By Megan Lee
In addition to the six state bills that Massachusetts Peace Action has introduced to the Massachusetts State Legislature, there are additional state bills that MAPA supports.
Healthcare
An Act Establishing Medicare for All (S.744/ H.1239)
The bill aims to guarantee equitable healthcare access for every resident of the Commonwealth through a single-payer healthcare financing system. Please visit the MassCare website for more information.
SAPHE – State Action for Public Health Excellence (S.1334/ H.2204)
This bipartisan legislation will overhaul the state’s broken system and ensure strong public health protections for all residents, regardless of race, income, or zip code.
Amendment #1406 to the FY2024 budget will have the same effect.
Please view the SAPHE fact sheet for more information.
The Indigenous Legislative Agenda
The Indigenous agenda includes five bills meant to honor, protect, and preserve Native American culture and identity in Massachusetts.
1. Honor Indigenous People’s Day (S.1976/ H.2989)
This bill replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in the Massachusetts General Laws.
2. Protect Native American Heritage (S.2186/H.3248)
This bill would ensure that Native American funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony (those of cultural, traditional, or historical importance to their heritage) held in governmental, municipal, or non-profit collections are not sold for profit.
3. Remove Racist Mascots (S.245/ H.477)
This bill would prohibit the use of Native American mascots in Massachusetts public schools.
4. Celebrate and Teach Native American Culture & History (S.344/ H.529)
This bill addresses the lack of Indigenous curriculum in Massachusetts public schools.
5. Educate Native Youth (S.318/H.536)
This bill proposes a permanent commission towards improving educational outcomes and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Please visit the MA Indigenous Agenda website and the Bill Summary Sheet for more information.
Prison Issues
The No New Women’s Prison Bill (S.1979/ H.1795)
This bill aims to invest in the community instead of new prisons.
Please visit the Families for Justice and Healing website for more information.
The Life Without Parole Bill (S.1045/H.1821)
This bill aims to allow all people serving life sentences the opportunity for a parole hearing after serving 25 years, and it would ensure access to restorative justice programming.
Please visit the Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts for more information.
Click Here to Contact your Legislators if you support the Life Without Parole Bill.
Emergency Response
Create Equitable Approaches to Public Health (H.2264/ S.1407)
Well over 90% of 911 calls are for nonviolent emergencies, that is, for wellness checks, reported vagrancy, and personal crises. When 911 responders are armed police, violence frequently results, and the needs of the person who is the focus of the call too often are ignored. The bill creates a new emergency response model that focuses on public health and addressing underlying problems.
Climate Awareness
Air Quality Improvement (S.1382/ H.2131)
This bill aims to improve outdoor and indoor air quality for communities burdened by pollution.
Energy Facilities Reform (S.2113/ H.3187)
This act ensures the Energy Facilities Sitting Board reforms to address environmental justice, climate, and public health.
Access to Justice (S.953/ H.1677)
This bill is aimed at eradicating discrimination and ensuring access to the judicial process for aggravated parties to enforce their rights.
Zero Carbon Renovation Fund (S.2365/ H.3232)
This bill creates a $300 million dollar investment from the state legislature to serve as a down payment to equitably advance building decarbonization efforts and jumpstart the zero carbon renovation industry across the Commonwealth.
New Gas System Moratorium (S.2135/ H.3237)
This bill would prohibit the expansion of new combustible fuel facilities and prevent the creation of new combustible fuel facilities unless required for public safety until 2026, at the earliest.
Polluters Pay (S.481/ H.872)
This bill would require top polluters to contribute to a superfund used to pay for climate-related damages in Massachusetts.
Please visit the Mass Power Forward website for more information regarding all Climate Awareness bills.
Nuclear Waste
Preventing the Discharge of Radioactive Materials (S.442/ H.2302)
This bill would establish a commission to study the environmental/economic impacts of dumping, which would be stopped for 2 years until the study is completed.
Improving the Health of Communities surrounding Nuclear Plants (S.1498)
This bill improves on state law to increase the current 10-mile Nuclear Power Plant emergency planning area to 50 miles and includes waste dump sites until the waste leaves the state.
Monitoring Dry Casks of Spent Fuel (S.1448)
This bill would establish real-time monitoring of each dry cask and fully fund emergency planning until the waste is in dry casks.
Decommission the Oversight of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (H.3199)
This bill establishes new a NDCAP type panel and reconfigures the members to reduce citizen involvement.
Immigration
Language Access and Inclusion Act (S.1990/ H.3084)
This bill would address the language barrier crisis by standardizing and enforcing language access policies and practices at public-facing state agencies to ensure all residents have equal access to the services and information they need.
Click here to view the Mass Speaks Fact Sheet for more information.
Click Here to Contact Your Legislators if you support the Language Access Bill.
Upstream RAFT Act (S.856/ H.1312)
This act would protect all low-income state residents from eviction or foreclosure by codifying and streamlining access to DHCD’s homelessness prevention program, Residential Assitance for Families in Transition (RAFT), and restoring critical COIVD-era protections.
Safe Communities Act (S.1510/ H.2288)
This bill would end state and local involvement in civil immigration enforcement, increasing immigrant access to court and police protection.
Tuition Equity Act (S.817/ H.1281)
This act would ensure that all MA high school graduates have access to in-state tuition at our Commonwealth’s public colleges and universities, regardless of immigration status, as 23 other states and D.C. provide. The Senate bill would also extend eligibility for state financial aid.
Cover All Kids Act (S.740/ H.1237)
This act would expand comprehensive MassHealth coverage to children and young adults whose only barrier to eligibility is their immigration status.
*NEW* Physician Pathway Act (S.1402/ H.2224)
This act would marshall the skills of seasoned, internationally-trained physicians to address acute physician shortages in Massachusetts by creating a streamlined pathway to full licensure.
Click here to view the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition website for more information on all immigration bills.
Peace Economy
Protect the Intent of the Fair Share Amendment (H.2909/ S.1866; H.2908/ S.1865)
These bills will ensure that the legislature makes spending decisions in line with the intention of the Fair Share Amendment and the voters.
Please visit the FairShare MA website for more information.
Rent Control (S.1299/ H.2103)
This bill would repeal the ban on rent control and enable municipalities to enact local rent control ordinances to stabilize housing costs and prevent no-cause evictions.
Foreclosure Prevention (S.653/ H.942)
This bill would establish a statewide Foreclosure Prevention Program to require servicers to participate in pre-foreclosure mediation with homeowners to explore alternatives to foreclosures.
Please visit the HFA Mass website for more information on the Rent Control & Foreclosure Prevention bills.
Mass is Not For Sale (S.627/ H.1158)
This act establishes protections and accountability for TNC and DNC workers, consumers, and communities.
Please visit the Massachusetts is Not For Sale website for the fact sheet and more information.
