Achievements
2006
Genetic Privacy
Spearheaded the successful effort to pass legislation extending genetic privacy, as well as separate legislation granting professional licensure for genetic counselors.
Prohibiting For-Profit Adoptions
Brought a bill that reinstated a prohibition on for-profit adoption placements in Massachusetts from concept language to the Governor’s desk in less than two months time at the end of the legislative session.
2008
Wage Act Reform
Helped sign into law legislation to reform the Wage Act in Massachusetts, which grants employees mandatory treble damages for an employer’s failure to pay wages.
PA Supervision
Secured a change in the law to allow physicians to supervise additional physician assistants.
Reducing High School DropOuts
Represented Oíste, the Massachusetts Latino Political Organization, in its effort to create a comprehensive government affairs agenda for the Latino community. Through this partnership, we were successful in passing legislation to reduce dropout rates.
oral Health Legislation
Against great odds, achieved passage of landmark oral health legislation granting dental hygienists the right to practice (as well as bill for services) in public health settings without the supervision of a dentist.
2010
Debt Collection Exemptions
On behalf of the National Consumer Law Center, achieved passage of legislation updating and modernizing the statute pertaining to items exempt under debt collection.
Autism healthcare
Helped pass legislation in coalition with other groups requiring insurance companies to cover services to children on the autism spectrum.
2012
Bottle Bill
Helped achieve passage, on behalf of the Sierra Club, of an updated Bottle Bill in the Massachusetts Senate, the first time the bill has successfully advanced in any one branch in the last 15 years.
PA STATUTE Changes
Achieved a milestone for our client, the Massachusetts Association of Physician Assistants, by securing passage of the most positive changes made to the statutes governing PAs since the adoption of prescriptive practices two decades prior.
2014
Worker Protections
Led a successful effort to pass into law new protections for workers who make minimum wage and overtime, ensuring that these vulnerable workers are able to adequately recover any back wages they are owed.
Homeless Youth Services
Spearheaded passage of a law for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, which sets up a continuum of services for homeless youth, a perpetually underserved and under-acknowledged population in the Commonwealth.
Parental Leave Legislation
Assisted in the last hours of the 2013-2014 legislative session in the passage of parental leave legislation, a law which makes parental leave gender-neutral, ensuring that all families, including non-traditional families, are able to appropriately care for their children after birth, while not having to worry about losing their jobs by taking this leave.
2017
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Lead lobbyist for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act which the Governor signed into law July 2017. This legislation codifies employers’ obligation to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and prohibits discrimination against pregnant workers, thereby increasing the likelihood that women will be able to work safely throughout their pregnancy and return to work.
Gov. Baker signing the Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) bill into law in November 2017. https://languageopportunity.org/look-act/
Look Bill
Along with the Massachusetts Language Opportunity Coalition, we accomplished another success when the Governor enacted the Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) bill. The resulting bill greatly expands options for English learners in the Commonwealth’s public schools and creating a new Seal of Biliteracy that will help students compete in the global economy.
2018
Pooled trusts for seniors
Achieved passage of language in the House and Senate Health Care Cost Containment Bills to preserve disability pooled trusts for seniors.
Protections for immigrants
Secured passage of important protections for immigrants in the Senate budget that would help to reduce current, widespread fear of law enforcement.
2019
Lifting the cap on kids
Secured the passage of legislation, via an override, that lifted the family cap on welfare benefits, allowing families to receive additional aid following the birth of another child.
Senate President Karen Spilka (left), Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo (right) and other legislators celebrate lifting the cap on kids
