Friday, January 9th Legislative & Public Health Updates
- hannanur3
- Jan 12
- 15 min read
Dear friends,
I am writing to you today with legislative, public health, and Cambridge updates. If you want even more updates, please follow me on Instagram @repdecker.
Table of Contents
Legislative Updates
A Glimpse at the Past Week
Public Health Updates
Cambridge Updates
Recent Press
Services and Resources
Legislative Updates
On Wednesday, I met with advocates from Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) to discuss legislation that I filed in partnership with them. These bills would prohibit suspensions and expulsions for students in pre-K to third grade; require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to report data on student demographics; modernize laws around the expungement of juvenile records; and eliminate fines and fees in the juvenile justice system. I’m looking forward to continuing to partner with CfJJ this session to ensure equity in the education and justice systems for young people in Massachusetts.
On Thursday, I had a meeting with advocates from Community Labor United about An Act expanding access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare (H.542). As I have shared in previous newsletters, this bill would establish a payment structure for family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care providers and create a state advisory committee to study ways to better support FFN care. This will allow families to use the full daily value of their childcare vouchers and will ensure that FFN providers are paid at least minimum wage.
I am continuing to work with Senator DiDomenico, who filed the bill in the Senate, and with Chair Gordon of the Education Committee to move this legislation forward.
I was proud to stand with my colleagues and members of the Healey-Driscoll Administration on Thursday as Governor Healey announced that Massachusetts will invest an additional $250 million from the Commonwealth Care Trust Fund into the Health Connector. The ConnectorCare program provides subsidized health insurance policies to middle- and low-income residents, who were facing skyrocketing health care costs because Trump and Republicans in Congress allowed federal subsidies to expire.
The Legislature established the Commonwealth Care Trust Fund as part of our major health care reform law in 2006 — the template for the Affordable Care Act — and our continued investments in the Trust Fund made it possible for the state to act quickly to keep health care costs as low as possible. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure that residents of the Commonwealth are able to access affordable and comprehensive health care when and where they need it.
A Glimpse at the Past Week
I was glad to join Cambridge Community Center (CCC) CEO Darrin Korte in thanking Pipefitters Local 537 for their generous donation to CCC. I am deeply grateful to Local 537 and to everyone whose contributions to Local 537’s charity golf tournament made this donation possible. I’m continuing to highlight the Cambridge Community Center because it plays such a critical role not just in helping people meet their basic needs, but also in providing the hope and joy that are vital to our well-being.
On Monday, I attended the Cambridge City Council inaugural ceremony. This celebration served as a reminder of the profound responsibility we hold as elected officials to bring all voices to the table and center equity in our decision-making. Congratulations to all of the City Councillors and School Committee members, who were also installed on Monday. I appreciate your dedication to public service and look forward to continuing to serve as a partner and resource in my role as your State Representative.
I also want to congratulate Sumbul Siddiqui on her election as Mayor and thank outgoing Mayor Denise Simmons and City Councillor Ayesha Wilson for their service.
It was bittersweet to join friends, colleagues, and community members on Wednesday morning in celebrating Ellen Semonoff on the occasion of her retirement. Ellen has dedicated her career to public service, serving as the City of Cambridge’s Assistant City Manager for Human Services since 2004, along with holding several other roles in the city. Her distinguished career also includes serving as a member of President Obama’s Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health; as a Special Assistant to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Joseph A. Califano; and as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. I am deeply grateful for Ellen’s extraordinary contributions to our community and wish her a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement.
On Friday morning, I connected with two educational non-profits serving the families of Cambridge. I first met with Tutoring Plus’s Jordan Harvey, who just finished his first official week as Executive Director. Tutoring Plus works to advance educational equity for students in Cambridge by supporting their academic, personal, and social growth through free and individualized tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment programs.
My second meeting was with Dr. Peter Dublin, President of the Family Learning Company, where I learned more about their initiative to leverage home-based learning to supplement school instruction, ensuring that literacy practice extends beyond the classroom. We know that educational success is essential to building the skills, confidence, and curiosity that children need to thrive, and opens the door to future opportunities that expand their choices and potential. Thank you to all organizations working to make education more accessible for the students of Cambridge.
Public Health Updates
Massachusetts Governor and Commissioner of Public Health Condemn the CDC’s decision to Reduce the Number of Critical Vaccines Recommended for All Children
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) acting director took an unprecedented action by signing a memorandum to revise the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule by reducing the number of vaccines the agency recommends children receive from 17 to 11. In Massachusetts, the Governor and Commissioner of Public Health have condemned the CDC’s decision and, in partnership with the state legislature, have taken action to preemptively protect access to vaccines and guarantee insurance coverage in the event the federal government rolls back evidence-based recommendations. You may have been confused, as the Boston Globe's editorial yesterday highlighted that these changes create confusion among parents and lead to reduced vaccination rates. Please note that in November 2025, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a supplemental budget that included language giving the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) the authority to set a state-level vaccine schedule independent of the CDC’s recommendations, ensuring that adolescents can continue to access evidence-based vaccines. The Division of Insurance (DOI) and DPH also issued a joint bulletin requiring health insurers operating in Massachusetts to guarantee coverage for any vaccine recommended by the state. Click here to learn more about DPH’s childhood vaccine schedule, and here to learn more about the vaccine DPH currently recommends independently from federal recommendations. The vaccines removed from the CDC’s immunization schedule include those that protect youth from hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, seasonal influenza, and COVID-19. Previously, these vaccines were recommended for all children and adolescents; now, they are classified as immunizations recommended based on shared clinical decision-making.
Vermont Follows Massachusetts’ Lead on Gender-Affirming Health Care
Vermont Legislators have followed in Massachusetts’s steps by introducing legislation to protect access to gender-affirming health care. This bill very closely aligns with efforts Massachusetts took last year to protect and preserve access to this critical health care, when the Legislature established the first-in-the-nation fund dedicated solely to gender-affirming care and appropriated $1 million in initial state funding. Vermont’s bill would establish its own affirming health care trust fund to be administered by the state treasurer. Money from the fund would be used to cover costs associated with receiving and providing gender-affirming health care services. Direct payments would be issued to health care providers who perform gender-affirming care and to nonprofit organizations working to increase access to affirming health care. The bill also contains provisions shielding patient, health care provider, and nonprofit information from third parties, including the federal government and other states.
Massachusetts Invests an Additional $250 Million to Limit Health Care Premium Increases
Yesterday, the Massachusetts Legislature, Governor Maura Healey, and health care leaders announced a health insurance relief plan that will invest an additional $250 million in the Massachusetts ConnectorCare program, the state’s marketplace for subsidized Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance policies, to limit premium increases for residents with insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector. At the end of December, the federal enhanced premium tax credits under the ACA expired when Congress failed to renew the subsidies before they expired. Across the US, 22 million people, including hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents who rely on these credits to afford coverage, would have seen significant premium increases without this plan authorized by the Governor and the legislature. This initiative represents the largest state investment in the country, bringing Massachusetts’ total funding for the insurance marketplace to $600 million. The relief plan would reduce health insurance premiums, limit the impact of these increases on Massachusetts families, and lower out-of-pocket costs. As a result, approximately 270,000 Massachusetts residents enrolled in ConnectorCare and making below 400% of the federal poverty level will see little to no premium increases due to the expiration of federal subsidies. Additionally, the US House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill to re-establish tax credits that lowered premiums for ACA plans, which would extend for three years and now awaits Senate action.
First Adolescent Flu-Related Deaths Reported in Massachusetts
Massachusetts public health officials have reported that four children in Massachusetts have recently died due to flu-related complications. Two of these deaths were children under the age of two residing in Boston, representing the first flu-related adolescent deaths in the city in 13 years. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), there has also been a total of 30 adult flu-related deaths since last week. This news comes as flu cases continue to swiftly climb across the Commonwealth and the United States. While it is expected to see an uptick in flu and respiratory illnesses during winter, a new flu variant is driving cases this year: subclade K. To protect yourself and others from severe infection, it is crucial to get vaccinated. DPH data show that 34% of Massachusetts residents have received their flu vaccine at this time. This is a 2% decrease from flu vaccination rates at this time last year, and a 9.5% decrease from the 2020-2021 flu season. Although the subclade K variant was not included in this year’s flu vaccine, data still show that the flu vaccine is effective at reducing the risk of acute illness leading to hospitalization. Given the projected severity of this flu season, state health officials are urging people to get vaccinated if possible, especially those at high risk for severe illness. People at an increased risk for an acute infection due to influenza include people over the age of 65, people with chronic conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, young children, and pregnant people. For more information about where you can get your flu vaccine this season, you can visit www.mass.gov/info-details/flu-prevention-and-vaccine-information.
Massachusetts Awarded $162 Million Grant to Support Rural Health
The federal government recently awarded Massachusetts $162 million over five years to improve rural health care across the state. The application process was led by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), in partnership with more than 165 health care entities, including health centers, primary care providers, and community-based organizations. This grant is being awarded to the state by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through the Rural Health Transformation Program established in the most recent federal reconciliation bill, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It is important to remember that the federal reconciliation bill made significant cuts to CMS spending and rural health, totalling upwards of $911 billion over the next decade. The money provided to states through the Rural Health Transformation Program is intended to offset the impacts of CMS cuts; however, it will not fully offset the increased health care costs and the overall damage to the health care system caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Massachusetts will still leverage funds from the Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen access to health services in remote communities. These efforts will include making essential investments in preventive health care and workforce development and promoting innovative models of health care delivery.
Cambridge Updates
Affordable Housing Information Session
The Cambridge Housing Department is presenting a virtual information session about Affordable Rental and Home Ownership Programs on Monday, January 12 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: presentation on the City's affordable rental programs
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: presentation on the City's affordable homeownership programs
The information session is open to all and will be held remotely via Zoom. To participate, please register in advance of the meeting. The Housing Division is currently accepting applications for the Homeownership Pool and Rental Applicant Pool. Preference is given for Cambridge residents and families with children.
51st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Lecture (Hybrid)
Join the Cambridge Public Library on Wednesday, January 14 from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM for the 51st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture with Dr. Brandon M. Terry. Dr. Terry is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University and Co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration, and Public Safety at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. He is the author of Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope: A Tragic Vision of the Civil Rights Movement and is coeditor, with Tommie Shelby, of To Shape a New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and editor of Fifty Years Since MLK. The lecture will be held in the Lecture Hall at the Main Library (449 Broadway) and online. Register here (required).
Combined Sewer Overflow Joint Public Meeting
The Cities of Cambridge and Somerville and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority are working together to create plans for future sewer improvements that will reduce pollution in our rivers. Join a virtual public meeting on Thursday, January 15 at 6:00 PM to learn more about the alternatives being considered, costs implications on rate payers, and share your feedback!
Register online: tinyurl.com/CSOZoomreg
For more information, please visit the joint CSO Control Planning website.
Cambridge Community Electricity to Offer More Clean Electricity and Lower Prices
Beginning in January 2026, lower electricity supply prices will take effect for all participants in Cambridge Community Electricity, the City’s electricity buying program. At the same time, most participants will receive more of their electricity from clean, renewable sources.
No action is required for current Cambridge Community Electricity participants. Active program participants will be automatically enrolled into the lower price for their program option with their January 2026 meter read. New program prices will first appear on February 2026 Eversource electric bills. Program participants are free to change their option, or opt out at any time, with no fee or penalty.
If you need to enroll, make changes to your enrollment, or get more information, Cambridge electricity customers are encouraged to visit the program website at CambridgeMA.gov/enrollCCE or contact customer support with the city’s program consultants at 844-379-9934.
Upcoming Information Sessions
To learn more about Cambridge Community Electricity, join an online information session.
Winter Warming Center Open Dec. 1 - April 30
The Cambridge Winter Warming Center will be open Monday, December 1, through Friday, April 30, at 437 Green St. (the back entrance of the Senior Center in Central Square). The Warming Center will be open every day of the week from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. as a welcoming drop-in center where unsheltered adults can spend the night safely during the winter months. At the Winter Warming Center, guests will have access to beverages and a meal, bathrooms, and a mat to rest on the floor. They will also be able to connect with first responders regarding serious health and safety concerns. Additionally, information about other community services will be available, including direct access to the Cambridge Coordinated Access Network (C-CAN) to be assessed for potential housing opportunities.
Recent Press
MASSPIRG Media Center
A bill to protect public health from toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS passed a key hurdle in the state Legislature after winning passage in the House from the Joint Committee on Public Health.
The Act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS (H4870/S1504) filed by state Rep. Kate Hogan (Stow) and Sen. Julian Cyr (Provincetown) would phase out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in many products; cut industrial discharges of PFAS; and set up a fund to help communities test and treat PFAS in drinking water, soil, and groundwater. The House bill passed committee and the Senate bill is pending action.
“This is great news for Massachusetts residents,” said Deirdre Cummings, MASSPIRG Legislative Director. “We appreciate the leadership of Rep. Kate Hogan and Rep.Marjorie Decker, the House Chair of the Committee on Public Health in getting this important bill moving.”
Services and Resources
While the federal government shutdown has ended, food insecurity in Cambridge and across Massachusetts remains very real.
You can still donate to funds such as the Cambridge Community Center (CCC)’s Nourish a Neighbor fund and the United Response Fund to support local and statewide food assistance programs.
If you need help meeting your or your family’s nutritional needs, you are not alone. You can find information on Cambridge food pantries, free community meals, and other local food resources here.
Additional Food Assistance Resources
Mass.gov/SNAPFreeze provides resources for people in need of food assistance and ways for residents and businesses to donate or volunteer.
Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline is free, confidential, and has counselors available in 180 languages. You can call or text 1.800.645.8333 to access the hotline, or chat with a counselor online using the “Live Chat” feature at the bottom of the website.
Greater Boston Food Bank has information on food assistance as well as opportunities to donate and to volunteer.
Cambridge Food Resource Guide has information about food pantries, free community meals, food resources for older adults, and more, and is available in 8 languages.
Reproductive Care, Gender-Affirming Care, and Crisis Resources
These are a few of the resources and help lines available for people seeking reproductive or gender-affirming health care or experiencing a crisis. Help is available, and you are not alone.
LUCE Defense Hotline
If you see or suspect ICE or federal agents are in your neighborhood, contact the LUCE Immigrant Defense Network’s Hotline, which operates in several languages, at 617-370-5023 from 9am-5pm. A trained operator will ask for details, then dispatch a volunteer to the site, who will attempt to verify the situation and the presence of ICE. You can learn more about LUCE and their upcoming volunteer trainings at lucemass.org.
De Novo Center for Justice and Healing
De Novo is a Cambridge-based nonprofit that provides free civil legal assistance and affordable psychological counseling to people with low incomes. Importantly, De Novo also offers high-quality, free legal assistance to low-income immigrants and asylum seekers who are living in Massachusetts. You can learn more about their immigration related services here, and their general mission and work at denovo.org.
MBTA Income-Eligible Reduced Fare Program
The MBTA’s income-eligible reduced fare program offers reduced fares to riders between the ages of 18 and 64 enrolled in an approved state assistance program, including:
Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled & Children (EAEDC)
Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)
MASSGrant
MassHealth
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
You can learn more about the program and how to apply at mbta.com/fares/reduced/income-eligible.
Intimate Partner Abuse Prevention Helpline
This initiative is designed to prevent intimate partner violence by fostering accountability and change in people who harm or may harm their partner. You can find more information at 10to10helpline.org or by calling 877-898-3411.
SafeSpot Overdose Prevention Helpline
SafeSpot is a virtual spotting/overdose detection service for people who use drugs. Learn more at safe-spot.me or access it by calling 800-972-0590.
Alzheimer's Association Helpline
The Alzheimer’s Association is a nonprofit that provides support, research, and care for Alzheimer’s and dementia. It is available 24/7 for caregivers and patients. More information is available at alz.org, or by calling 800-272-3900.
MassLegalHelp.org is a resource to help Massachusetts residents learn about their legal rights. The website does not offer legal advice or answer individual questions, but has a page about options for finding a lawyer. It does provide resources for those facing legal issues, such as a landlord refusing to make repairs, appealing the denial of SNAP benefits, and questions about getting a CORI sealed.
Free Shuttle Bus Transportation Available to Older Adults in Cambridge
Council on Aging (COA) Bus Service
On Mondays and Wednesdays, the shuttle bus is available to residents who live in Central Square (02139) and East Cambridge (02141)
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the shuttle bus is available to residents who live in North Cambridge (02140) and West Cambridge (02138)
To reserve a seat on the shuttle bus, call the Council on Aging’s Transportation Office at 617-349-7254. Please make reservations at least 2 business days in advance. COA staff will share a morning pickup time with residents once reservations are complete.
Council on Aging (COA) Mall Shopping Group Transportation
The Mall Shopping Group shuttle bus provides free transportation to Arsenal Yards in Watertown, which has a variety of retail shops, grocery stores, and restaurants to explore. The shuttle can also bring residents to the Watertown Mall Plaza, which includes a Target and Registry of Motor Vehicles.
This trip alternates between Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week. The shuttle leaves the Cambridge Senior Center at 10:30 a.m. and returns to the Senior Center at 1 p.m. Home pickup is available upon request.
To reserve a seat on the shuttle bus for the Mall Shopping Group, call the Council on Aging’s Transportation Office at 617-349-7254. Please make reservations at least 2 business days in advance.
Door2Door by SCM Transportation
Door2Door Transportation by SCM is available to Cambridge residents who are 60 years or older or residents who have a mobility impairment. The transportation service provides rides to medical appointments and grocery stores. Door2Door is also piloting a weekly shuttle service to the Target on Somerville Ave. in Somerville.
For reservations, call 617-625-1191 between 9 am and 1:30 pm on weekdays, excluding holidays. When you hear the greeting, press “0” to speak to reservations.
Welcome Baby Boxes for Cambridge Parents
The Center for Families provides Baby Boxes to eligible Cambridge parents who have a child under one year old.
The Baby Boxes include diapers, wipes, children's books, and community resources for families.
Parents can customize their Baby Box by choosing items sized for a 0–6-month-old or 6–12-month-old. They can also select a baby carrier, diaper backpack, and breastfeeding supplies for their Baby Box.
If you’re interested in signing up for a Welcome Baby Box, please fill out this form or contact welcomebabyboxes@cambridgema.gov.
As always, please contact me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie
