Friday, June 6th Legislative & Public Health Updates
- hannanur3
- Jun 9
- 11 min read
Dear friends,
I am writing to you today with legislative, Cambridge, and public health updates.
Table of Contents
Legislative Updates
Public Health Updates
A Glimpse at the Past Week
Cambridge Updates
Services and Resources
Cambridge Pride 2025
On Sunday, Mayor E. Denise Simmons and the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission will host Cambridge’s 36th Annual Pride event. The celebration will take place in Sullivan Chamber at City Hall from 11am-2pm and feature live performances, family activities, community resources, an ice cream truck, and a queer history exhibit.
I am also honored to share that I have been selected as Emerge Massachusetts’s Trailblazer Honoree. I am grateful to share a platform with my sisters in service. I hope you can join us for the 2025 Women of the Year event with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senator Lydia Edwards, and Register of Deeds Eileen Duff on Wednesday, June 11th. Visit https://bit.ly/decker2025woty to RSVP.
Legislative Updates
House Passes Cannabis Reform Bill
The House of Representatives unanimously passed a set of reforms to the Commonwealth’s cannabis laws on Wednesday that would allow the cannabis industry to continue growing responsibly. The bill makes changes to the structure of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), increases the number of retail licenses that an entity may have, lowers the barrier to entry for medical marijuana retail, increases purchase limits for consumers and patients, and addresses the selling of hemp products.
Public Health Committee Hearing on Vaccine Bills
Today, the Joint Committee on Public Health held a legislative hearing on bills related to vaccines. We heard testimony, both in-person and online, from legislators, health care providers, funeral directors, and other concerned members of the public. I am grateful to everyone who took time out of their day to share their stories and perspectives, as well as to those who submitted written testimony. Thank you as well to the Committee members who attended the hearing, to Legislative Information Services for providing remote access, and to the court officers. The hearing was recorded and is available for viewing here.
Department of Corrections Visitation Policies
I continue to be in conversations with advocates for incarcerated people and impacted community members about newly implemented Department of Corrections (DOC) policies restricting visitation. I have sent a letter communicating these concerns to DOC Commissioner Shawn Jenkins. I look forward to meeting with him soon to discuss them and highlight how these policies negatively impact the loved ones of incarcerated people, as well as recidivism rates.
Hearings on Bills That I Filed
I am grateful to the Chairs of the Judiciary and Public Service Committees for holding legislative hearings this week on two of my bills:
An Act to promote victim service funding (H.1655) ensures that gifts, grants, and donations—not just court fines and fees—can be directed into key victim compensation and assistance funds.
An Act relative to health insurance for surviving spouses (H.2801) ensures that surviving spouses of deceased public employees in Massachusetts can retain their health insurance coverage after remarriage and allows local governments to share the cost of premiums.
Public Health Updates
New COVID-19 Variant is Under WHO Surveillance
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced last week that it has added a new COVID-19 variant to its list of currently circulating variants under monitoring. The variant, NB.1.8.1, seems to be more easily transmissible than other variants and could potentially drive up cases this summer. The WHO’s risk evaluation report for this new variant has found that the vaccine will remain effective against NB.1.8.1. Over the past 5 weeks, NB.1.8.1 has been found in an increasing percentage of COVID cases. However, these cases have not been noted to be more severe than other common variants. Notably, this strain is increasing in prevalence just before a general expected summer uptick in cases. Currently, only a few cases of this variant have been detected in the U.S. through routine monitoring, although that number is expected to grow.
Trump Administration Rescinds Guidance Mandating Life-Saving Abortion Care in Hospitals
On Tuesday, the Trump Administration rescinded Biden-era guidance that reaffirmed a hospital’s obligation to provide health- and life-saving abortion care to patients experiencing medical crises under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). The Biden Administration issued the guidance to hospitals in 2022, weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion, arguing that EMTALA requires emergency rooms that receive Medicare funding to provide all patients with stabilizing treatment, including life-saving abortion care. While the administration did not explicitly state that hospitals could now turn away pregnant people seeking abortions in medical emergencies and reaffirmed that hospitals are still subject to federal law, health law experts suspect that hospitals will use the administration’s position to do so.
Trump’s FY26 Budget Proposal Highlights Massive Cuts to and Restructuring of HHS
Last Friday, the White House released a more detailed budget proposal demonstrating the extent to which the Trump administration is aiming to reshape the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2026. Notably, the proposal seeks to provide HHS with $94.7 billion in discretionary funding, a decrease of more than $31 billion from fiscal year 2025. The proposed budget also emphasizes plans to cut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget from $127 billion to $77 billion, representing a nearly 40% decrease from the current fiscal year, while attempting to consolidate the operating divisions within HHS from 28 to 15. Included in the restructuring is a new division, dubbed the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which will combine multiple agencies within HHS such as the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Grant Funding for Addressing the Opioid Crisis and Substance Use Disorder
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $1.5 million in matching grants to 30 municipalities and community organizations in areas that are disproportionately impacted by the overdose crisis. The grants range from $5,000 - $150,000 and will fund initiatives focusing on prevention, harm reduction, access to care, recovery, trauma, grief, and family support. This is the second round of funding announced through the Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership (Mosaic), in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) and RIZE Massachusetts. RIZE will conduct two additional Municipal Matching Grant rounds through 2027, awarding a total of $4 million in matching grants during the program’s three years.
A Glimpse at the Past Week
Constituents stopped by my office on Tuesday to share their support for An Act relative to end of life options. These discussions are always so powerful, and I am deeply grateful to those who share their stories with me. I have given significant thought to this issue for decades, from my time as a Cambridge City Councillor to my first years as a State Representative, and over the past five years as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health. The Public Health Committee’s first legislative hearing of this session was on end-of-life bills, and I appreciate everyone who submitted written and oral testimony for our consideration.
It was great to attend a meet and greet with Ireland's Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond T.D., alongside some of my new summer interns. Neale Richmond T.D. has undertaken significant work in the areas of human rights and displacement, responsible trade and investment policy, and international aid and collaboration in an uncertain federal environment. He has also played a part in fostering the relationship between Ireland and the Commonwealth. Thank you to my friend and colleague, Chair John Lawn, for hosting this event.
On Wednesday morning, I had the privilege of joining a panel for Lori Lander’s breakfast on reducing gun violence alongside Kristen Bauer, Director of Grassroots 4GVP, Reverend Steve Watson, Senior Pastor, Reservoir Church and Board Member of Samaritans and Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, and Deputy Superintendent Michael Medeiros, Cambridge Police Department.
Gun violence is a public health crisis that disproportionately impacts communities of color and underserved populations. While we have some of the most comprehensive gun ownership laws in the nation, Massachusetts is not immune to gun violence. Just a few months ago, in our community, we experienced an active shooter in Harvard Square. In my 12 years in the State Legislature, we have not taken our foot off the pedal, and I am deeply grateful that I have had the privilege to play a role in leading on multiple pieces of legislation that have been passed into law.
During the breakfast, I shared the recent progress the Legislature has made on gun safety policy. Last session, we passed a comprehensive common sense gun safety omnibus that incorporated language from bills that I had filed to address ghost guns, update the Red Flag law, enhance firearm data collection, and define public spaces where firearms are prohibited, as well as an amendment establishing the Special Legislative Commission to Study the Commonwealth’s Funding Structure for Violence Prevention Services. The Commission, which I co-Chair along with Senator Bill Driscoll Jr., is tasked with: examining and evaluating the existing funding structure for violence prevention services in the Commonwealth; studying the feasibility of a statewide grant to implement a public health and safety approach to preventing targeted violence; and making recommendations to enhance existing violence prevention services and minimize the disproportionate impact of violence in historically impacted communities.
This session, I have also filed:
An Act to promote safe firearm storage education and increase the well-being of students (H.548) requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a model for school districts to disseminate information about safe firearm storage to families.
An Act authorizing the voluntary disavowal of eligibility to purchase a firearm (H.2592) requires the establishment of a list, administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, of individuals who have voluntarily terminated their ability to purchase a firearm. They will also develop a standard form for the disavowal of firearm ownership.
An Act making firearm owners civilly liable for damage caused by lost or stolen firearms (H.2590) creates civil liability for firearm owners in Massachusetts who fail to report a lost or stolen gun that is later used to commit a crime.
An Act requiring licensed gun owners to submit a yearly affidavit (H.2589) requires all licensed gun owners in Massachusetts to file an annual sworn affidavit stating whether they have had any firearms lost or stolen since the last time their license was issued or renewed.
An Act relative to the reckless discharge of firearms (H.1656) establishes a new criminal offense for the intentional or reckless discharge of a firearm that creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury.
An Act to stop mass shootings (H.1650) alongside Leader Frank Moran, which bans the manufacturing of assault weapons and large-capacity feeding devices in Massachusetts, except for sales to authorized law enforcement or military agencies.
Thank you to Lori for creating this civic space, which allows us to have these conversations.
My staff attended an important briefing on the Location Shield Act. Oregon’s Governor signed similar legislation into law this week to protect data privacy and stop the sale of cell phone location data. I am proud of the House’s leadership in passing this bill last session, and I am a proud cosponsor of the measure again this session. I am grateful for the leadership of Chair Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Rep. David Viera for filing this bill.
On Wednesday, I toured Bonde Wines in Harvard Square with Ralph Sacromone, Executive Director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, and owner Bertil Jean-Chronberg. We had an enlightening and informative conversation, and I look forward to continuing to learn about how liquor license regulations impact the livelihood of small, locally owned businesses.
My staff met with Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) members during their Beacon Hill Day to discuss their legislative priorities, dental education, and preventative care. Just a few weeks ago, I met with representatives from MDS and MassHealth staff to discuss the challenges that have occurred due to some recent transitions. I am grateful to continue this partnership and for the work MDS does to ensure that dentists can deliver oral care to residents across the Commonwealth, especially to our most underserved populations.
It was great to see many climate advocates and coalitions, including constituents and advocates from Mothers Out Front Cambridge, come together at the State House on Wednesday to hold briefings on the following bills:
These briefings, which discussed moving Massachusetts away from its reliance on gas infrastructure, highlighted the current state and federal funding sources as insufficient to address the critical state of affairs and explored ways to generate new revenue to combat climate change.
In the last session, the Legislature passed a comprehensive climate bill, and Massachusetts is leading the nation in climate policy; however, there is still more work to be done. Climate change affects us all, and we must continue to take responsibility for addressing it and prioritizing our most vulnerable populations, as they bear the brunt of its impact. I am committed to mitigating climate change issues and am grateful to represent a constituency that is deeply engaged and dedicated to being stewards of our planet for future generations.
Thank you to Mothers Out Front, the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations, the Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, and the Better Future Project for organizing these essential briefings. Thank you to my colleagues, Representatives Jenny Armini, Sam Montaño, and Steve Owens, as well as Patricia Duffy and Natalie Blais, and Senators Sal DiDomenico and Jamie Eldridge, for filing these critical pieces of legislation.
On Thursday, my staff stopped by MA FOUNDERS Day at the State House, which highlights Massachusetts-based innovations in research and technology. They met the impressive team behind Pascal, a startup in Cambridge working to develop solid refrigerants and reduce the massive levels of energy consumption derived from heating and cooling.
Cambridge Updates
Gun Buyback Tomorrow, June 7
Help make Cambridge a safer community by disposing of any unwanted guns! The annual Gun Buyback tomorrow, June 7, from 10am-12pm, will provide safe and convenient spaces for individuals to voluntarily hand over unwanted firearms without the need for questions or identification. There will be two drop-off locations: the parking lots of Reservoir Church (170 Rindge Ave.) and Pentecostal Tabernacle (77 Columbia St.).
You will receive a gift card for firearms and/or BB guns you turn in, ranging from $50-$200 in value. Children who turn in any toy guns will be eligible to receive a gift card to Toscanini’s ice cream. Bring firearms unloaded with the safety engaged in a bag, box, or case. The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office will safely destroy all guns. Residents planning to turn in firearms should call the Cambridge Police in advance by calling (617) 349-6009.
R-Jay Jones Youth Scholarship Fund
The Cambridge Community Center (CCC) is launching the R-Jay Jones Youth Scholarship Fund to ensure that no child is turned away from our summer or after-school programs due to financial barriers. This fund honors the extraordinary legacy of Ronald “R-Jay” Jones, who has served the CCC for over 50 years. In previous years, your generosity helped fund field trips and enrichment experiences. This year, due to recent cuts in external funding beyond their control, they are shifting their focus to scholarships. Your support will help families continue to access the full range of services the CCC offers, including daily meals, social-emotional support, mentorship, physical activity, and a caring community. If you'd like to include a note to R-Jay with your gift, email it to info@cambridgecc.org with "R-Jay" in the subject line. They will make sure he receives it.
Services and Resources
Cambridge Public Health Helpline Supports Residents with COVID-19
To speak with someone, call the confidential COVID-19 Hotline at 617-933-0797. Learn more here.
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 with a 24/7 for caregivers and patients. More information is available at alz.org, or by calling 800-272-3900.
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. You can learn more about their services at denovo.org.
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.
As always, please contact me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie