Friday, September 12th Legislative & Public Health Updates
- hannanur3
- Sep 16, 2025
- 11 min read
Dear friends,
Please delete the newsletter you received earlier; this is the correct version.
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
Public Health Updates
A Glimpse at the Past Week
Cambridge Updates
Services and Resources
Legislative Updates
Public Health Committee Hearing
On Wednesday, the Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing on 48 bills on the topics of environmental health, oral health, and food and nutrition. These are important opportunities for the public to weigh in and testify in support of or in opposition to bills before the Committee. One of my responsibilities as Chair is to lead these hearings, which help inform me and my staff as we review the over 400 bills before us and decide whether we have enough information to move bills forward or if the bill filer needs to do additional work.
Hearings on Legislation That I Filed
I am grateful to the Chairs of the Financial Services; Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities; and Judiciary Committees for holding legislative hearings this week on several of my bills:
An Act preserving access to treatment for patients with serious mental illnesses (H.1128) would forbid the use of prior authorization or step therapy for drugs treating serious mental illness by both private insurers and MassHealth.
An Act expanding access to mental health services (H.1131) requires insurance coverage for crisis, inpatient, and outpatient services without prior authorization. It broadens the range of professionals who can authorize emergency mental health holds, updates rules on the use of physical restraints, and mandates reimbursement for emergency and telehealth behavioral health services.
An Act for supporting care for serious mental illness (H.1135) would require all health insurance plans to cover coordinated specialty care and assertive community treatment for individuals with serious mental illness or first-episode psychosis.
An Act ensuring access to behavioral health services for children involved with state agencies (H.213) would require reimbursement for congregate care settings while a child is hospitalized for behavioral health services in order to allow them to return to their original placement upon completion of their treatment.
An Act to enhance the rights of crime victims in the Commonwealth (H.1654) strengthens and expands the rights of crime victims in Massachusetts. It includes clarifications, new protections, and the creation of a special commission to study and improve victim notification during the bail process.
Public Health Updates
Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Block Medicaid Funds to Planned Parenthood
On Thursday, a U.S. appeals court panel allowed the Trump administration to block Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood while legal challenges progress. In July, Planned Parenthood won a partial victory against the Trump administration in the legal battle over the administration’s efforts to defund the sexual and reproductive health care organization. Thursday’s ruling means that more than 1.1 million patients won’t be able to use their Medicaid insurance at Planned Parenthood health centers. This also puts as many as 200 of those health centers at risk of closure. Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM) is still in operation and providing services. Patients with Medicaid (MassHealth and Medicaid Managed plans) cannot use Medicaid coverage at PPLM for anything BUT abortion care, which is covered by the state and not by the federal government. Patients should keep their appointments and call 1-800-258-448 to get the care they need. For more information about how this will impact MassHealth patients in Massachusetts, please visit here.
MAHA Commission Releases Strategy Report on Childhood Chronic Disease and Health Risks
This week, the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released a 20-page report outlining 128 recommendations aimed at addressing rising rates of chronic disease in children. This final version expands on an earlier draft released in May, presenting a strategy of four parts: advancing research, realigning incentives, fostering private sector collaboration, and increasing public awareness. The report identifies poor diet, chemical exposure, and physical inactivity, combined with chronic stress. Recommended actions outline launching nutrition education campaigns, reintroducing school-based fitness initiatives, distributing food boxes to SNAP households, and providing breastfeeding incentives through WIC. Additionally, the report calls for developing a new vaccine framework, raising concerns from public health experts that altering the childhood vaccine schedule could undermine long-standing evidence-based immunization practices. Many notable Public Health experts have noted the absence of detailed implementation strategies and have pointed to recent federal actions, such as eliminating and reducing food assistance, Medicaid funding, and environmental protections, that may affect its impact. The plan is characterized as broad in scope, with little to no information on the path forward to address the concerns raised in the report.
Federal Judge Blocks DOJ Subpoena for Transgender Youth Records at Boston Children’s Hospital
A federal judge has blocked the Trump Administration’s attempt to subpoena medical records of transgender patients receiving gender-affirming care (GAC) at Boston Children’s Hospital. As of Tuesday this week, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun ruled that the subpoena, issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ), had an unclear investigative purpose, noting that the requested patient records appeared unrelated to the agency’s stated goal of investigating possible drug misuse. The DOJ argued the records were necessary in investigating potential fraud or unlawful off-label promotion of drugs. However, the subpoena sought extensive information, including patient medical files, personnel records, and documents pertaining to gender-affirming care over the past five years, which the court determined exceeded the scope of a legitimate inquiry. In response, Boston Children’s Hospital sought to invalidate the subpoena, also citing the sensitive nature of the patient information and the broad scope of the DOJ’s request. In July, Governor Healey signed An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth, also known as the SHIELD Act 2.0, into law. This legislation builds on the first shield law passed in 2022, aims to preserve and protect access for individuals seeking gender-affirming and reproductive health care, and offers additional protections for providers offering that care.
California Passes Bill to Expand Anonymous Prescribing of Abortion Medications
This week, California lawmakers have passed a new bill, AB 260, allowing health care providers to mail abortion pills with little personal identifiers on the packaging. The legislation received strong approval in both the State Assembly and the Senate and is on its way to be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Language in the bill permits the exclusion of the names of the prescriber, pharmacist, and patient, creating one of the nation’s strongest safeguards for telehealth medication abortion services, notably after the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, effectively rescinding the constitutional right to abortion. Reproductive rights advocates note that removing providers’ names from prescription labels would reduce the risk of harassment and encourage more clinicians to participate in medication abortion distribution. The drug combination of mifepristone and misoprostol makes up over 60% of abortions in the U.S., highlighting the increasing reliance on telehealth and mail-order services for accessible care.
West Nile Virus Cases Still Occurring Across the U.S., Including Massachusetts
Federal health data from ArboNET, a national arboviral surveillance system managed by the CDC and state health departments, indicate that high numbers of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases continue to be reported across the United States. As of September 9, there were at least 771 confirmed human cases reported in 39 states. 490 of these cases were neuroinvasive, meaning they impact the brain and are severe in nature. WNV spreads through mosquito bites; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WNV is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the continental U.S. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) recently announced two more cases of WNV, one in Hampden County and one in Middlesex County, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 4 this season. Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent WNV; the best method of avoiding the virus is to protect yourself from mosquito bites by using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, treating clothing and gear appropriately, and taking preventative steps to control mosquitoes both indoors and outdoors.
A Glimpse at the Past Week
I stopped by the City All-Star Games to cheer on the West Cambridge Little League I sponsor. I was excited to see the coach of the North Cambridge team I've been sponsoring for years, along with my CRLS auto mechanics teacher, Jimmy Rita, who sadly passed away. This weekend, Mike Hoff threw out the first pitch in remembrance of his dad, Ted Hoff, a champion and organizer of West Cambridge T-ball, dedicated to introducing the youngest children to baseball.
Youth sports are where we make friends, learn to compromise, and support one another, all while having fun. I have always had a soft spot for Little League, whether my kids were playing or I was playing in Central League myself.
I was happy to join a groundbreaking ceremony for Magazine Beach Improvements Phase 2.2 on Monday. This event marks a significant milestone as the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) begins construction on the next phase of the Magazine Beach Master Plan, which will create an acre of park between the swimming pool and the river and will add a dock and observation deck. I am grateful to the Cambridge residents who have worked for years to create a vision for Magazine Beach and bring it to life.
Preserving and enhancing open space is central to DCR’s mission. Magazine Beach in particular holds a special place in my heart; this is the pool where I learned to swim and the Little League fields where I learned to play baseball. As a child who grew up in public housing within a 5-minute walk, for many of us, this was our green space and our backyard. The banks of the Charles — particularly Magazine Beach — are where generations of neighbors have come to enjoy family reunions and birthday parties, and to relax and exercise.
This was a reminder of why the Charles River Task Force on Equitable River Access, which I created in the FY25 state budget, is so important. The Task Force is working to ensure that when DCR looks at any aspect of life on the Charles, from traffic and transportation to recreation and preservation, a wide range of voices are engaged throughout the process. A commitment to equity and inclusion means being intentional about making space at the table for people with diverse experiences. This is why the Task Force is focused on bringing residents from subsidized housing and communities of color to share their experience and expertise with DCR in order to ensure that more voices are always at the table in the future. Many of these folks are too often left out of formal and informal opportunities to shape the spaces around them because they are not part of established neighborhood organizations, for a variety of reasons. The goal of this work is not only that everyone feels welcome, but also that they feel a sense of ownership in designing spaces that address their needs and their hopes.
I want to give a shoutout to Representative Livingstone and Councillor Zusy for having the fortitude to work on this. Here we are, 25 years after I was on the City Council and we first entered into a partnership with what was then the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). That partnership has continued to evolve and grow. I am excited to see what the Charles River Task Force comes up with, and I look forward to seeing Magazine Beach bring even more joy to our community.
I stopped by the Cambridge Community Center (CCC) on Thursday to meet with Executive Director Darrin Korte. We watched a recording of tremendous performances from The Hip Hop Transformation (THHT)’s 13th Annual End of Summer Showcase. THHT is an award-winning program that teaches teens the history of hip hop culture, the role it plays in their lives and in society as a whole, and equips teens with the skill set to produce, write, record, perform, and distribute their own authentic hip hop music.
The CCC's incredible range of programming and services includes after school, out-of-school time, and early education and care programs as well as the Mental Health ACCESS (Advancement of Culturally Competent Education to Stop Stigma) Program designed to expose Black teens in Cambridge to mental health professions; increase participants’ knowledge of specific mental illness, resources, and treatment; reduce stigma; increase self-efficacy for career selection and college readiness; and build capacity for mental health advocacy.
Darrin and I also discussed the financial challenges that the CCC, like so many other nonprofits, is facing in these uncertain times. I am proud to have secured funding for CCC in the state budget for the last 7 years, including $100,000 in the FY26 budget, but that cannot make up for their funding losses elsewhere. I will be sharing more soon about the incredible work that they do and asking for you to support them if you are able to do so.
Cambridge Updates
Cambridge Hosts Danehy Park Family Day
The City of Cambridge will host Danehy Park Family Day on Saturday, September 20, from 11 a.m- 3 p.m. The rain date is September 27. Enjoy a fun-filled day of children’s amusement rides and creative activities at this free community event.. Free shuttle buses will be running throughout Cambridge to provide transportation.
Central Square Night Market is Back
The Central Square Night Market is on Saturday, September 20, from 5-10 p.m. It features food trucks, a beer garden, live performances, games, and photo ops. The night will be packed with things to do, see, and taste. This event is free and open to all ages!
Cambridge Community Center Block Party
The Cambridge Community Center is hosting a Roast in the Coast block party from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, to celebrate the end of summer and welcome fall with food, entertainment, dancing, and community gathering. No reservation needed — just show up!
Free Family Swim at the War Memorial Pool in September
The War Memorial Recreation Center (1640 Cambridge St.) has reopened for programming and public swim for the fall season. This year, the facility will offer free Family Swim through the month of September. For schedule details, view the Fall 2025 Pool Schedule.
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
