Friday, March 6th Legislative & Public Health Updates
- 1 day ago
- 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.
I hope that you saw my email earlier this week about my annual Diaper Drive Winter Celebration tomorrow. Please bring the whole family and, if you are able, a box of diapers to be donated to the Cambridge Community Center and Transition House. Every contribution makes a meaningful difference. This year, we’re gathering in two locations to make it easier for everyone to join:
Saturday, March 7, 9:00–10:30 a.m.
Alden Park Playground (Oxford St & Sacramento St, across from Baldwin School)
Saturday, March 7, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Riverside Press Park Playground (River St & Memorial Dr)
As the Massachusetts Legislature enters the second year of our two-year session, we’re moving into the most action-packed phase — when bills advance to the House floor, and key votes take place.
Your voice is essential to shaping this work. I deeply value hearing directly from constituents and regularly co-sponsor and file legislation based on the priorities you share with me. As we head into this busy stretch, I invite you to take a few minutes to complete our community survey and let me know what issues matter most to you and what you hope the Legislature will address in the months ahead. Your input directly informs and guides my work on your behalf. You can participate by scanning the QR Code below or by clicking here.
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 was honored to stand alongside my colleagues in the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus as they testified for the PROTECT Act (An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment). The bill protects immigrant communities, safeguards our courts, and ensures due process and equal protection under the law. As I shared in an earlier email, the PROTECT Act includes An Act relative to access to justice (H.1635), which I filed alongside Chair Day. I am proud to co-sponsor this omnibus legislation and will continue working to strengthen this bill in partnership with the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus as they lead the effort to advance it through the Legislature.
I was honored to speak at the Berkshire County NAACP General Membership Meeting about our ongoing efforts to strengthen rural health care access across Massachusetts. Rural communities face unique challenges, including longer travel times to providers, fewer health care facilities, and persistent barriers to equitable care. I was also proud to highlight legislation that I filed this session, An Act expanding access to perimenopause and menopause care (H.4838), which aims to improve access to education, treatment, and support for people navigating perimenopause and menopause. Ensuring that all residents, regardless of where they live, can access the care they need remains a critical priority.
I spoke at the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless Legislative Action Day on Thursday about my work on policies around housing stability, homelessness prevention, and poverty alleviation. I am grateful for the Coalition’s support for my bills to permanently establish and improve the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition homelessness prevention program (H.1488), to ease access to the Emergency Assistance (EA) program and to create an ombudsperson unit to assist families applying for and participating in EA and HomeBASE (H.216), and to lift children, families, older adults, and people with disabilities out of poverty (H.214). As we work through the second year of the legislative session and enter the fiscal year 2027 budget season, I remain committed to investing in programs that make it possible for everyone in the Commonwealth to thrive.
Today, the Special Legislative Commission on the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children held its first official meeting at the State House to discuss the goals and future work of the commission. A school and rehabilitation facility in Canton, Pappas serves children and young adults with complex disabilities. As co-chair of the Commission, I am committed to ensuring that the needs of children who require access to special health care services are met and to building a system that works for all kids and families in the Commonwealth.
A Glimpse at the Past Week
On Saturday, I attended one of my favorite community traditions, the 40th Annual MLK Brunch hosted by the Cambridge NAACP. Held this year at the David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University, the event brought together neighbors, advocates, and leaders for a joyful and powerful celebration of Dr. King’s legacy. The room was filled with a deep sense of community and shared purpose as we gathered to reflect on the brunch’s theme, “No Silence in the Face of Injustice,” and recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of justice and equity.
The program featured inspiring remarks from keynote speaker Brandon Terry, whose work on democracy, race, and political philosophy offered a thoughtful reflection on Dr. King’s enduring call to action. I am grateful to the Cambridge NAACP for the incredible work they do year-round to advance civil rights and strengthen our community, and for hosting such a meaningful and uplifting gathering each year.
I was glad to join community members at the Cambridge Public Library to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Henry Knox and his remarkable “Noble Train of Artillery.” The event, part of the Cambridge MA250 celebrations, honored Knox’s historic winter journey transporting captured cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to the Continental Army outside Boston, an effort that helped turn the tide of the Revolutionary War. It was inspiring to gather with residents, historians, and reenactors to reflect on Cambridge’s important role in our nation’s founding and the stories that continue to shape our community today.
I enjoyed celebrating Ayanna Pressley at La Fabrica Central this past weekend. It was wonderful to see so many families, friends, and community members gathered together in such a joyful space to recognize her leadership and the impact she continues to have in our community. The energy in the room was a powerful reminder of the strong network of support and shared commitment to justice and opportunity across the Commonwealth. Happy Birthday, Congresswoman Pressley!
On Saturday night, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui hosted the annual Cambridge Community Iftar, bringing together neighbors from across the city. Iftar is the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan, and it is traditionally a time for reflection, generosity, and gathering in community. More than 600 people came through to share in the meal, making it a beautiful evening filled with connection, gratitude, and celebration of Cambridge’s vibrant and diverse community.
I am always grateful when advocates and constituents stop by my office to discuss the bills and initiatives that matter most to them. This week, residents of Cambridge and Somerville stopped by during the Mass Senior Action Council Advocacy Day to talk about issues impacting older adults in our community. They advocated for policies that support aging in place, protect affordable housing, strengthen access to health care, and ensure older adults have the resources and services they need to live with dignity and independence. I appreciate their thoughtful advocacy and their continued commitment to improving the lives of seniors across our community.
I was proud to join the inaugural International Women’s Day Gathering hosted by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO -- led by Chrissy Lynch, the first woman to be elected MA AFL-CIO President -- at the historic John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The event brought together union women from across the Commonwealth to celebrate their leadership, resilience, and the many contributions they make to strengthening our workforce, our communities, and the labor movement. I was especially glad to celebrate alongside MA AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch, the first woman elected to lead the organization. It was a meaningful opportunity to honor the vital role women in organized labor continue to play in advancing equity and opportunity for all. Union women get sh*t done! 💪
On Thursday morning, I spoke at the Harvard Square Business Association’s annual Women’s History Month breakfast and symposium, hosted by Lovestruck Books. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to come together in community and celebrate women in a space so thoughtfully designed for people to find connection and joy. Thank you to Lovestruck Books owner Rachel Kanter and to Georgia Lyman, Executive Producer of Liars and Believers, for engaging each other and attendees in a meaningful dialogue that highlighted why women’s stories, diverse representation in literature, and independent bookstores are all more important now than ever. I will be holding office hours at Lovestruck Books soon — stay tuned!
Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for inviting me to speak at Thursday’s Project Labor Agreement Celebration and Announcement for the North Station Draw One Bridge project. As Massachusetts continues investing in modernizing our transportation infrastructure, agreements like this help ensure those investments are delivered successfully: with transparency, with accountability, and with the highly skilled workforce our state is known for.
On Thursday night, I hosted a legislative briefing alongside two Cambridge advocates and dear friends. We discussed a wide range of topics, from climate justice to education policy. It is always a highlight to catch up with many longtime friends and former neighbors, as well as to meet new folks, to discuss current legislative priorities and address questions and concerns about how policy decisions affect daily life. I am so grateful to the participants for their warm welcome and thoughtful engagement throughout the conversation.
Public Health Updates
Massachusetts Primary Care Task Force Evaluates New Primary Care Payment Model
This week, the Health Policy Commission’s Primary Care Taskforce convened to discuss modifying how primary care is paid for in Massachusetts, specifically by shifting away from a fee-for-service (FFS) structure and towards a multi-payer advanced primary care payment model. Under an FFS payment structure, the state pays health care providers directly for each service they render to a patient. FFS payments have been used in the United States for decades. Research shows that this payment method may incentivize physicians to prescribe more services to patients, thereby increasing overall health care costs. The advanced primary care payment model proposed by the Primary Care Taskforce would issue health care providers a lump sum per patient per month to cover the costs of all care provided. This payment model is commonly referred to as a capitation. Providers would also have the opportunity to earn enhanced payments under this payment model based on performance outcomes and care delivery capabilities. Capitated payment models can help incentivize more cost-effective, higher-quality health care. According to the Centers for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA), the total annual health care expenditure per Massachusetts resident increased by 8.6% in 2023, far exceeding the state’s health care cost growth benchmark. Implementing an advanced primary care payment model could help Massachusetts better contain ever-growing health care costs. Notably, this proposed payment methodology would not apply to self-insured plans, which constitute about 60% of Massachusetts’ commercial insurance market. Self-insured plans are not subject to state regulation and instead are governed by the Federal Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA). The Primary Care Task Force will continue to evaluate innovative methods to increase Massachusetts total overall investment in primary care services while managing rising health care costs and bolstering the state’s primary care workforce.
New Study Ties Abortion Restrictions to Increased Maternal Mortality Rates
A new study presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine annual meeting found that anti-abortion laws are associated with increased deaths among both new and expecting mothers. Researchers reviewed state-level data from the deaths of 22,380 pregnant people aged 15-54 years old between 2005 and 2023, focusing on deaths that occurred during pregnancy or 42 days postpartum. Researchers stratified the data to compare deaths that occurred before and after the enactment of the 10 most common state-level abortion laws. These include banning the use of Medicaid funding for abortion, requiring a waiting period before receiving an abortion, and limiting providers who can provide abortion care to only physicians. The number of abortion restrictions almost doubled during the study period, rising from 2.7 to 5.3 per state. In addition to this, 6 of the 10 most common abortion restrictions were associated with increased incidence of maternal death, and 4 of these restrictions were associated with higher rates of violent deaths, including homicide and suicide. Researchers stated that the associations they identified between abortion restrictions and maternal death were broad, impacting deaths of any cause, ranging from cardiovascular disease to violence. These data further highlight how maternal health cannot be separated from reproductive health policies and the clear adverse impacts of anti-abortion laws in the United States.
Cambridge Updates
Rollin' and Summer Resources Community Event
Cambridge families with children in grades K-8 are invited to explore 40+ local summer camps and programs on Saturday, March 7 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM at Cambridge Street Upper School/King Open Community Complex (830 Cambridge St). Food, music, a live DJ, and roller skating will be available at the event. You can also talk with Cambridge Public Schools' summer program staff and get one on one application help with your DHSP Summer Lottery application.
From 1 - 2:30 p.m. Priority families’ needs will be centered to provide them with additional time, attention, space, and interpretation support.
Priority families include, but are not limited to: families receiving public assistance (such as SNAP, WIC, housing vouchers, TAFDC, EAEDC, etc.), families of color, families with a child with disabilities, families whose preferred language isn’t English, and families currently experiencing being unhoused.
From 2:30 - 4 p.m. All families are welcome
Round-trip bus transportation is available from community locations. Registration is required to reserve transportation.
Harvard Square Chocolate Festival and Chili Cook-Off — Traffic Impacts
Harvard Square will host a Taste of Chocolate Festival on Saturday, March 7 and a Chili Cook Off on Saturday, March 14. There will be road closures for both events that may cause traffic delays.
18th Annual "Taste of Chocolate Festival" on Saturday, March 7. Brattle Street between Eliot and Church streets will be closed from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
16th Annual "Some Like It Hot” Chili Cook Off on Saturday, March 14. Brattle Street between Eliot and Church streets will be closed from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Recent Press
Taylor M. Bierwerth and Noah A. Ferris, Harvard Crimson
Harvard’s custodial union reached a tentative agreement with the University on a four-year contract Tuesday evening, ending nearly five months of fraught negotiations.
The contract — which covers both direct University employees and workers from five Harvard-contracted companies — includes the largest wage increase for custodians in 20 years, alongside new terms on immigration protections, overnight shift pay, and healthcare.
Custodians represented by Service Employees International Union 32BJ will convene in the coming days to vote on the contract before it can go into effect, according to a Tuesday press release from the union. The agreement would become effective retroactively to Nov. 15, 2025 — when the previous contract expired — if ratified.
The new four-year wage scheme surpasses cost of living estimates in the greater Boston area — a “top goal” of the union, according to 32BJ-SEIU executive vice president Kevin Brown.
Brown credited the agreement in part to what he described as growing public support for custodians, pointing to the backing of Rep. Ayanna S. Pressley (D-Mass.) and State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker, both of whom stood in solidarity at a recent 32BJ rally.
Representative Marjorie Decker, The Provider
In February 2026, Massachusetts was named by WalletHub as the best state to raise a family for the sixth year in a row. The report points to our strong job market, relatively low poverty rate, and high incomes, while acknowledging that housing and child care costs are significantly higher than most of the country. On paper, the math appears to work.
Those of you on the front lines of human services know that for many of the families you serve, it does not.
Statewide averages mask deep inequities. Behind positive rankings are families working full time — sometimes more than full time — who still cannot afford rent, child care, food, or health care. Poverty is not an identity. It is not the result of bad choices or a lack of work ethic. It is the predictable outcome of insufficient wages, unaffordable housing, inaccessible child care, and systems that too often fail to center economically vulnerable people.
Poverty and unmet needs always carry a cost. The question is not whether we pay, it is how. We can continue to back-load costs into emergency systems, paying more for worse outcomes. Or we can make strategic, upfront investments that reduce trauma, expand opportunity, and create stability.
Together, we know this work is possible. It is practical. And it is necessary.
Services and Resources
Immigration Resources
MIRA Immigration Helpline: Through this helpline, MIRA provides individuals and community-based organizations with answers to the most commonly asked immigration questions. You can contact the helpline by scheduling a call online or leaving a voicemail at 508-293-1871.
Guidance for Immigrants and their Employers: MLRI and MIRA have created guidance to prepare immigrants and their employers for ICE interactions. Here is the guidance; please share it widely with your networks.
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.
Reliable sources of information on policy changes:
Food Assistance Resources
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.
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.
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