An Act relative to oversight of sexual offender registry board

Summary

This legislation (1) mandates that Sex Offender Registry Board and the State Police establish MOU to identify and locate offenders who failed to comply or could not be notified; (2) expands reporting requirements when an offender is released to include the state police and departments where the offender previously lived and worked; (3) requires the state police to file an arrest warrant for any offender who violates the reporting requirements; and (4) creates a new category, to be known as ‘Level Zero’ that will be used to identify offenders who are appealing their classification.

An Act providing for an equitable Massachusetts teachers’ retirement system pension for Paul C. Norberg

Summary

This “by request” bill works to provide for an equitable rate of annuity, under the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System, for Paul C. Nordberg. Mr. Nordberg is a resident of Auburn, Massachusetts, a teacher working at the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, and a member of the MTRS. According to this bill, Mr. Norberg would be entitled to either of the following options: (1) In the event that, at the time of his retirement from teaching with any school system that is a member of the MTRS, Mr. Nordberg’s then age and then years of membership and contribution to the MTRS add to at least eighty-five (85), Mr. Nordberg shall be entitled to a pension in the amount of seventy percent (70%) of the average of his three (3) highest paid years while working as a teacher contributing to the MRTS; or (2) In the event that, at the time of his retirement from teaching with any school system that is a member of the MTRS, Mr. Nordberg’s then age and then years of membership and contribution to the MTRS add to at least eighty-five (90), Mr. Nordberg shall be entitled to a pension in the amount of eighty percent (80%) of the average of his three (3) highest paid years while working as a teacher contributing to the MRTS.

An Act relative to improving outcomes for sudden cardiac arrest

Summary

This bill would make changes to the existing Emergency 911 system to improve outcomes for individuals suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SAC). The Commonwealth’s E911 system responds to about 10 victims a day, but the survival rate is nearly ten times lower than other parts of the country. These improvements are largely due to the expansion of Dispatcher Assisted CPR, during which a 911 dispatcher walks a responsible bystander over the phone. The legislation would require that all dispatchers that provide dispatch for emergency medical conditions be trained in telephone-CPR. The bill would also add a physician with a specialty in emergency medicine and a regional EMS expert to the State 911 Commission. It would also add Sudden Cardiac Arrest to the list of reportable diseases, allowing the Commonwealth to collect improved data on these incidents.

An Act relative to pain management treatment for certain chronic pain patients

Summary

This legislation aligns Massachusetts with CDC guidelines on including drug testing as a condition of the pain management treatment for patients getting an opioid prescription for chronic pain.  This is another tool for doctors to use when treating a patient – Quest data shows 1 out of every 2 patients misuse their prescription. 

An Act expanding access to patient centered care of opioid use disorder

Summary

This legislation directs the Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, to develop a healthcare provider education campaign that encourages the adoption of all FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder. The goal of the campaign is to increase the number of providers offering all FDA-approved medications, directly or by referral, along with counseling and other appropriate support services.

An Act establishing EMAC exemption for human services nonprofits

Summary

This legislation exempts community-based human services organizations holding purchase-of-service contracts with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Department of Early Education and Care and the Department of Housing and Community Development from paying the Employer Medical Assistance Contribution (EMAC) Supplement.

An Act relative to hormonal contraceptives

Summary

This legislation allows a registered pharmacist to prescribe and dispense hormonal contraceptive patches and self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives to a person who is at least 18 years of age without a previous prescription from a primary care practitioner or women’s health care practitioner or under 18 years of age, only if the person has a previous prescription from a primary care practitioner or women’s health care practitioner for a hormonal contraceptive patch or self-administered oral hormonal contraceptive.

An Act relative to transparency in higher education

Summary

The abrupt closure and sale of Mt. Ida College to UMass Amherst caught the current students, newly accepted students, faculty and staff by surprise. Equally as troubling was Mt. Ida’s decision to close its doors without a school closure plan and without appropriate notice to the Attorney General and the Board of Higher Education. This legislation works to address issues of notice by requiring that when higher education institutions begin discussions or deliberations, or enter into written agreements to: (i) close; (ii) merge; (iii) acquire the facilities or land of another institution; or (iv) to open a branch campus, they must provide the board of higher education with reasonable notice not less than 120 days before the intended action. In addition, when a higher education institution realizes that it may not have the financial resources to sustain the quality of its education programs, support institutional improvements, or graduate its entering class, it must notify the board of higher education not less than 14 days after the institution becomes aware of those circumstances. Lastly, it requires that the proposals to merge, acquire, or open a branch campus shall be subject to the notice requirements and be reviewed by the board of higher education. During its review of the merger, acquisition or opening, these notices shall not be a public record and shall be exempt from disclosure.

An Act relative to life cycle costs for long term pavement solutions

Summary

This legislation would require the Department of Transportation to study the long term cost-effectiveness of pavement alternatives, specifically concrete for use in transportation projects. The language also requires that MassDOT conduct 4 demonstration projects annually that test different pavement designs, and analyze the results.  These results will be reported by MassDOT, and include comparisons of long-term costs, reduction of noise, friction, and ride quality.

An Act to clarify the net-worth measure of the corporate excise

Summary

To clarify the current law regarding the calculation used to determine the net-worth measure of the corporate excise.  AIM’s proposal seeks to clarify how the Department of Revenue calculates debt vs. equity calculation during the audit process, which has been inconsistent and seeks to affirm existing state and federal law regarding foreign owned companies.

An Act Relative to Smoking Cessation Agents

Summary

This legislation allows a licensed pharmacist to dispense Smoking Cessation Agents. Before dispensing Smoking Cessation Agents, a pharmacist shall complete a training program approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, which shall include but not be limited to proper documentation, quality assurance, and referral to additional services, including appropriate recommendation that the patient follow-up with a medical practitioner.