DECEMBER 31, 2024

Dear Cambridge and Somerville Constituents,

This morning, at 1:11 am to be exact, the House of Representative adjourned, sine die, i.e. for the final time of the 2023-2024 legislative term.

Tomorrow, at 11 am, I will be back in the House Chamber for the swearing-in of the 194th General Court, i.e. day one of our 2025-2026 legislative term.

Five months ago, when formal sessions of the 193rd General Court concluded on the morning of August 1, I joined with many of my Cambridge and Somerville constituents in expressing a sense of outrage that the legislature didn't get all of its major work done by the usual deadline this year, despite around-the-clock sessions at the end of July.

In the hours that followed in early August, I reached out to Speaker Mariano and his staff and indicated my strong desire for us to return to formal session to continue working. The Speaker soon agreed to call us back into session pending an agreement with the Senate on the economic development bill. That pledge kicked off what has actually turned out to be a remarkably productive late-term period for the Massachusetts state legislature.

Over the past five months, the legislature has completed its work on virtually all of the major outstanding items from August, including:

• a massive economic development bill, which included support for Project Labor Agreements and my bill to make childcare an allowable campaign expense
• the climate and clean energy siting and permitting bill
• a maternal health bill
• a veterans' services bill
• legislation to support longterm care facilities
• legislation to support treatments and coverage for substance use disorder
• legislation to close loopholes that allowed Steward Health Care to pillage some of our community hospitals
• legislation to help lower the cost of prescription drugs
• Ollie's Law to update the licensure and regulation of dog kennels and other pet boarding facilities
• a home rule petition to allow additional liquor licenses for the City of Boston
• a bill to ensure that patients have access to follow-up breast cancer screenings and exams
• and several others

The one notable bill this didn't get over the finish line in recent months — local property tax relief that was requested by Mayor Wu for the City of Boston — was in fact passed by us in the House of Representatives — but was ultimately struck down by the State Senate a few weeks ago.

Back when I played football at Duke University, the coaches used to tell us, "play to the whistle." And while I appreciate the frustration that many of my constituents and advocacy partners feel toward the legislative process in Massachusetts — it is worth pointing out today just how much did get done during the final months of the two-year term, a period that coincides with campaign season and is typically characterized by "informal sessions." We really did "play to the whistle."

It's also worth noting that even when bills like these pass during "informal session," it doesn't mean those bills haven't gone through a rigorous process. Most of these items started with bill filing two years ago, that was followed by committee hearings, and ultimately, by House and Senate votes on each of the individual bills. After the House and Senate pass their own versions of the bills, a conference committee is appointed to iron out the differences between the two branches — and this final step was where several of these items got stuck back in July.

To be sure, not all of these bills do all of the things I advocated for. For example, while I am pleased we passed a significant new law related to the opioid crisis response, I am disappointed House Leaders were not willing to agree to the "safe consumption sites" that have a proven track record of preventing overdose fatalities. 

After I take the oath of office tomorrow morning, I will be turning my attention to bill filing for the new legislative term, and especially, to continuing to support efforts to protect Massachusetts residents from the negative impacts of the incoming Trump Administration. 

For now, I want to share some of the highlights of our recently passed bills:

S.2902 An Act relative to the reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter personal protective equipment: phases out the use of toxic "forever” chemicals in firefighters’ protective gear. Poly- and perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals have long been used in the personal protective equipment used by firefighters because of their ability to withstand high heat and repel penetration by water and oil. Today it is known that PFAS chemicals can be highly toxic at very low levels, even before the chemicals are exposed to fire. For years, firefighters and their loved ones have pointed to high rates of cancers known to be caused by PFAS amongst current and former firefighters, including breast, kidney and testicular cancer.

H.4785 An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options: creates a state licensure pathway for midwives and lactation consultants, encourages the creation of more freestanding birth centers, establishes a grant program to address maternal mental health and substance use disorder, expands the statewide universal postpartum home visiting program, and mandates that certain health care professionals perform, and that health insurers provide coverage for, postpartum depression and major depressive disorder screenings.

H.5033 An Act to improve quality and oversight of long-term care: includes sweeping reforms to the long-term care and assisted living sectors, taking a powerful step towards delivering high quality and safe care for older residents across the Commonwealth. The bill strengthens the Commonwealth’s oversight of nursing homes, provides critical anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ nursing home residents, and permanently allows assisted living residences to offer basic health services.

H.5039 An Act authorizing additional licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises in the city of Boston: The bill authorizes 225 new alcohol licenses for Boston, which have historically been difficult to obtain, particularly for restaurants in communities of color. A total of 15 of these will be “community licenses" for nonprofits, small theaters and outdoor spaces.

H.4528 An Act to rename the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, MassAbility, to reflect the self-determination and limitless possibilities of people with disabilities: The name change reflects the intention to empower individuals living with disabilities and move away from outdated terminology as the office undergoes broad changes towards a more expansive model for disability employment services and independent living. The legislation also removes offensive terminology in the Massachusetts General Laws referring to people with disabilities in sections of the law that pertain to MassAbility.

H.4919 An Act to increase kennel safety, aka Ollie's Law: This legislation updates licensure and regulation of kennels and other pet boarding facilities to keep animals in their care safe.

September 2024 FY24 Supplemental Budget: ratifies 38 collective bargaining agreements and directs funding to the health and human services workforce, childcare assistance programs, community services, and initiatives vital to the wellbeing of Massachusetts residents. The legislation directs funding to deficiencies outlined by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and makes numerous clarifications to state policies to cut red tape and create efficiencies in state government.

S.2954 An Act to provide for competitiveness and infrastructure investment in Massachusetts: takes advantage of the interest accrued from the Commonwealth’s Stabilization Fund and leverages that interest to ensure the state receives the maximum possible share of federal funds. The Commonwealth’s Stabilization Fund has an all-time high balance of over $8 billion. It is currently estimated that Massachusetts could receive up to $17.5 billion through historic, once-in-a-generation federal funding opportunities.

H.4918 An Act relative to medically necessary breast screenings and exams for equity and early detection: This legislation will ensure that patients have access to follow-up breast cancer screenings and exams, while also preventing any increase in patient cost-sharing by 2026.

H.5100 An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership: authorizes nearly $4 billion infusion into the Commonwealth’s economy while making wide-ranging policy changes to make Massachusetts more competitive. The bold investments in H.5100, An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership, will stimulate new and proven industries, support workforce development and talent retention, and modernize economic growth strategies. Provisions of the bill will support small businesses, communities, and cultural development, ensuring that businesses Main Streets across the Commonwealth benefit from the economic boost.

S.2967 An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity and protecting ratepayers: reforms the siting and permitting of clean energy facilities, while responsibly reforming the gas distribution system. It vastly expands the electric vehicle (EV) charging network, incentivizes innovative technologies such as battery storage, fusion energy, advanced metering and meter socket adapters, includes measures to protect residents from high energy costs, and equips state agencies with the mandate to fight climate change.

H.5143 An Act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure: this legislation will combat the opioid crisis and support residents living with substance use disorder (SUD). It will expand non-opioid pain treatments, establish licenses for recovery coaches, and support pregnant people and their children who have been exposed to substances.

H.5159 An Act enhancing the market review process: this legislation will close loopholes in the health care market regulatory process exposed by the collapse of Steward Health Care, increase financial transparency by gathering more information regarding hospital finances, and assist in maintaining a more stable and sustainable health care system. 

S.3012 An Act relative to pharmaceutical access, costs and transparency:this legislation includes comprehensive reforms to lower the cost of prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter and improve oversight of the state’s pharmaceutical industry. It requires health insurers to cover life-saving medications for diabetes, asthma, and certain heart conditions with no or limited out-of-pocket costs for patients. The measure is particularly critical for residents of color, who disproportionately face chronic illnesses.

When it comes to Massachusetts, we know there are many areas — from reproductive freedom to gun control — where we can all be proud of our status as a national leader. At the same time, there are other areas, such as the ongoing affordable housing emergency and the outrageous costs of health care, food, and child care, where we must continue pushing to address people's concerns, especially the most vulnerable among us.

Thank you, as always, for being an informed and engaged constituent. I am honored to have the chance to return to the legislature tomorrow for a new term. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you'd like me to work on as I set my priorities for the new year.

Yours in service,

Rep. Mike Connolly