Bringing Beacon Hill to You

We closed out the year with a month of hearings and festivities, with the pace of the current legislative session ready to increase with the resumption of formal sessions in January. Until then, have a look at some of the highlights from recent weeks.

Legislation................................................

In December, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a public hearing on S.1014, An Act relative to the head injury treatment services trust fund, an interesting bill I filed that focuses on the overlap between health care and reckless driving. 

Gambling companies show no sign of slowing down their efforts to profit off vulnerable customers, which is why my office is continuing its work to protect Massachusetts consumers.  

My staff and I recently met with the Department of Public Health’s Office of Problem Gambling Services about our shared concerns of a looming public health crisis related to gambling addiction. Earlier this year, I secured funding in the budget to pay for research into the prevalence and patterns of gambling in Massachusetts. This meeting was a chance for us to figure out what that research should look like. I urged DPH to do ongoing, annual reporting, which could help shape policy solutions to public health issues. Additionally, we are pushing the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to require the gaming industry to share some of its anonymized player data so we can get a better picture of how frequently bets are being placed and get a better picture of the extent of problem gambling.

I am looking forward to the decision by the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure on whether to advance my bill, S.182, An Act relative to deceptive advertising. This bill would add certain misleading phrases frequently seen in sports betting ads (such as “no sweat” and “risk free) to the Commonwealth’s existing deceptive advertising statute.  

An unexpected bout with COVID meant I wasn’t able to get to as many local events as I would have liked to this month, but there were some great moments before I got sick and after I got out of quarantine.

I felt fortunate to attend the Pear Harbor Day remembrance ceremony at the USS Salem in Quincy, which stirred up so many thoughts and feelings. As the years tick by, fewer and fewer of those alive in 1941 are still with us, making occasions like remembrance ceremonies that much more meaningful. Those of us without our own memories of the attack on Pearl Harbor must inherit the memories of those before us and make a conscious effort to remember them. The event also served as a reminder of how lucky we are to have a piece of history like the USS Salem right in our own backyard. Being on the ship made the whole experience that much more impactful. 

 

There were plenty of tree lightings in the district to kick off the holiday season, and though unable to attend the menorah lighting at the State House, I heard from a member of my staff who did attend that there was a large and enthusiastic crowd.  

. What happens next?........................

The year is coming to an end, but the legislative session keeps on going. Rest assured, those of you who have been following certain issues or bills over the past year, the work will continue. 

Since the filing deadline in January 2022, bills have been assigned to committees where public hearings could be held where legislators, advocates, residents and other officials to provide testimony. Committees will soon have to make their recommendations as to what they think should happen to each bill. Decisions could suggest advancing the bill, not advancing the bill, or requesting further study. The deadline for this decision, known more commonly as Joint Rule 10 Day, will take place on Wednesday, February 7. From there, each bill will likely need to clear additional committees and receive a favorable vote by the House and Senate before ultimately ending up on the desk of Gov. Maura Healey for final approval.  

In addition to shepherding my own bills, my staff and I will also be hard work on larger pieces of legislation, like a housing bond bill, gun safety legislation, a climate change bill, and the FY25 budget, which provides us all the opportunity to file policy amendments.