Friday, October 10th Legislative & Public Health Updates
- hannanur3
- 2 minutes ago
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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.
YWCA Cambridge and Transition House are holding a personal care item and gift card drive to benefit survivors during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The flier below includes information on what can be donated, or you can click here to donate directly to Transition House if you are able and inclined to do so.
Table of Contents
Legislative Updates
Public Health Updates
A Glimpse at the Past Week
Cambridge Updates
Recent Press
Services and Resources
Legislative Updates
Hearings on Legislation That I Filed
I am grateful to the Chairs of the Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery & Financial Services Committees for holding hearings on four bills I filed this session:
An Act ensuring access to addiction services (H.2197) would prohibit people committed under Section 35 for substance use disorders from being sent to jails or correctional facilities. It mandates access to secure treatment beds, requires the Department of Public Health to maintain a public roster of available facilities, and clarifies that correctional institutions must continue to offer voluntary, evidence-based treatment. (Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery)
An Act ending unnecessary hospitalizations (H.2199) would require professionals or police to first consider and document community-based alternatives before pursuing involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. It mandates justification if these alternatives are deemed inappropriate. (Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery)
An Act reducing emergency department boarding (H.2198) limits involuntary psychiatric holds to 72 hours at facilities not authorized to perform Section 12(b) evaluations and requires legal counsel for individuals held more than 48 hours at such facilities. (Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery)
An Act relative to capping the price of epinephrine (H.1359) caps the out-of-pocket cost of epinephrine autoinjectors (EpiPens) at $60 for a two-pack and prohibits deductibles or coinsurance for one brand or generic option. (Financial Services)
Budget Veto Overrides
The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to override 15 of Governor Healey’s vetoes to the FY26 state budget. These necessary overrides included funding for MassHealth nursing home rates, substance use disorder services, early intervention services, workforce assistance in state shelters, regional economic development grants, and housing services and counseling. The FY26 budget enacted by the Legislature was $1 billion lower than the Governor’s initial budget recommendations, and we will continue to invest in services for our most vulnerable residents while thoughtfully managing the revenue available to us in a time of tremendous uncertainty.
Public Health Updates
Colorado Conversion Therapy Ban Case Reaches SCOTUS
This past Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Chiles v. Salazar, a case that could overturn Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, potentially invalidating similar laws in more than 20 U.S. states, and defining the limits of professional speech. The case, brought by Christian counselor Kaley Chiles, challenges the state’s prohibition on licensed therapists attempting to alter a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Chiles and her attorneys, backed by the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, argue that the law violates her First Amendment rights by restricting what she can say in therapy sessions. Conversion therapy is used to prevent one’s attraction to the same sex or for gender dysphoria. It has been condemned by major medical and psychological associations, such as the American Medical Association (AMA), American Psychological Association (APA), and the American Public Health Association (APHA), for causing depression, self-blame, and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth. Between 2012 and 2024, nearly half of U.S. states passed laws prohibiting such practices for minors. However, as public debate has shifted from sexual orientation to gender identity, new disputes have emerged over whether “exploratory” therapy that encourages transgender youth to align with their birth sex should also fall under those bans. Colorado’s Solicitor General defended the law as a necessary regulation of medical practice designed to protect minors from a treatment widely discredited by medical experts. During oral arguments, Chiles argued that Colorado’s law unlawfully restricts voluntary conversations between therapists and minors, emphasizing that her practice only involved talk therapy. Several conservative justices, including Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett, also questioned whether the law represents unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination, since it allows therapists to affirm a patient’s identity but forbids efforts to change it. However, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson compared the issue to banning unsafe medical treatments, but most justices expressed skepticism, viewing the law as a one-sided restriction on expression. The Court’s decision could influence not only conversion therapy bans but also future cases concerning gender-affirming care (GAC). A ruling is expected in the summer of 2026.
CDC’s New Guidance on COVID-19 and MMRV Vaccination
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) formally released a new federal guidance on COVID-19 vaccination, requiring individuals between six months to sixty-four years old to consult a healthcare professional, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare providers, before receiving a shot. This discussion would cover the benefits and potential risks of receiving a vaccine. This means that vaccination is no longer a default recommendation but an option, and is especially emphasized for those who have pre-existing health conditions. Public health experts warn of this shift toward “individual-based decision-making” as it could limit access, fuel healthcare provider confusion, and allow states or insurers to limit vaccine availability. As Acting Director for the CDC, Jim O’Neill approved this recommendation two weeks after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted on it. ACIP is a panel typically composed of public health experts who make recommendations for vaccine use and vaccine-preventable diseases throughout the nation. The delay in O’Neill’s approval temporarily prevented nearly half of U.S. children who rely on the Vaccines for Children program from getting the updated COVID-19 shot. The Vaccines for Children program provides free vaccines for those 18 and younger, as a measure of accessibility for disease prevention. Although the changes maintain insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, it is unclear whether an individual requires a prescription, particularly in states like Georgia and Utah that require them, furthering barriers to vaccination. O’Neill also approved a change recommending that children under four receive separate measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), and chickenpox vaccines instead of the combined MMRV shot, with the ACIP citing a small risk of post-vaccine fevers in toddlers. He also urged vaccine manufacturers to separate the MMR vaccine into three individual shots, a suggestion considered concerning to public health experts as it creates more barriers to vaccine access. Despite these changes, medical organizations continue to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, children, and those immunocompromised. Additionally, vaccines under the Vaccines for Children program will resume shipping, with the CDC’s approval. Learn more about Massachusetts vaccine guidance at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dph-recommended-guidance-for-vaccine.
FDA Issues Health Alert for Possible Listeria in Certain HelloFresh Meal Kits
On Monday, officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a public health alert warning people not to eat certain HelloFresh subscription meal kits containing spinach that is possibly contaminated with Listeria. Listeria is a bacterium that can cause infection both in the intestines and other parts of the body when spread beyond the intestines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the nation, infecting approximately 1,250 people each year. Listeria infections can cause serious illness, especially in older adults, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant people, and their newborns. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. The public health alert was released after FDA officials traced the affected meals back to FreshRealm, a California-based company that is also linked to a national listeria investigation related to ready-to-eat pasta that was announced in June 2025. Pasta-related listeria cases have been reported in 14 states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Tainted HelloFresh products include 10.1-ounce containers of Ready-Made Meals, Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta, and 10-ounce Ready-Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey, both of which were shipped directly to consumers.
Surge in Cannabis Use Among People with Psychosis
Recent research has found that cannabis use among people with psychotic disorders has risen sharply in states that legalized recreational marijuana, raising concern among psychiatrists and public health experts. Using national data from over 1,800 adults with a history of psychosis, investigators observed a roughly 10% jump in recent cannabis use following legalization, which is above the 3.3% increase in the general population. Clinicians worry that increasingly potent cannabis products, which now often contain four to five times more tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than in past decades, may intensify hallucinations, delusions, and functional decline among those already vulnerable to mental illness. Although most users do not develop psychosis, evidence consistently links cannabis exposure to an individual’s first experience of psychosis, more severe symptoms, longer hospitalizations, and higher relapse rates in affected individuals. Researchers emphasize that the spike in use appears tied not just to the legalization itself, but to the commercialization and retail marketing of high-strength products such as waxes and concentrates, some with THC levels exceeding 90%. THC is the main psychoactive agent in cannabis that affects the brain with regard to mood and behavior. However, few states currently require consumer warnings about the connection between these products and psychiatric harm. Experts argue that stronger public health measures are needed, including potency caps, taxation tied to THC content, clearer warning labels, and tighter enforcement to curb black-market sales. The findings also indicate major gaps in mental health and substance use research, as people with psychotic disorders remain underrepresented in national surveys despite facing disproportionate risks in the changing cannabis landscape.
A Glimpse at the Past Week
This week, my staff held office hours at Putnam Square and Cambridge Court Apartments. They answered constituent questions, listened to concerns, and provided updates on my legislative priorities and other issues before the Legislature. Some of the topics that were touched on included increased cash assistance for vulnerable families, vaccine access, and housing stability measures, including those that directly prevent evictions of seniors.
I appreciate everyone who stopped by to talk with my staff and look forward to holding more office hours in the community soon.
Cambridge Updates
Oktoberfest and Honk! Parade Traffic Impacts This Sunday
There will be traffic impacts this Sunday, October 12, due to the Honk! Parade and Harvard Square Business Association’s 46th annual Oktoberfest. The following streets will be closed starting around 7 a.m. on Sunday:
Massachusetts Avenue southbound from Garden Street to Brattle Street (northbound lane will remain open)
Brattle Street from Massachusetts Avenue to Story Street
Mount Auburn Street from University Road to JFK Street
JFK Street from Mount Auburn and Massachusetts Avenue
Elliott Street from Mount Auburn Street to Bennett Street
Church Street
Palmer Street
The parade will depart from Davis Square at noon, travel down Massachusetts Avenue, and arrive in Harvard Square around 1 p.m. Oktoberfest festivities will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Streets will reopen to traffic once the event area has been cleared and vendors have packed up.
Medication Takeback Day
The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD), Cambridge Police Department, and Cambridge Council on Aging are hosting a Medication Takeback Event at the Cambridge Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue, on Monday, October 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Personnel will be available on-site in the lobby to accept unwanted or unused prescriptions, over-the-counter meds, and vitamins. Sharps, liquids, and creams/ointments will NOT be accepted. For any questions about the event or safe medication disposal year-round, please contact Danielle McPeak, the CPHD Prevention and Recovery Specialist, at dmcpeak@cambridgepublichealth.org.
Narcan Distribution Event
The Cambridge Public Health Department will be handing out free Narcan, test strips, CPR face shields, and other harm reduction materials at the Central Square Branch of the Cambridge Public Library on Thursday, October 23 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Everyone can help save a life from opioid overdose! For any questions about the event or to learn more about Narcan availability and overdose prevention training in Cambridge, please reach out to Danielle McPeak (dmcpeak@cambridgepublichealth.org).
Cambridge Public Health Department Vaccine Clinics
The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) is planning its fall vaccine clinics in various community locations this year. CPHD clinics will offer flu and COVID-19 vaccines for adults and children 6 months and older. Registration for clinics is available here.
October 21, 10am-2pm: Senior Center, 806 Mass Ave.
October 23, 4:30-7pm: King Open School, 850 Cambridge Street (Includes VaxAbilities for individuals with special needs)
October 24, 1-4pm: Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St
October 29, 3:30-6:30pm: Reservoir Church, 170 Rindge Ave
October 30, 4-6:30pm: Pisani Center, 131 Washington St
Recent Press
Stephanie Dragoi & Thamini Vijeyasingam, Harvard Crimson
Eversource gas customers in Cambridge can expect their bills to increase by 13 percent this year, according to a company filing with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Though the magnitude of the change is smaller than last year, this year’s rates still represent an increase from Nov. 1, 2024 rates.
Residential electric customers with heat pumps are expected to benefit from new, lower seasonal rates, according to the DPU.
Despite these efforts, state representatives are still concerned about energy affordability as winter approaches.
“I am concerned that families who are already struggling to afford their heating bills will be pushed closer to the brink, and, with continuing federal funding cuts, gas assistance programs will be stretched even further than they already are,” State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker wrote in a statement.
“The costs of infrastructure upgrades, whether for renewable energy or not, should not fall on residents and businesses,” Decker added.
Services and Resources
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.
As always, please contact me with questions or concerns at Marjorie.Decker@mahouse.gov.
Sincerely,
Marjorie