Dear Carlene,


Thank you for attending MPHA’s first Public Health Lobby Day last month! Over 125 advocates, public health practitioners, transit riders, and partners came out to make their voices heard in support of the Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community (SAPHE 2.0) Act and Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Advancement bill. Your advocacy helped raise the profile of these issues – and we have some exciting updates to share.

May 4th Public Health Committee Hearing on SAPHE 2.0

The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health is holding a public hearing for the SAPHE 2.0 Act this Thursday, May 4, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Hearing Room A-2. This is a crucial moment in the trajectory of SAPHE 2.0 and we need advocates like YOU to turn up the noise to ensure that all Massachusetts residents are covered by strong public health protections, regardless of race, income, or zip code!

 

How can you support SAPHE 2.0?


  • Be a voice for local public health. Submit written testimony in support of SAPHE 2.0 by filling out the Committee’s Google form. To submit written testimony, you may either copy and paste your testimony or upload it as a document into the Google form and submit. For additional information and a customizable testimony template, click here. 


  • Mobilize your networks. Encourage your colleagues, friends, and family to submit testimony in support of SAPHE 2.0 by forwarding this email.


  • Join us at the State House. Please join fellow advocates at the State House on May 4 at 9 AM in Hearing Room A-2. This will be a space for coalition partners, public health practitioners, and supporters to watch the hearing and celebrate our hard work together. Come out and show your support for SAPHE 2.0 and don’t forget to bring 2-3 friends or colleagues with you. Signs are not allowed in the hearing room, so please show your support and solidarity by wearing yellow! 


Advancing Equity in Regional Transit

The Massachusetts House of Representatives wrapped up its budget debates last week. MPHA was pleased to see several of our budget priorities adopted in the FY24 House budget, including $70M of Fair Share Amendment revenue dedicated to the RTAs. This increased investment will allow the state’s 15 RTAs – which provide local bus and paratransit service to over 250+ communities outside the reach of the MBTA – to expand service to meet community needs. The state budget process now moves to the Senate, and we will continue working with our legislative allies, partners, and supporters like YOU to build on the victories in the House to ensure even greater investments in RTAs. Please stay tuned for opportunities to take action!

 

A recent poll by the MassInc Polling Group conducted in collaboration with the Regional Transit Authority Advocates Coalition (RTAAC), found that 79% of Massachusetts residents support increasing funding for the state’s 15 RTAs. A robust, statewide public transportation system is necessary to achieve better health outcomes for riders in RTA communities, who, this poll shows, are more likely to be Black and low-income, and who rely on local bus service for day-to-day activities like grocery shopping and attending medical appointments. Read more about the poll here.


Thank you for making Public Health Lobby Day a huge success!

With appreciation,

Oami Amarasingham


Deputy Director


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