert
S.729Impact of good behaviorAn Act relative to parole eligibilitySupport
Testimony
H.1475/
S.1255
Solitary confinement
restrictions
An Act to reduce recidivism, curb unnecessary spending, and ensure appropriate use of segregationSupport
Testimony
Testimony
H.1313Restorative justiceAn Act promoting restorative justice practicesSupport
Testimony
H.1270/ S.810Expungement of recordsAn Act relative to the expungement of records of persons falsely accused and juvenilesSupport
Testimony

Education, Terry Yoffie

Bill #TopicBill TitleLWVMA Action
S.251Dropout preventionAn Act relative to dropout prevention and recoverySupport
Testimony
S.2062Sexual health educationAn Act relative to healthy youthSupport
Testimony
Action Alert

Elder Affairs, Pat Costello

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.2029/
S.1159
Informing patients of statusAn Act regarding notification of patient observations statusSupport
Testimony

Elections and Voting, Linda Freedman

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.553/
S.377
Election Day voter registrationAn Act to establish election day registration (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
Testimony
H.3321Redraw Boston precinctsAn Act regarding Decennial division of wards and precincts in the city of BostonSupport
H.3937Automatic voter registrationAn Act automatically registering eligible voters and enhancing safeguards against fraudSupport
Testimony
H.572Campaign financeAn Act relative to the elimination of public campaign financing (Bill no longer active this session.)Oppose
Testimony
H.574Require paper ballotsAn Act to ensure secure voting equipment (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
Testimony
H. 557Require voter IDAn Act ensuring election integrity through voter identification (Bill no longer active this session.)Oppose
Testimony
H.569Require voter IDAn Act requiring photo identification for votingOppose
Testimony
H.595Require voter IDAn Act relative to valid identification at voting polls (Bill no longer active this session.)Oppose
Testimony
H.600Allow overseas ballot by secure websiteAn Act relative to UOCAVA voting (Bill no longer active this session.)Oppose
Testimony

Environment—Energy and Resource Conservation, Launa Zimmaro

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
S.1747Carbon pricingAn Act combatting climate changeSupport
Testimony
Action Alert
Letter
H.756Electronic waste productsAn Act to require producer responsibility for collection, reuse and recycling of discarded electronic productsSupport
Testimony
H.2870 and S.1768Gas leaksAn Act relative to protecting consumers of gas and electricity from paying for leaked and unaccounted for gas (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
Testimony
H.2871 and S.1767Gas leaksAn Act relative to gas leak repairs during road projectsSupport
Testimony
H.3854Sets solar net metering caps and other solar energy policiesAn Act providing for the establishment of a comprehensive adaptation management plan in response to climate changeOppose
Letter
S.2372Energy diversityAn Act to promote energy diversitySupport
Letter
Letter

Environment—Natural Resources, Lynn Wolbarst

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.2119Toxic chemicalsAn Act to prohibit the distribution in commerce of children’s products and upholstered furniture containing certain flame retardants, and for other purposesSupport
Testimony
H.646Repeals current bottle deposit lawAn Act improving recycling in the CommonwealthOppose

Fiscal Policy, June Michaels

Good Governance, Carolyn Lee

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.3665Access to public recordsAn Act to improve public recordsSupport
Testimony
Action Alert
Action Alert
Letter
Action Alert

Health Care, Judy Deutsch

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.1026Single-payer health careAn Act establishing Medicare for all in MassachusettsSupport
Testimony
H.1033Public health insurance optionAn Act establishing a public health insurance optionSupport
Testimony
H.965Compare health care costsAn Act to ensure effective health care cost controlSupport
Testimony
H.1958/ S.1206Patient-staff ratiosAn Act relative to patient safetySupport
Testimony
S.2076Dental HygienistAn Act establishing an advanced dental hygiene practitioner level of practiceSupport
Testimony
S.1114Health disparitiesAn Act to eliminate health disparities in the CommonwealthSupport
Testimony

Human Trafficking/Child Safety, Carole Pelchat

Immigration, Karen Price

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.1061In-state tuition for some non-citizen studentsAn Act relative to equal opportunity for high school graduates in the commonwealth (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
Testimony

Meeting Basic Human Needs, Clare Gordon

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.1129HomelessnessAn Act providing a homeless bill of rightsSupport
Testimony
H.2479Earned Income Tax CreditAn Act improving the earned income credit for working families (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
Testimony
S.70Financial StabilityAn Act promoting financial stability and asset developmentSupport
Testimony

Transportation, Lois Levin

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
H.3100Transportation assessmentAn Act directing the board of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to assess the current status of the Commonwealth’s transportation systemSupport
H.2698/ S.1474Local ballot initiatives for transportationAn Act relative to regional transportation ballot initiativesSupport
Testimony
H.3613Omnibus transportation billAn Act for a reliable, sustainable Massachusetts Bay Transportation AuthoritySupport
Testimony
H.3073/S.1807Sets space between cars and other road usersAn Act to protect vulnerable road usersSupport
Testimony
H.3019/S.1810Side guards on trucks An Act to protect vulnerable road users by requiring certain vehicles to be equipped with side under-rider guards and blind spot mirrors (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
H.3072/ S. 1808Keep vehicles out of bicycle lanesAn Act to protect bicyclists in bicycle lanesSupport
Testimony
S. 1809Allows cyclists to ride when using crosswalkAn Act to protect bicyclists in bicycle pathsSupport
Testimony

Women’s Issues

Bill #TopicBill Title LWVMA Action
S.2107Pay equityAn Act to establish pay equitySupport
Testimony
Action Alert
Action Alert
Action Alert
H.1769Rights for pregnant workersAn Act establishing the Massachusetts pregnant workers fairness actSupport
Testimony
Letter
H.784Disability insurance equityAn Act providing for equitable coverage in disability policies (Bill no longer active this session.)Support
Testimony
Action Alert