An Equitable Recovery from COVID

The pandemic underscored the simple reality that we all do better when we all do better. If we are to have a successful recovery from the pandemic and the pandemic-induced recession, then equity must be at the forefront. That means prioritizing equity in our vaccination plans to ensure we reach the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that no worker is forced to choose between their health and their job security, and investing in our commonwealth and meeting the heightened state of need by making sure that corporations are paying their fair share.

• COVID Vaccine Equity (SD.699 / HD.1283): An Act effectuating equity in COVID-19 vaccination (Rausch / Chang-Diaz - Miranda / Domb), which requires the Governor to appoint a Vaccine Equity Director; requires significantly more outreach and communications aimed at hardest-hit communities; expands Stop the Spread testing sites to all Gateway Cities; creates a mobile vaccination program for communities with highest COVID rates; and requires transparency about vaccine distribution and implementation plans.

• Increasing the corporate tax rate (SD.428 / HD.1020): An Act relative to restoring corporate tax rates (DiDomenico - Keefe), which restores the tax on corporate profits to 9.5%, where it was before 2009, from the 8.0% where it is now  

• Taxing offshored “GILTI” income (SD.173 / HD.452): An Act to close corporate tax loopholes and create progressive revenue (Chang-Diaz - Barber ), which increases the tax on profitable multinational corporations who use unfair tax schemes to shift their profits made in MA overseas and away from US tax collectors

• Emergency Paid Sick Time (SD.386 / HD.531): An Act relative to emergency paid sick time (Lewis - Donato/Garballey), which provides ten days of job-protected sick time for immediate use during the COVID-19 pandemic

Shared Prosperity

We all do better when we invest in our commonwealth and ensure that everyone has access to high-quality education (from pre-K to higher ed), high-quality health care, and affordable housing. As one of the most affluent states in the country, we have the resources to provide a high quality of life for all, as long as we have the political will.

• Fair Share Amendment, which creates a 4% surtax on income above $1 million to fund education and transportation investment.

• Universal child care (SD.1307 / HD.1960): An Act providing affordable and accessible high quality early education and care to promote child development and well-being and support the economy in the Commonwealth (Lewis/Moran - Gordon/Madaro), which establishes a universal system of affordable, high-quality early education and child care for all Massachusetts families, over a 5-year timeline

• Debt-Free Higher Education (SD.426 / HD.1148): An Act to guarantee debt-free public higher education (Eldridge-Higgins), which creates a higher education system where every Massachusetts resident has a right to attend any public college or university free of tuition and fees.  

• Medicare for All (SD.546 / HD.2656): An Act establishing medicare for all in Massachusetts (Eldridge - Garlick/Sabadosa), which establishes a single payer system, in which the state provides health care to all residents as a right.  

• Affordable Housing & Climate Resilience (SD.611 / HD.1252): An Act providing for climate change adaptation infrastructure and affordable housing investments in the Commonwealth (Eldridge - Elugardo), which doubles the deeds excise tax on home sales to provide a funding stream for the Global Warming Solutions Fund, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Fund.

• Real Estate Transfer Fee (SD.565 / HD.1911): An Act empowering cities and towns to support affordable housing with a fee on certain real estate transactions (Comerford - Connolly), which enables cities and towns to assess a fee of 0.5-2% on residential and commercial real estate transactions, with the funds allocated to affordable housing trust funds.

• Eviction Sealing (SD.798 / HD.1889): Housing Opportunity and Mobility through Eviction Sealing bills (HOMES) (Boncore - Moran), which protects tenants from being unfairly branded with an eviction record if they don’t have a judgment against them, if they weren’t actually evicted, or if they didn’t do anything wrong.

All Means All: Racial and Social Justice

We all do better when the underrepresented and vulnerable are protected under the law and treated with dignity and respect. Immigrants are the backbone of our society and economy, and we need to make sure that they can participate fully and without fear. Likewise, a punishment system that criminalizes mental health problems and prevents incarcerated individuals from having contact with loved ones is antithetical to any genuine, community-oriented understanding of public safety.

• Safe Communities Act (SD.532 / HD.1165): An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents (Eldridge - Balser/Miranda), which limits local and state police collaboration with federal immigration agents, bars law enforcement and court personnel from inquiring about immigration status, and ensures due process protections.
  

• Work & Family Mobility Act (SD.273 / HD.448): An Act relative to work and family mobility during and subsequent to the COVID-19 emergency (Crighton/Gomez - Farley-Bouvier/Barber), which enables all qualified state residents to apply for a standard Massachusetts driver’s license or identification card, regardless of immigrant status.

• Curbing Solitary Confinement (SD.415 / HD.3269): An Act to provide criminal justice reform protections to all prisoners in segregated confinement (Eldridge - Miranda), which expands the rights of those in solitary confinement, including requiring treatment for those with serious mental illness and monthly reviews for eligibility to return to the general population.

• No Cost Calls (SD.800 / HD.2830): An Act relative to inmate telephone calls (Creem - Tyler), which prevents prisons and jails from charging individuals who are incarcerated for phone calls to loved ones.

• Alternative Crisis Response (SD.2342 / HD.3807): An Act to Create Alternatives for Community Emergency Services (ACES), which creates a grant program through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to increase the availability of non-law-enforcement, unarmed community-based response options for calls to 911 (Chang-Diaz -- Sabadosa)

Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment

We all do better when our built environment helps us all breathe and thrive. Making that a reality depends on redoubling our commitment to renewable energy and energy efficiency, and prioritizing equity throughout.

• IPCC by 2030 (SD.2325 / HD.3805) : An Act investing in a prosperous, clean commonwealth by 2030 (Eldridge - Uyterhoeven), which commits MA to transitioning to 100% renewable electricity and net zero carbon emissions across all sectors by 2030
  

• Energy Efficiency & Green Jobs (SD.2102 / HD.3338): An Act providing for building justice with jobs (Pacheco - Robinson/LeBoeuf) Puts thousands of MA residents to work retrofitting 100,000 homes each year to improve energy efficiency and health outcomes, and reduce utility bills and carbon emissions.

Strong Democracy

We all do better when we are all able to participate in democracy to the fullest. We must lock in the gains in voting access made last year and build on them to ensure that everyone can make their voice heard.

• VOTES Act (SD.1002 / HD.1536): An Act fostering voting opportunities, trust, equity, and security (Creem - Lawn), which makes reforms from last year’s COVID elections package permanent and builds on them with Election Day Registration, measures to ensure that individuals who are incarcerated but still have the right to vote are able to do so, and steps to strengthen enforcement of the 2018 Automatic Voter Registration law.