Will Brownsberger — State Senator, Democrat, 2d Suffolk and Middlesex District

Even knowing about the tragedy that cost Trayvon Martin his life in Florida, and despite less well publicized shootings where such laws protected assailants, Massachusetts may try to join the trend with its own “stand your ground” legislation. According to the Wellesley Patch, State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, proposed a stand your ground gun, [...]

Will, I’ve been meaning to write and thank you for working to tighten rules for prescription pain medication.  As a social worker, I have encountered tragic situations of families ruined by prescription drug addiction.  Most poignant was a juvenile court investigation for a family involved with DCF.  The mother was getting monthly prescriptions for her [...]

Dear Will, I searched the site but didn’t see your support for the Constitutional amendment resolution to overturn Citizen’s United.  Just wanted to make sure you are supporting this and to be aware of the Judiciary committee vote.  Is there any concern that this may not pass out of the committee?  I have spoken with [...]

On February 14 the U.S. Senate H.E.L.P. Committee will hold a Congressional hearing to review the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 report on pain, Relieving Pain in American: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education and Research. A little piece of Massachusetts trivia about this report.  The chairperson of the IOM committee was Philip Pizzo, MD, [...]

Will, This is such an important issue and I am so glad your are taking it on!! We have two family members who continue to be negatively affected by prescription pain killers which makes me very aware of the tight line one walks, starting from the very first prescription. Not that your bill addresses this but [...]

Will – while I appreciate the severity of this issue, as a practicing oncologist this bill would place significant constraints in terms of managing my patients. oncology patients frequently require long term narcotics, and I usually write several of these prescriptions daily. To stop and have to review each patient, every time, would be onerous [...]

I believe that addressing the problem of adequately treating pain, while at the same time trying to stop misuse of prescription pain medications, is something that the legislature can try to solve, but I am afraid legislation is more likely to cause harm than help.  Currently, health care providers are very worried about the consequences of [...]

Buprenorphine is an essential drug for me. Before I found a doctor who could prescribe it, I lived in constant pain. Please don’t make it even harder to get. I don’t get high on it. It just makes my life bearable.

Will, while I agree that prescription abuse is a problem, this bill will likely compound the problems faced by patients dying of cancer and their physicians, nurses and families.  These are the people with intractable and unimaginable pain, usually in the last stages of life who are trying to die with dignity and some comfort. [...]

Today the Senate passed a bill to strengthen the state’s response to prescription drug addiction. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

On the evening of February 5, 1988, Natick, Massachusetts police officer William Geissler observed a vehicle drive through a red light at a high rate of speed. Driving a marked police cruiser, Geissler quickly caught up to the vehicle which pulled over soon after when he signaled for it to do so. Upon approching the [...]

In Massachusetts and many other states, businesses are legally allowed to assess civil penalties against individuals whom they have caught shoplifting within their establishment. These penalties are in addition to any legal ramifications, such as fines, that a court may place on someone when they are found to be guilty of shoplifting. Currently the Commonwealth [...]

The House Ways and Means Budget does not adopt the Governor’s proposal to fold the Committee for Public Counsel Services into the Executive Branch and eliminate bar advocates (contract attorneys), replacing them with 1000 new hires. It does attempt some cost-savings in indigent representation.