Through an inclusive and extensive process, the MCWL selected the following five top legislative priorities for the 2023-2024 legislative session, all of which support our overarching strategic priorities. We will work to advance these legislative priorities throughout the session through advocacy, education, and coalition-building.

An Act relative to salary range transparency (H.1849, Rep. Fluker Oakley and Rep. Cutler, & S.1191, Sen. Jehlen)
This bill would have MA join a growing number of states in requiring employers to disclose the salary range when advertising a position. Research shows that salary range transparency in the hiring process is one of the best tools to help close the gender wage gap. Posting salary ranges is already a common practice in many industries, but some businesses are reluctant to do so for fear of being put at a competitive disadvantage. Having a uniform state law removes that barrier and puts everyone on a level playing field. This bill supports our “Elevating Women’s Economic Opportunity & Eliminating Barriers” Strategic Priority. You can see our testimony in support of this bill here.

  • This bill passed the House of Representatives on October 4, 2023 and passed the Senate on October 19, 2023. The matter is currently before a Conference Committee to negotiate the differences between the bills.

An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products (H.534, Rep. Barber and Rep. Livingstone & S.1381, Sen. Jehlen) 
This bill requires all schools, prisons, and homeless shelters to provide free access to menstrual products. Period poverty impacts the lives and abilities of menstruators to fully participate in society. For many, this is a large expense and something that is not as accessible as needed. Period products are a basic need that should be provided in schools and other settings. This bill supports our “Addressing Racial & Gender Disparities in Health Care” Strategic Priority. You can see our testimony in support of this bill here.

  • This bill was unanimously passed by the Senate on October 26, 2023. It is currently before the House Committee on Ways & Means.

An Act relative to a livable wage for human service workers (H.191, Rep. Khan & S.84, Sen. Friedman) 
This bill addresses disparities between the rate of pay for human services workers employed directly by the state and those employed by agencies with state contracts. Requires the state, over the course of 4 years, to increase the rate of reimbursement for human services providers in order to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, the pay disparity. An estimated 80% of human service workers in MA are women, and nearly 1/3 are people of color. Human service workers are more likely to live below 150% of the poverty level, have lower median wages, and have lower household incomes than workers in other industries. This bill supports our “Elevating Women’s Economic Opportunity & Eliminating Barriers” Strategic Priority.

An Act relative to postpartum depression screening (H.2163, Rep. Fiola & S.1375, Sen. Friedman)
This bill requires MassHealth to provide coverage for postpartum depression screenings by pediatricians for 12 months. This coverage is already covered by the mother's physicians, so this would expand coverage to pediatrician visits as well. Postpartum depression is vastly underdiagnosed and that is in part because women are not being screened enough. Oftentimes women do not come forward with their symptoms, so having a pediatric physician who is trained to spot symptoms can be critical. Expanding the screening time period from 6 months to 12 months can make a difference. This bill supports our “Addressing Racial & Gender Disparities in Health Care” Strategic Priority. You can see our testimony in support of this bill here.

An Act supporting parents running for public office (H.669, Rep. Meschino and Rep. Connolly & S.422, Sen. Jehlen) 
 Currently, childcare costs incurred during campaign events and activities are considered personal expenses and therefore not eligible for reimbursement under MA law. This bill would allow state and local candidates to use their campaign funds to pay for campaign-related childcare expenses. Childcare should be treated like other allowable expenses, such as printing literature and purchasing tuxedos for campaign events. This bill would eliminate a major barrier for parents seeking public office in their communities and advance equitable political representation throughout the Commonwealth. This bill supports our “Empowering Women in Government” Strategic Priority. You can see our testimony in support of this bill here.

 
 
 

Endorsed Legislation

In addition to the above top 5 legislative priorities, the MCWL also endorsed the following 20 pieces of legislation. These bills all speak to at least one of our strategic priorities.

Under “Elevating Women’s Economic Opportunity & Eliminating Barriers” Strategic Priority 

  • An Act relative to transparency in the workplace (H.1940, Rep. Barber and Rep. Rogers & S.1181, Sen. Feeney) 

    • This bill passed the House of Representatives on October 4, 2023 and passed the Senate on October 19, 2023. The matter is currently before a Conference Committee to negotiate the differences between the bills.

  • An Act to enhance child care relief (H.2864, Rep. LaNatra & S.1891, Sen. Moran) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Revenue and was sent to the House Ways & Means Committee.

  • An Act establishing a diaper benefits pilot program (H.149, Rep. Domb and Rep. Pignatelli & S.104, Sen. Lovely) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and was sent to the House Ways & Means Committee.

  • An Act to protect gender pay equity (H.2588, Rep. Domb and Rep. Livingstone & S.1691, Sen. Jehlen)  

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Public Service and was sent to the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.

  • An Act to further family-centered child support (H.127, Rep. Barber and Rep. Armini & S.70, Sen. Creem) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and was sent to the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

  • An Act to ensure legal parentage equality (H.1713, Rep. Peake and Rep. Kane & S.947, Sen. Cyr) 

  • An Act clarifying rate-setting processes for home health and home care services (H.1195, Rep. Gentile & S.755, Sen. Jehlen) 

    • This bill was reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and was sent to the House Ways & Means Committee.

Under “Addressing Racial & Gender Disparities in Health Care” Strategic Priority 

  • An Act relative to menstrual product ingredient disclosure (H.2138, Rep. Blais & S.145, Sen. Comerford) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Public Health and was sent to the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.

  • An Act relative to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (H.1115, Rep. Giannino and Rep. Philips) 

    • This bill was sent to study.

  • An Act designating September as PCOS awareness month (H.3090, Rep. Montaño & S.2030, Sen. Miranda) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The House bill was sent to the House Committee on Steering, Policy, and Scheduling and then was ordered to a third reading. The Senate bill was sent to the Senate Rules Committee.

  • An Act relative to accelerating improvements to the local and regional public health system to address disparities in the delivery of public health services (H.2204, Rep. Kane and Rep. Garlick & S.1334, Sen. Comerford) 

    • This bill—now H4101—was reported out of the Joint Committee on Public Health and was sent to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing recommended the bill ought to pass and referred it to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  • An Act enhancing post-pregnancy mental health care (S.708, Sen. Rausch) 

    • This bill was sent to study.

  • An Act prohibiting nonconsensual intimate examinations of anesthetized or unconscious patients (H.2146, Rep. Domb and Rep. Ferguson & S.1333, Sen. Comerford) 

    • This bill—now H4293—was reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Public Health and was referred to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. It was then reported favorably and was sent to the House Ways & Means Committee.

  • An Act relative to breast cancer screening and early detection (H.938, Rep. Balser & S.674, Sen. Lovely) 

    • This bill was reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Financial Services and was referred to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. It was then reported favorably and was sent to the House Ways & Means Committee.

  • An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options (H.2209, Rep. Khan and Rep. Fluker Oakley & S.1457, Sen. Rausch) 

  • An Act relative to Medicaid coverage for doula services (H.1240, Rep. Sabadosa & S.782, Sen. Miranda)  

    • This bill was reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Health Care financing and was referred to the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.

Under “Empowering Women in Government” Strategic Priority 

  • An Act to promote diversity on public boards and commissions (H.3095, Rep. Nguyen and Rep. Shand & S.2029, Sen. Miranda and Sen. Lewis) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The bills are currently before the House and Senate Ways & Means Committees, respectively.

  • An Act directing the superintendent of state office buildings to install a permanent memorial in the Massachusetts State House in honor of Mercy Otis Warren (H.3013, Rep. Diggs & Sen. Cyr) 

    • This bill was reported favorably out of committee and sent to the House Committee on Steering, Policy, and Scheduling and then was ordered to a third reading. Learn more about Mercy Otis Warren here.

  • An Act relative to virtual meetings of appointed statewide public bodies (H.3671, Rep. Farley-Bouvier and Rep. Domb)  

  • An Act relative to gender-neutral language in elections laws (H.660, Rep. Blais) 

    • This bill was reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Election Laws and is now before the House Committee on Steering, Policy, and Scheduling.