2023-2024 Session Recap

In the 2023-2024 session, the Massachusetts legislature finished off with strong progress on multiple fronts. It was, to my mind, a very successful session.

I understand that legislative success is always in the eye of the beholder:

• Some judge a session based on a single paramount bill of importance to them — pro or con.
• Some focus on one class of policy issues — environment, housing, public safety, education, health care . . .
• Some focus on equity from a central perspective — geographic or district equity, racial equity, economic class equity.
• Some focus on transparency or process issues (and admittedly, from a process perspective, this session was not pretty, as we had more conflict than usual and, as a result, missed some self-imposed intermediate deadlines).

From a legislative leadership perspective, every single one of these perspectives is entirely valid and deserves respect. One attempts to make substantive progress on as many fronts as possible and perform well by as many metrics as possible. Below are some highlights of the substantive progress this year (prepared by the Office of the Senate President). In future posts, I’ll talk more about transparency and process issues.

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Senate President’s Session Summary

The Affordable Homes Act

• The largest investment and pro-housing policy bill in Massachusetts history, aimed at making it easier to live and work in Massachusetts. 
• Makes it easier for low- and middle-income residents to afford to buy a home and stay in the communities they love. 
• Nearly two billion dollars to repair and restore public housing. 

Clean energy and climate protection

• Real progress towards our commitment to making Massachusetts net-zero by 2050. 
• A historic policy package that will make it easier to build clean energy infrastructure and reduce our emissions. 
• Keeps costs down for residents by phasing out fossil fuels and easing access to electric vehicles and chargers.

Free community college and tuition equity

• Every high school student can go to college if they choose to, without worrying about the cost of tuition. 
• Targets even more financial support to lower- and middle- income students. 
• Higher education increases salaries, keeps people in Massachusetts, and makes sure companies have the talent they need. 

Historic expansion of childcare capacity

• Keeps childcare provider doors open and keeps costs down for families.
• Delivers subsidies directly to providers and low- and middle-income families. 
• Gives our young kids the educational leg up that every child deserves.

Economic development

• A $4 billion investment in large and small industries that create jobs for residents and drive our economy.
• Pushes hundreds of millions of dollars towards statewide infrastructure, including specific funds for rural communities and libraries. 
• Makes policy changes to make it easier for farmers and small businesses to grow their businesses in Massachusetts.

Lower prescription drug costs

• Saves lives by making sure people can afford the medication they need. 
• Lowers costs for diabetes, asthma, and heart condition medications. 
• Reins in pharmacy benefit managers and creates consequences when they don’t act in the best interests of consumers. 

Healthcare reforms: Private equity, maternal health, long-term care

• Protects patients, workers, and communities from the gross negligence of actors like Steward Health Care. 
• Makes sure people who give birth get the safe, high-quality care that they deserve in our state, especially Black residents, who face increased health disparities. 
• Makes sure older residents get the high-quality care they deserve, and 
• Helps stabilize the primary care system and lower out-of-pocket costs for residents. 

The HERO Act 

• Historic expansion of benefits for hundreds of thousands of veterans in Massachusetts. 
• Increases access to mental health, disability, and employment benefits for servicemembers. 
• Legally entitles women and LGBTQ+ veterans to the full spectrum of benefits they deserve.  

The SAFER Act: Reducing criminal gun activity

• Combats the rise of ghost guns. 
• Protects residents from a rise in gun violence nationally that has devastated families. 
• Preserves the rights of law-abiding gun owners in Massachusetts.

Additional highlights are included in this further summary from the Senate President.

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Personal priorities

Personally, in terms of my own time, I focused on the housing issue (highlighted above). I was the senate chair of the conference committee that produced the main housing bill. Through the past few months, I have produced exhaustive documentation and analysis on the progress we made on that front. I’ll be sharing a summary housing progress report soon.

I would also highlight:

• A strong collection of animal welfare bills;
• The parentage act which protects the rights of LGBTQ parents and others using various forms of assisted reproduction;
• Studies I’ve been doing through the Fall on census data issues related to housing;
• Progress on the automated traffic enforcement front — first time Massachusetts bills allowing use cameras to enforce bus lane and school bus stop violations;
• Home rule bills for Boston, expanding restaurant liquor licenses to more neighborhoods and strengthening sanitation enforcement with higher fines;
• Local safety and infrastructure progress, including the improvements around the Boston University bridge.