With over 70 bills, this is the largest and most intersectional legislative agenda in Mass NOW’s history, representing a multi-pronged strategy needed to achieve a feminist democracy in the Commonwealth. We’re in the second year of the 193rd Legislative session, and have just a few more months before the formal session ends on July 31st, 2024.
Unfortunately, 21 bills were not reported favorably out of Committee by the Joint Rule 10 deadline, and 26 more are in jeopardy of the same fate. There are still 46 bills on the move and with your help, could be passed this session! Check out the full list of bills below.
Endorsed
Legislation
Reproductive Justice
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Sponsors
Rep. Livingstone
Rep. Barber
Sen. JehlenSummary
Increase Access to Menstrual products in k-12 schools, prisons/jails, and sheltersStatus
Hearing 6/06/23Committee
House Ways and Means -
Sponsors
Rep. O’Day
Rep. Howard
Sen.DiDomenicoSummary
Provide comprehensive and inclusive sex ed in all public schoolsStatus
Referred to the committee on EducationCommittee
Senate Ways and Means -
Sponsors
Rep. Khan
Rep. Oakley
Sen. RauschSummary
Expanding licensing for midwivesStatus
Hearing 6/06/23Committee
Public Health -
Bill
S. 2480Sponsors
Sen. CyrSummary
Legislation to enable pharmacists to prescribe, dispense and administer PrEPStatus
Hearing 6/06/23Committee
House Ways and Means -
Bill
H. 1255Sponsors
Rep. DombSummary
Requiring menstrual products in buildings on public higher education campusesStatus
Hearing 5/30/23Committee
Higher Education -
Bill
H. 4267Sponsors
Rep. Tyler
Sen. ComerfordSummary
Impose a five-year moratorium on prison and jail construction.Status
Hearing 6/27/23 Emergency PreambleCommittees
House Ways and Means -
Bill
H. 3018Sponsors
Rep. DombSummary
Legislation to require menstrual products in all state buildingsStatus
Referred to the committee on State Administration and Regulatory OversightCommittee
House Ways and Means -
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Bill
S. 1415Sponsor
Sen. MirandaSummary
Birthing justice in the commonwealth, especially for Black women and other women of colorStatus
Hearing 6/06/23Committee
Public Health -
Sponsors
Rep. Fiola
Sen. FriedmanSummary
Requires MassHealth to cover postpartum depression screening for 12 months after birthStatus
Hearing 6/06/23Committee
Public Health -
Sponsors
Rep. Barber
Rep. Sabadosa
Rep. MooreSummary
Allows pharmacists to prescribe contraceptivesStatus
Passed as part of the FY24 BudgetCommittee
Public Health -
Racial Justice
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Bill #
H. 565Sponsors
Rep. SabadosaSummary
Gets SRO’s out of schoolsStatus
Referred to the committee on EducationCommittee
Education -
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-
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Sponsors
Rep. Tyler
Sen. CreemSummary
These bills would make phone calls free of charge to the person placing or the person receiving the call; they would apply to state prisons, county jails, and state juvenile detention centers.Status
Referred to the committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security and The JudiciaryCommittee
Public Safety and Homeland Security
Judiciary -
-
-
-
Bill
H. 3913Sponsor
Rep. WilliamsSummary
Establish an executive office for missing and murdered Black women and girls and create policies and alert systemsStatus
Referred to the committee on Public Safety and Homeland SecurityCommittee
Public Safety and Homeland Security -
-
-
Bill
S. 1976Sponsors
Sen. MirandaSummary
Establishes an Indigenous Peoples DayStatus
10/3/23Committee
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight -
Bill
S. 1545Sponsors
Sen. MirandaSummary
Establish an anti-racism division of the office of inspector general called the Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-racism, and Equity UnitCreate a Community Council with nomination authority
Status
Hearing 1/23/24Committee
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security -
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Sponsors
Rep. Montaño
Sen. MirandaSummary
Proposing a permanent commission towards improving educational outcomes and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native students. Broader impacts of the commission are the promotion of tribal self-determination by providing students with the opportunity to learn their heritage, languages and histories while preparing them for higher educationStatus
Hearing 10/11/23Committee
Education -
-
Sponsors
Rep. Lewis
Sen. RauschSummary
This bill addresses the lack of Indigenous curriculum in Massachusetts public schools.The goal is to develop a curriculum by working with tribal nations in-state and ensure that all children in the schools attain cultural competency in understanding Native history, cultures and current issues.Status
Hearing 10/11/23Committee
Education -
Sponsors
Rep. Rogers
Rep. Biele
Sen. CollinsSummary
This would ensure that Native American funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony (those of cultural, traditional or historical importance to their heritage) held in governmental, municipal or non-profit collections are not sold for profit.Status
Hearing 9/18/23Committee
House Steering, Policy and Scheduling -
Sponsors
Rep. Madaro
Rep. González
Sen. DiDomenicoSummary
Ensures that state agencies meet the needs of our Commonwealth’s increasingly diverse population by providing public information and services in languages other than English, as required by Federal law.Status
Hearing 10/3/23Committee
House Ways and Means
Economic Justice
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-
-
-
-
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Bill
H. 3118Sponsor
Rep. UltrinoSummary
The office of economic empowerment will create programs, policies, and partnerships to promote economic mobility and financial independence to residents across the commonwealthStatus
Hearing 6/27/23Committee
State Administration and Regulatory Oversight -
Bill
H. 3130Sponsor
Rep. WilliamsSummary
The formation of a new bureau who will be responsible for the recovery and reconstruction of low and moderate income communities and economically disadvantaged communities.Status
Hearing 6/27/23Committee
State Administration and Regulatory Oversight -
Bill
S. 2360Sponsors
Sen. VelisSummary
Creates the first women’s veteran network that reaches out to female veterans to provide supportStatus
Hearing 6/13/23Committee
Veterans and Federal Affairs -
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Sponsors
Rep. NguyenSummary
This bill makes sexual harassment unlawful and creates a compliance-based approach to discrimination regulation similar to the Federal Fair Lending Laws. Will make innovation funding more accessible for women and minorities.Status
Hearing 2/16/23Committee
Judiciary -
Bill
H. 1317Sponsors
Rep. DonahueSummary
Would protect all low-income state residents from eviction by codifying and streamlining access to DHCD’s homelessness prevention programs.Status
Hearing 9/27/23Committee
Housing -
Sponsors
Rep. Moran
Rep. Madaro
Sen. CrightonSummary
Ensures that all MA high school graduates have access to in-state tuition at our Commonwealth’s public colleges and universities, regardless of immigration status, as 23 other states and D.C. provide. The Senate bill would also extend eligibility for state financial aid.Status
Hearing 10/10/23Committee
Committee on Higher Education -
LGBTQ Rights
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-
-
Sponsors
Rep. Linksy
Sen. ComerfordSummary
An individual may request a change in the sex designation on their birth record to a sex designation including, but not limited to, “female,” “male,” or “X,” with “X” designating that the person is another gender or an undesignated gender.Status
Hearing 6/13/23Committee
Transportation -
Bill
H. 1537Sponsor
Rep. GordonSummary
Details the sentencing and punishment for any school or government official engages in sexual assault with minorsStatus
Referred to the committee on The JudiciaryCommittee
Judiciary -
Bill
H. 1536Sponsor
Rep. GordonSummary
Takes away any statute of limitations for the sexual assault of a minorStatus
Referred to the committee on The JudiciaryCommittee
Judiciary -
Sponsors
Rep. Higgins
Rep. Barber
Sen. ComerfordSummary
Those seeking gender reaffirming care will not be asked for more than one letter from a mental health care professional by corporations, insurance provider, the commission, or health officialStatus
Hearing 5/02/23Committee
Financial Services -
Gender Based Violence
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Bill
H. 1757Sponsor
Rep. SabadosaSummary
Promote the health and safety of people working in the sex tradeStatus
Hearing 5/16/23Committee
Judiciary -
-
Bill
H. 1572Sponsor
Rep. Jones, Jr.Summary
Prohibiting motor vehicle tracking devices without consentStatus
Referred to the committee on The JudiciaryCommittee
Judiciary -
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Bill
H. 560Sponsors
Rep. RogersSummary
Teaching media literacy in schools to promote child safety on the internet.Status
Senate concurredCommittee
Education -
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Sponsors
Rep. Lipper Garabedian
Sen. CreemSummary
This bill would Prohibit companies from selling, leasing, trading, or renting location data. Require companies to obtain consent before collecting or processing location data.Status
Hearing 11/13/23Committee
Consumer Protection and Protection and Professional Licensure -
Bill
H. 4241Sponsors
n/aSummary
This bill will add coercive control and technological abuse to the civil protection law to recognize less visible forms of abuse.Status
Hearing 9/12/23Committee
House Ways and Means -
Sponsors
Rep. Natalie M. Blais
Sen. Michael MooreSummary
The misuse of the court system by people who cause harm to further tactics of abusive power and control is referred to as abusive litigation.These tactics can force survivors to appear repeatedly in court at their emotional and financial expense. This bill provides courts with a tool to curb abusive litigation and mitigate its harms.Status
Hearing 9/12/23Committee
Judiciary -
Constitutional Equity
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Bill
S. 2016Sponsor
Sen. LewisSummary
Ensure gender parity and racial and ethnic diversity on public boards and commissionsStatus
Hearing 5/10/23Committee
State Administration and Regulatory Oversight -
Bill
S. 410Sponsors
Sen. CreemSummary
Same day voter registration, decoupling municipal census, ensuring access for voters with disabilities, uniform mail voting formsStatus
Hearing 9/13/23Committee
Election Laws -
Sponsors
Rep. Nguyen
Rep. Shand
Sen. MirandaSummary
This is a new bill that works to ensure parity on public boards and commissions. This bill would do so by asking for transparency, data collection, and reporting of public board and commission membership in order to disclose the gaps of representation.Status
House Ways and Means
Senate Ways and MeansCommittee
House Ways and Means -
Bill
H. 688Sponsors
Rep. GentileSummary
Same Day Voter Registration allows all eligible voters to register or update their registration in-person on Election Day or early voting days.Status
Hearing 9/13/23Committee
Election Laws -
Bill
H. 656Sponsors
Rep. ArriagaSummary
Allowing uniform vote by mail and absentee voting forms, ballots and other paperwork will reduce costs and workload for local election officials, and reduce confusion by voters.Status
Hearing 9/13/23Committee
Election Laws -
Bill
H. 701Sponsor
Rep. KhanSummary
Requires the Secretary to arrange inspection of all polling places and early voting sites at least once every four years, to ensure compliance with federal and state disability accessibility laws. Cities and towns not in compliance must take immediate action to comply and file a compliance plan, and the Attorney General can enforce compliance in court.Status
Hearing 9/13/23Committee
Election Laws