Sports Betting 

S.302, An Act addressing economic, health and social harms caused by sports betting 

After talking to public health experts, people with lived experience, members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and advocates, Sen. Keenan filed this bill to address specific issues in the Massachusetts gaming industry, as well as the overall concern in the increase in problem gambling.  

Regulations within the bill include:  

  • Increase the corporate revenue tax for online sports betting companies from 20% to 51%. Currently, Massachusetts has one of the lowest such tax in the region. This change would raise the Commonwealth tax to the same levels as in New York, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. 
  • Prohibit sports betting advertising during broadcasts of sporting events and advertisements containing language that misrepresents a customer’s odds at winning.  
  • Require online sports betting companies double their financial contributions to the Commonwealth’s Public Health Trust Fund, which supports gambling addiction treatment services. 
  • Prohibit sports betting operators from paying employees based on a percentage of how much they convince a customer to bet, effectively doing away with predatory “host” employees. 
  • Ban “in-play” and “proposition” bets, which public health experts warn are designed to promote addictive behaviors.  
  • Add sports agents and promoters too the list of those prohibited from wagering on sporting events.  
  • Limit how much people can bet each day unless gambling operators conduct affordability checks on customers to determine they have sufficient funds.  
  • Direct the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to research the links between problem gambling and suicide. 
  • Require online sports betting operators provide the Commonwealth with anonymized customer data on betting activities, including wager amounts and frequency, so qualified researchers can study problem gambling. These data would not include customer names, addresses, or bank account information.  

Overdose Prevention 

SD869, An Act requiring opioid use disorder education 

Much in the same way we are instructed how to perform CPR in the event of a heart attack or the Heimlich maneuver if someone is choking, proper procedures for treating an overdose should be commonplace among the general public. This bill would ensure Massachusetts public school students learn about opioid use disorder and how to help someone experiencing an overdose.  

SD871, An Act directing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to place naloxone in subway stations 

Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, is a nasal spray that can stave off fatal overdoses. Legislation filed by Sen. Keenan that was signed into law last session made it possible for naloxone to be made available at MBTA Red Line stations, where public health data show there are higher concentrations of overdoses. This legislation would expand the existing MBTA naloxone program so that naloxone is available at every MBTA subway station.

SD906, An Act establishing a naloxone purchase trust fund 

Naloxone is an essential harm reduction tool, but it is not nearly as readily available as it needs to be. This legislation would establish a universal purchase and distribution system, which would cover the cost of distribution of naloxone to healthcare facilities such as acute care hospitals, emergency departments, substance use disorder treatment facilities and community health centers. This framework would establish a formalized process by which these frontline providers can acquire this lifesaving medication.  

SD914, An Act to save lives by distributing narcan to individuals at risk for an overdose 

Once someone completes a period of incarceration, it is our responsibility to help that person become a productive member of our society. Many in this transitional phase of life are also in the process of recovering from substance use disorder. This bill would ensure individuals with substance use disorder receive naloxone upon release from prison.  

SD962, An Act relative to the prescription monitoring program 

This bill would strengthen the prescription monitoring program (MassPAT) by requiring the inclusion of prescriptions for treating opioid addiction. This requirement would ensure that licensed professionals authorized to prescribe controlled substances receive information about a patient’s participation in opioid maintenance treatment prior to issuing a new prescription for an opioid substance. The bill would also require facilities with opioid treatment programs to offer an optional release form to individuals entering treatment in order to improve the coordination of care.  

Behavioral Health 

SD936, An Act providing continuity of care for mental health treatment 

Treating any diagnosis is hard enough without the hassle of insurance getting in the way. We need to ensure people have and retain access to mental health care. This legislation would allow a patient to retain access to an existing care provider even if a change in insurance coverage takes place. Whether the provider is no longer in network, or the patient loses their existing health insurance due to a change in employment or marital status, their new insurance company would have to continue covering the treatment they are already receiving. This requirement would prevent gaps in care and keep people from having to go out and find a new mental health care provider.  

SD947, An Act relative to dual diagnosis treatment coverage      

Substance use disorder and other mental health conditions are often co-occurring. A person may check into an inpatient psychiatric facility or a substance use treatment facility, and while receiving treatment for one condition be denied treatment for the other due to insurance coverage issues. This bill would ensure that patients continue to have access to both treatments, regardless of where they are receiving treatment, so long as the facility is appropriately licensed.  

SD971, An Act related to comprehensive clinical and extended support services 

This legislation, also known as the ACCESS ACT, seeks to match insurance coverage with our current understanding of substance use disorder treatments. Under state law, insurance companies must offer two weeks of what is called clinical stabilization services (CSS), which help patients leaving detoxification programs as they move towards transitional support services (TSS) or low-intensity residential treatment programs. Individuals working in this field, as well as those in recovery, have noted that two weeks is insufficient to make this challenging transition safely. The ACCESS Act would ensure patients receive these vital supports for 30 days.  

SD981, An Act strengthening mental health centers 

So much of providing adequate care depends on appropriate funding. Behavioral health clinics play such a crucial role in public health, serving as the entry point to treatment for so many patients’ treatments, but the rate at which they are reimbursed by MassHealth is inadequate. Under this legislation, the MassHealth’s minimum payment rate for all behavioral health services would be increased by 5%. Additionally, the bill would ensure that each rate of payment for behavioral health services is not less than 20% above comparable services offered by independent care providers.  

Additional Public Health Matters 

SD865, An Act related to the risk of getting cancer due to the consumption of alcohol 

It is always important to find the balance between the things we enjoy and the extent to which they can harm us. While not everyone who consumes alcohol will develop serious, long-term health problems, many do. Worse still, many do not even know the risks that exist. Informed by recent studies and data, this legislation would require Massachusetts establishments that sell alcohol to display signage informing customers of the link between alcohol consumption and the development of liver, breast, colon, esophagus, larynx, mouth, and throat cancers. 

SD952, An Act protecting youth from nicotine addiction 

It is so easy to get addicted to nicotine and so difficult to quit, however studies show that adding a financial disincentive to the experience is beneficial in preventing young consumers from starting smoking and helps current smokers wean themselves off nicotine. This bill would increase Massachusetts’ cigarette tax from $3.51 to $4.51 per pack and increase the tax on cigars from 40% wholesale to 80%.  

SD963, An Act to reduce lung cancer deaths 

This bill would ensure more people are made aware of the links between smoking and lung cancer by requiring tobacco retailers display signage promoting lung cancer screenings, as well as direct the Department of Public Health to develop educational health hazard inserts that would accompany tobacco products at the point of sale. Additionally, this bill would require the Commonwealth’s free smoking cessation call-in service provide cancer screening information to callers.

Transportation 

SD1114, An Act establishing parking cash-out 

Many workplaces in Massachusetts offer paid or subsidized parking benefits to employees, easing some of the financial burden of commuting. This benefit fails to help employees who use public transit. This bill would help those commuters by allowing them to receive a cash payout from their employer equal to what it would have cost the employer to provide a subsidized parking benefit.   

SD957, An Act expanding access to commuter transit benefits offered by employers 

Investing in public transit creates positive ripple effects benefitting all commuters by providing better services, helping drivers by reducing traffic, and reducing damage to the environment. But we need to do more to make it the best option for everyone. With the MBTA improving each day, we are trying to get more people to use its services by providing a new financial incentive. Under this legislation, Massachusetts employers with 50 or more employees would have to offer a commuter transit benefit to their workers that would allow them to pay for public transit services on a tax-free basis, effectively lowering the cost to commute.

Election Security 

SD939, An Act to protect democracy 

Election workers are on the frontlines protecting our democracy, facilitating fair and safe elections. Unfortunately, our current national political climate has too often made these public servants the subject of criticism, harassments, and threats. This legislation, supported by the Secretary of State, would create a new criminal charge in Massachusetts for harassing or intimidating state and local election workers or their families. Those found guilty of a first offense would face up to four years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000, and a second offence would result in imprisonment up to ten years and a fine of up to $25,000.  

Education 

SD868, An Act limiting cell phones in classrooms 

Advances in technology have helped our society in many ways, but that does not mean there have not been new challenges as a result. Smart phone use has had a negative impact on classrooms, lowering the attention span of students and becoming a difficult distraction for teachers to contend with. This legislation would address these problems by prohibiting phone use in classrooms.  

Workforce 

SD919, An Act relative to collective bargaining rights for legislative employees 

Every employee should have the right to unionize. Organized labor has helped to ensure fair pay, strong benefits, healthy work-life balances, and safe working environments. Staff at the State House have pointed to low wages and harmful working conditions as reasons for wanting to form a union, but they arguably cannot do so under state law. This bill would change state law and give staff the right to unionize, which would make the State House a better place to work, help attract and retain talent, and address the current high turn-over rate that we currently see as a detriment to the process of passing laws.  

SD953, An Act establishing a community health center nurse practitioner residency program 

We need more care providers serving our most vulnerable communities and we need more employment opportunities for individuals wanting to work in health care. This bill does both by establishing a two-year, state-funded residency program for nurse practitioners at Massachusetts community health centers. In exchange for receiving training and experience, program participants would agree to work at their host community health center for at least 18 months. 

Protections for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 

SD930, An Act updating terminology and investigative practices related to the protection of persons with disabilities 

This legislation streamlines the Disabled Persons Protection Commission’s (DPPC) processes and strengthens Nicky’s Law, which established an online registry of caretakers who abused people with disabilities to prevent future abuses. Due to some policy inconsistencies, this registry has not been fully adopted by all caretaking agencies in the Commonwealth, thus enabling abusers to continue to work with vulnerable populations. The bill would require all caretaking agencies in the Commonwealth to fully participate in the state’s registry of abusive caretakers, preventing personnel fired for abusing clientele at one agency from getting hired at a new agency.  

SD924, An Act ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices have helped people living with a variety of developmental and intellectual disabilities, so they should be available to everyone who wants them. This bill would require MassHealth to cover these treatments.   

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Published by senatorjohnkeenan