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Page 16 BHRC | FROM PAGE 14 to this delusion,” continued Doyle. “It will confuse and falsify public records and compel government employees to participate in this falsification. It will result in discrimination in public employment against those who hold a traditional understanding of reality and will make the investigation of offenders more difficult for law enforcement. Section 4 of the bill will essentially empower government bureaucrats who administer programs for youth to proselytize the minors in their care for so-called gender transitioning." (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes MAKE OBTAINING ID CARDS EASIER FOR HOMELESS PERSONS(S 2251) On July 27, 2023, the Senate 38-0, approved and sent to the House legislation that would make it easier for homeless youth and adults to secure free state ID cards. Supporters said that currently a person experiencing homelessness faces prohibitive fees and documentation requirements when trying to obtain an ID card. They noted that this legislation removes those barriers by eliminating fees and only requiring that applicants present documentation showing that they are currently receiving services provided by the state, a homeless service provider or another service provider. They argued that ID cards are necessary for applying for jobs, enrolling in school, interacting with law enforcement, accessing government buildings, opening financial accounts and many other basic services that many take for granted. “When we listen to our homeless youth about the challenges they face, there is a common denominator and that is access to identification,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester), the Senate sponsor of the bill. “Having proper identification is the foundation to accessing food, shelter and employment opportunities, while also breaking the cycle of poverty.” “Fees and documentation are not just barriers to identification,” saidSenate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “By extension, they are barriers to getting a job, accessing healthcare and applying for services—the most basic of necessities. These barriers harm the most vulnerable people in our commonwealth and eliminating them is a compassionate step that makes the path to stability a little bit easier.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS (S 2491) On October 26, 2023, the Senate 38-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that would require all prisons, homeless shelters and K-12 schools to maintain free menstrual products, including sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners in private and public restrooms and to make them available in a “convenient manner that does not stigmatize any persons seeking the products.” Supporters said that according to THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 1, 2024 Under the bill, pharmacists could the Massachusetts Menstrual Equity Coalition, approximately one in seven children in Massachusetts is living in poverty and struggles to pay for menstrual products. They argued that research shows that the inability to access menstrual products affects students’ class attendance. They also noted that women facing homelessness or who are incarcerated face high barriers to access, with Massachusetts shelters reporting that menstrual products are among the least donated items. They argued that restricted access in shelters and correctional facilities means that products can be used as bargaining chips and tools of control for people in vulnerable circumstances. “I learned about this issue from young people in Medford High School, Somerville High School and Cambridge Rindge and Latin who took leadership at the local level to make menstrual hygiene products available in their own communities,” said sponsor Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville). “This is a true grassroots movement starting with girls talking about their experiences of missing valuable class time or feeling embarrassed to access products during the school day. These conversations have already started to change the culture and have motivated us to expand this across the state.” “Period products are not luxuries, but necessities required for people’s basic needs, health and hygiene,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro), Senate Chair of the Committee on Public Health. “Today’s passage of the … bill affirms that women and all menstruating people deserve access to menstrual products. An inaccessibility of period products speaks to the longstanding and persistent misogyny in our society, a bias that intersects with inequalities in housing, education, socioeconomics and beyond. By ensuring better access to these products, we support further access to essential health needs regardless of our situation in life.” During floor debate, Cyr sarcastically commented, “I think it's pretty obvious that if most men could menstruate, these products would be as ubiquitous and free as toilet paper.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes HIV PREVENTION DRUGS (S 2480) On October 26, 2023 the Senate 380, approved and sent to the House a bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe, dispense and administer a short-term supply (60-days once in a two-year period) of HIV prevention drugs, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), to a patient without a prescription. The bill requires pharmacists to provide counseling to the patient regarding the use of PrEP, to inform the patient’s primary care doctor that the pharmacist has prescribed the drug and to connect patients without a primary care provider with a health care provider for ongoing care and to obtain a prescription for PrEP. only prescribe PrEP to patients who have tested negative for HIV within the past seven days, do not have HIV symptoms and are not taking medications that are not safe to use with PrEP. Supporters say that PrEP is a life-saving medication that is nearly 100 percent effective in stopping the transmission of HIV. They note that under current law, individuals who take PrEP must make an appointment and go through their doctor, a barrier that can stand in the way for people who need the medication on short notice, cannot make an appointment or cannot access medical care. “PrEP is a game changer in HIV prevention. Yet, while this life-saving medication reduces the risk of transmission by 99 percent, it remains inaccessible for too many,” said sponsor Public Health Care chair Sen. Julian Cyr. “Allowing pharmacists to prescribe and dispense PrEP on a shortterm basis, similar to what’s already allowed for contraceptives, would significantly increase the accessibility of this essential HIV prevention tool. With greater access to PrEP we can narrow the gap in PrEP utilization among LGBTQ+ people of color. I am someone who uses PrEP and most of my gay, bisexual and queer friends rely on it too. With this legislation, we are once again putting people at the center of our public health policy. I’m thrilled it has passed the Senate.” “When someone is ready to begin PrEP, it is crucial that they are able to [do so] as soon as possible,” said Carrie Richgels, Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Fenway Health. “At Fenway Health, we regularly work to overcome barriers that patients face due to trauma, stigma and discrimination. We know from experience that to overcome these obstacles we must meet people where they are and build trust. Trust is essential to getting people on PrEP, and a local pharmacy can provide a lower threshold of access and can be a trusted access point for those who may face discrimination in traditional healthcare settings.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes PHARMACEUTICAL ACCESS, COSTS AND TRANSPARENCY (S 2520) On November 15, 2023, the Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters say would make major changes and reforms to the state’s pharmaceutical system by “lowering the cost of drugs at the pharmacy counter and improving oversight of the pharmaceutical industry.” “The Senate has made pharmaceutical cost containment and oversight a priority for a long time, and I’m proud that we’ve had the opportunity to pass this bill in three consecutive sessions, improving it as we learn more and more about the industry,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington), Senate chair of the Committee on Health Care Financing. “While we are supportive of the work of the pharmaceutical industry, we also know that far too many Massachusetts residents are struggling to access lifesaving, essential medication due to outrageous and skyrocketing costs. [This legislation] will provide necessary transparency and oversight measures, so that consumers can trust that this system is putting patients and their health before profits.” “I am pleased the Senate has passed this crucial prescription drug legislation,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Healthcare is all about accessibility and affordability, and this reform-minded consumer focused bill will allow increased access to prescription drugs while also considerably driving down the cost of everyday medications.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL INCREASE FINES FOR VIOLATING HANDICAPPED PARKING (H 3261) – The House gave initial approval to a proposal that would allow cities and towns to increase the current $300 maximum fine for parking illegally in a parking space reserved for handicapped persons. That $300 fine is set by the state and goes into the municipalities’ General Fund. The measure would allow cities and towns to impose an additional $450 fine - making the total fine $750. The additional $450 would be placed into a specialized local account to be used for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades in the city or town where the violation occurred. The original $300 fine would still go into the community’s General Fund. “In my district and across the state, cities and towns through commissions on disabilities have plans to make their communities more accessible,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “However, oftentimes a lack of funding prevents them from enacting their plans. This bill allows them to place some of the financial burden on the backs of those who violate the laws that exist to protect the rights of people with disabilities, and to provide for greater opportunities of access.” CHANGE ARCHAIC LANGUAGE REFERRING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (H 4396) – The House gave initial approval to a bill that would modernize written state laws to reflect the evolution of terminology relating to persons with disabilities. Changes include replacing “handicapped persons” with “persons with disabilities,” replacing “the mentally retarded” with “persons with an intellectual disability,” replacing “retarded children” with “children with an intellectual disability” and replacing “disabled American veterans” with “American veterans with disabilities.” Supporters said the primary objective of the bill is to identify and eliminate outdated, archaic language from the General Laws of Massachusetts and replace it with more respectful, person-first language. They noted that once the archaic language was found, they contacted the relevant state agency or office to confirm that the bill would have no unforeseen consequences, such as impacting funding or access to services. "Modernizing state statutes to reflect the evolution of terminology relating to persons with disabilities is an essential step the commonwealth can take to reflect the respect that we should have for all residents,” said sponsor Rep. Mike Finn (D-West Springfield). “Getting the bill to this point is a result of collaboration between many executive offices, stakeholders and legislative committees. My hope is that the latest version of the bill will pass legislative scrutiny and reach the finish line this session. Working on this bill in particular has been an honor because it represents my own personal beliefs about how every individual in this commonwealth deserves to be treated with dignity." NOAH FERNANDES MITOCHONDRIAL AWARENESS DAY (H 4140) – The House gave initial approval to a bill designating the Friday of the third full week of September as Noah Fernandes Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Day, in recognition of the Team Noah Foundation, whose goal is to alleviate the financial and emotional stress by providing transportation and home improvements to families with children who are affected by Mitochondrial Disease and other developmental disabilities. “Noah Fernandes was the son of a friend, Victor Fernandes, who is a business leader in New Bedford and very involved in our community,” said sponsor Rep. Tony Cabral (D-New Bedford). “Noah was diagnosed with Melas, one of the most severe forms of Mitochondrial disease when he was five years old. For the next 10 years, Noah’s muscular and mental condition deteriorated as juvenile dementia overtook his body and left him unable to move or speak until he passed away at age 15.” Cabral continued, “Within their grief, Victor and Noah’s mom, Christine Fernandes, launched the Team Noah Foundation – a non-profit which helps the families of severely disabled children with conversion projects to make their homes more handicap-accessible and to help provide specialized vans, bicycles and other transportation needs. The Team Noah Foundation also was the driving force behind the Noah’s Place Playground in New Bedford which is the largest and most inclusive playground in New England. Given the great work that the Team Noah Foundation does, in the memory of Noah Fernandes, it seemed only fitting to acknowledge this and bring awareness of this disease to the state level.” MARIJUANA AND FIRST RESPONDERS (S 48) – The Committee on Cannabis Policy has given a favorable report and recommended passage of a measure that would require the Cannabis Control Commission and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to study and report to the Legislature on the barriers that first responders face about their BHRC| SEE PAGE 18

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