Rep. Stanley and his colleagues in the House passes the Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA) to protect the natural resources of Massachusetts. As a cosponsor of the bill, Rep. Stanley submitted written testimony in support of this legislation which will provide additional protections to Article 97 lands which help the Commonwealth reduce carbon emissions and diminish the impacts of climate change. Article 97 lands are major contributors to clean water, clean air, quality of life, all of which supports outdoor recreation for residents, habitats for our diverse species of plants and wildlife, a robust tourism industry, and a strong economy.

The bill will clarify and standardizes the process used to evaluate proposals for the Commonwealth and/or municipalities to take parcels out of conservation protected status in order for them to be used for other purposes, either public or private. Under this legislation, municipalities and state agencies would be required to provide replacement land of comparable acreage, location, and natural resource value (no net loss) and to notify the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs with information that would allow the Secretary to assess the need for the disposition or change in use, the availability of feasible alternatives, and suitability of the replacement land being provided.

The Baker Administration announced plans to implement a vaccine mandate for long-term care (LTC) staff to strengthen infection control and protect vulnerable residents. COVID-19 vaccination is term care facilities and other health care providers serving vulnerable populations are critical in efforts to protect older residents. There are 378 skilled nursing facilities as well as the two Soldiers’ Homes in MA. As of August 2nd, 155 facilities had less than 75% of their staff fully vaccinated.

Skilled Nursing Facilities, as well as the two Soldiers’ Homes will be required to ensure all personnel are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. A Public Health Order will be issued for non-state operated skilled nursing facilities and emergency regulations will be filed for the two state operated soldiers’ homes. Personnel includes all individuals employed directly or by contract by the LTC provider. All unvaccinated personnel are to receive a first dose of a two-dose series by September 1, 2021; and be fully vaccinated by October 10, 2021. To ensure compliance, beginning October 10, 2021, the Department of Public Health (DPH) will enforce this mandate for provider operated Skilled Nursing Homes.

Rep. Stanley submitted testimony to the Joint Committee on Financial Services in support of House Bill 1208 which he sponsors which would require insurance companies to cover treatment for Genetic Craniofacial Conditions. The legislation would provide patients suffering from Genetic Craniofacial Conditions with essential medical coverage so that they may live a healthier, more comfortable life.

Genetic Craniofacial Conditions refer to the malformation of the face and skull that may result from birth defect, disease or trauma. Treatment for these rare craniofacial disorders is multi-staged and complex. Unfortunately, treatment is routinely denied by both medical and dental insurers. Medical insurers often reject claims under the pretense that the treatment is merely cosmetic or covered under separate dental plans whose annual max benefit is $2,000. H.1208 would close the “cosmetic” loophole that allows insurers to deny coverage for treatment of rare, disabling genetic defects. Under the bill, all insurance contracts would be required to provide coverage for medically necessary repairs and/or restorations of genetic abnormalities affecting teeth.

Gov. Baker recently signed into law language from a bill cosponsored by Rep. Stanley in the FY22 budget. The language stemmed from legislation which addresses the inequitable impact of the pandemic on Black and Latinx individuals with autism. The COVID-19 crisis has had devastating impacts on communities of color, and people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities in BIPOC communities have faced even greater challenges.

The language directs the Autism Commission to address the impact of the pandemic by collecting data on services provided to individuals with autism by racial and ethnic group, primary language, economic status, and gender. This will identify the challenges experienced during COVID-19 as well as lead efforts to aid in an equitable recovery for the most impacted communities— including Black, Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Native American, and other communities of color with autism.

Commissioner Aigner-Treworgy announced that the Department of Early Education and Care opened the application for ARPA Child Care Stabilization Grants for child care programs. Massachusetts has received $314 Million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Child Care Stabilization funds aimed at providing economic relief to child care programs impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic across the country. All child care providers in the Commonwealth that meet eligibility criteria are able to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. To apply or learn more about eligibility, click here.

Do your part to learn how to recycle smart! MassDEP launched the Recycle Smart MA program to provide clear guidance to Massachusetts residents and businesses on what materials should and should not be placed in recycling containers. The resulting Smart Recycling Guide is a simple, image-heavy guide to what can be recycled no matter where you live in the Bay State. For very inquisitive recyclers, the Recyclopedia search tool answers the “Recycle or Trash?” question for over 700 items. The Smart Recycling Guide is also available (and downloadable) in eight different languages. Learn more here.

Rep. Stanley attended the Pathways to Scale grant announcement event on July 28^th at UMass Lowell’s Northstar Campus in Lincoln. The UMass Lowell Research Institute (UMLRI) received a grantThese new ‘Pathways to Scale’ grants are intended to build or expand mentorship programs that engage experienced founders and startup executives in mentorship networks to guide emerging high-growth firms and their executive teams as they overcome challenges associated with growing innovative companies to scale. The event featured remarks from Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, MassTech Executive Director Carolyn Kirk, and UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney.

If you’re a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs – or if you’re a landlord trying to stay afloat with tenants in this situation – help may be available. State and local programs are distributing billions of dollars in rental assistance to help renters stay housed during the pandemic. Visit the CFPB’s Rental Assistance Finder to find out what this means for you and what you can do. The CFPB’s site also includes resources to help renters and landlords understand other resources to help navigate various financial hardships related to the pandemic.

Rep. Stanley submitted written testimony to the Transportation Committee in support of the FARE Act to establish free access to ride to elections in Massachusetts. Rep. Stanley co-sponsored the legislation which will further enhance the fairness and accessibility of our elections in the Commonwealth. Certain communities across the Commonwealth rely much more on public transportation for daily transit. Yet, transportation access is one of many barriers for people in Massachusetts that can limit participation in civic life, including elections.

The FARE Act would make ridership on public transportation free on state primary and general election days. The MBTA, Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) in central Massachusetts, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) in Western Massachusetts, and 13 other regional transit authorities are included in the bill. Increasing access to voting overall, such as free ridership on public transit on election days, is a pathway that will ultimately strengthen our democracy.

Rep. Stanley asked the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security to issue a favorable report on H.2465, legislation requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence. While current OSHA guidelines to prevent workplace violence provide a roadmap for healthcare facilities, they fall short of requiring specific action.

To protect health workers, the legislation includes: a facility specific assessment to understand the differences of each health care facility to develop a plan tailored to the facility; an annual assessment to review and update workplace violence prevention plan to inform changes; effective implementation through employee training and designation of a senior employee as a “point person” to ensure effective implementation; respect and understanding for the care and treatment of health care workers by allowing employees to take up to seven days paid leave to address legal matters related to the workplace violence incident; and accountability measures to ensure health care facilities across the Commonwealth have implemented effective, tailored workplace violence plans.

In a letter to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, Rep. Stanley urged favorable action on House Bill 1276 and Senate Bill 755, legislation to establish a community health center transformation fund. As a joint sponsor of H.1276 with Representative Honan and co-sponsor of S.755, Rep. Stanley believes this legislation is critical to supporting the Commonwealth’s Community Health Centers (CHCs) and their mission to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care.

CHCs are patient-directed, community-based non-for-profit organizations providing a comprehensive range of services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, mental health and vision services to anyone in need of services regardless of their insurance coverage or ability to pay. In order to stabilize health center finances in the face of COVID-19, H.1276/S.755 seeks to establish a dedicated pool of funding administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for community health centers experiencing significant hardship and distress. The proposed $15 million Community Health Center Transformation Fund (CHCTF) under the bill would ensure the preservation of low-cost, high-quality accessible primary care at more than 300+ community health center sites across the Commonwealth.

As a member of the Food Systems caucus, Rep. Stanley supports Gov. Baker’s announcement regarding the launch of a grant program to provide SNAP processing equipment to direct-marketing farms and farmer's markets. The program will support farmers and farmers’ markets and expand local food access points for low-income residents across the Commonwealth. The grant program provides equipment at no cost to direct-marketing farms and farmers’ markets to facilitate the acceptance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at mobile locations. These additional SNAP access points will increase the availability of fresh, healthy food and drive federal dollars into the state’s economy. The grant application period opens August 12, 2021 and farmers and farmers’ markets can apply through September 24, 2021. Click here to learn more or apply. 

Center for Active Living Documentary 

Rep. Stanley is pleased to share the documentary “Our Seniors Speak: Resilience in Hard Times,” produced by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Night after night on the news, radio, social media, etc., “seniors” were being grouped into a general demographic of “people who died in nursing homes.” While elder deaths were indeed concerning and heartbreaking, this onslaught of senior group labeling and ensuing mandated isolation perpetuated and flamed the stereotype of senior frailty. Council on Aging professionals work very hard to break down erroneous myths of senior inabilities and educate our communities on understanding just how intelligent, wise and experienced seniors truly are-and how their resiliency can truly be awe-inspiring. View the documentary here.