2025-2026 BILLS
Learn about the bills we are supporting and opposing this legislative session and take action.
HEARINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED
DATE: Friday June 6th 2025
TIME: 10am – 5pm
LOCATION: Gardner Auditorium, MA State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston MA
TESTIMONY DETAILS: Each person has 3 minutes to give verbal testimony for all the bills these support/oppose. We recommend that everyone submit written testimony.
THE DEADLINE TO PRE-REGISTER FOR VERBAL OR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY HAS PASSED. HOWEVER, IF YOU STILL WISH TO TESTIFY, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE HEARING AND SIGN UP ON-SITE FOR SAME-DAY TESTIMONY.
SAME DAY SIGN-UP FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY ONLY – IF TIME ALLOWS: Individuals who miss the deadline to pre-register for testimony may appear on the day of the hearing and sign-up to speak in person on forms provided by committee staff outside of the hearing room. Time permitting, when all pre-registered individuals have been called to testify, the Chairs will then call any individuals who sign-up on the day of the hearing.
WRITTEN TESTIMONY: If you would like to provide written testimony, please include the bill number in the subject line of the email, as well as your name, address, phone number, and organization, if any, on the submitted testimony. Written testimony is encouraged and will continue to be accepted after the hearing until the relevant bill is acted upon. Such testimony may be submitted via email to JointCommittee.PublicHealth@malegislature.gov. Please include “Public Health Committee Testimony, [Relevant Bill Number]” in the subject line of the email. Those who plan to submit only written testimony may do so before or after the signup deadline. Once again, those submitting written testimony should be aware that all written testimony submitted will be read by committee members and staff and may be made available for public review on the Legislature’s website.
URGENT ACTION ITEM: Tell Lawmakers: Remove the “Elevated Risk” Pilot from Budget Line Item 4516-1000
Senator Rebecca Rausch has quietly embedded language from her discriminatory and widely opposed Community Immunity Act (S.1618) into the FY2026 State Budget—specifically within Line Item 4516-1000 of Senate Bill No. 2525.
This marks the fifth time she has attempted to push this controversial provision through the budget process—bypassing public hearings, stakeholder input, and legislative debate.
Key Concerns
1. Misleading Framing and Disproportionate School Burden
This amendment imposes a state-created designation, mandates public notification, and enables forced presentations—all without local consent. The burden would fall hardest on underfunded schools with high percentages of:
High-needs students
Students with disabilities
English language learners
Low-income and homeless populations
Religious, special education, and small schools would be disproportionately affected. Publicly labeling a school as “elevated risk” invites stigma and may drive families away, undermining trust and enrollment.
2. Public immunization data is already available at mass.gov/info-details/school-immunizations, where families can view school-level data for the 2024–2025 academic year and past years. Lower immunization rates may reflect access issues, not opposition.
3. No Public Process or Transparency
This policy was inserted into the budget without public hearings, stakeholder input, or expert testimony. Embedding controversial mandates in fiscal legislation circumvents democratic process.
4. Sets Up Framework for Future Student Exclusion
While this amendment does not currently authorize student exclusion, it lays the groundwork for such action. The infrastructure it creates mirrors language used in broader legislative efforts to exclude students with exemptions, even in the absence of outbreaks or emergencies.
5. Threat to Special Education and At-Risk Students
Programs under Chapter 766 serving medically complex or vulnerable students could face serious harm. Designating their institutions as “elevated risk” undermines protections under IDEA and Section 504 and invites unjustified scrutiny.
6. Misallocation of Public Health Resources
DPH resources should be used for meaningful services and outreach, not for developing classifications that label and stigmatize schools without any clear public health trigger.
7. Mental Health and Community Trust
This amendment creates a climate of fear and division. Labeling schools in the absence of health emergencies causes anxiety for students, families, and staff—especially those with valid exemptions. Instead of building trust, it encourages targeting, isolation, and mental health challenges.
Our Position
Health Action MA strongly supports public health measures rooted in equity, education, and community engagement. This amendment does none of those things. It stigmatizes schools, misuses public health authority, and bypasses the legislative process.
We respectfully urge the Committee to:
Remove this language from Line Item 4516-1000 of Senate Bill No. 2525;
Reject the use of policy-by-amendment tactics to insert controversial mandates into the state budget;
Ensure full transparency for all immunization-related policies through proper legislative channels.
Massachusetts families deserve open, honest, and thoughtful policymaking.
Please stand for integrity and protect our schools and children from coercive and harmful labeling policies.
BE INFORMED. BE EMPOWERED. BE HEARD.
On this page, you’ll find everything you need to understand and take action on the bills that matter most during the 2025–2026 legislative session.
We’re breaking it all down for you:
- Which bills we support or oppose
- Bill numbers, summaries, and sponsors
- The current status, committees and key updates
- Direct links to full bill text and trusted, fact-based resources
- And most importantly—how you can take action!
Your voice matters. Let’s make sure it’s heard.
BILLS WE SUPPORT
AN ACT RELATIVE TO FAIR EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES
COMMITTEE:
Joint Committee on Education
BILL STATUS:
H.641 remains in committee.
S.349 accompanied a study order, see S.2792
In Massachusetts, “sent to study” means the bill does not advance this session.
Disclaimer: This overview is intended as a general guide to the legislative process. Deadlines and procedures are subject to change under Joint Rules, committee extensions, or other legislative actions.
BILL SYNOPSIS:
An Act Relative to Fair Educational Practices closes a critical and long-overlooked gap in Massachusetts civil rights law by extending anti-discrimination protections to students enrolled in colleges and universities.
Currently, Section 2 of Chapter 151C of the General Laws prohibits discrimination by higher education institutions only during the admissions process, and only on the basis of:
Race
Religion
Creed
Color
Sex
National origin
Once a student is admitted, Massachusetts law provides no state-level civil rights protection against discrimination during their academic experience—including no protection for students with disabilities. Students must instead rely solely on federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which lack consistent enforcement at the state level and do not offer Massachusetts-specific remedies.
This bill corrects that by extending those same civil rights protections to students throughout their enrollment and explicitly including a new protected category: “special medical status.” This term covers:
Disabilities, as defined under the ADA
A student’s condition based on receiving—or declining—preventive, curative, or palliative medical treatments
By establishing enforceable state protections, this bill ensures that students with disabilities and those navigating medical decisions are not left vulnerable to inconsistent or discretionary treatment.
It guarantees that all students—regardless of health status or medical choices—can pursue their education free from discrimination, with dignity and equal protection under Massachusetts law.
AN ACT PROHIBITING HARMFUL FOOD DYES IN COMPETITIVE SCHOOL FOODS
COMMITTEE:
Joint Committee on Public Health
CURRENT BILL#:
S.1531 & H.2496
BILL STATUS:
H.2496 accompanied a study order, see H.5234
S.1531 accompanied a study order, see S.2790
In Massachusetts, “sent to study” means the bill does not advance this session.
Disclaimer: This overview is intended as a general guide to the legislative process. Deadlines and procedures are subject to change under Joint Rules, committee extensions, or other legislative actions.
BILL SYNOPSIS: An Act Prohibiting Harmful Food Dyes in Competitive School Foods seeks to prohibit the sale or provision of competitive foods and non-sweetened carbonated water containing certain artificial food dyes (Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) in public schools.
Exceptions allow the sale of these items off school premises, 30 minutes after the school day ends, or during school-related events like booster sales and concession stands.
This bill is a crucial step toward ensuring that all children in Massachusetts have access to safe, nutritious meals in school that support their health and academic success, while still allowing flexibility for extracurricular activities and fundraising efforts.
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE PROTECTION OF MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR IMMUNIZATIONS FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEES:
S.347 – Joint Committee on Public Health
H.2541 – Joint Committee on Public Health
BILL STATUS:
H.2541 accompanied a study order, see H.5235
S.347 accompanied a study order, see S.2790
In Massachusetts, “sent to study” means the bill does not advance this session.
Disclaimer: This overview is intended as a general guide to the legislative process. Deadlines and procedures are subject to change under Joint Rules, committee extensions, or other legislative actions.
BILL SYNOPSIS: An Act Relative to the Protection of Medical Exemptions for Immunizations for School Attendance aims to broaden and clarify the criteria physicians can use when considering medical exemptions for school attendance, allowing them to assess a child’s total health circumstances. This bill would also protect physicians from any professional repercussions for issuing medical exemptions. Additionally, it would preserve existing law regarding religious exemptions to immunization for school attendance.
An Act Relative to the Protection of Medical Exemptions for Immunizations for School Attendance is critical for protecting medical decision-making, physician integrity, and parental rights. It ensures fairness in exemption policies for school-aged children in Massachusetts.
BILLS WE OPPOSE
AN ACT RELATIVE TO ROUTINE CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS & AN ACT RELATIVE TO VACCINES AND PREVENTING FUTURE DISEASE OUTBREAKS
COMMITTEE:
Joint Committee on Public Health – S.1557
Joint Committee on Health Care Financing – H.2554
BILL STATUS:
H.2554 on 4.15.2026 the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing Committee recommended ought to pass and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
While the bill will not have another public hearing, continued advocacy is essential to oppose this measure.
S.1557 accompanied a study order, see S.2888
In Massachusetts, “sent to study” means the bill does not advance this session.
Disclaimer: This overview is intended as a general guide to the legislative process. Deadlines and procedures are subject to change under Joint Rules, committee extensions, or other legislative actions.
BILL SYNOPSIS:
Eliminates Religious Exemption for K–12 Students: The proposed legislation would prohibit children from attending any public, private, or charter school if their families object to vaccines based on sincerely held religious beliefs—an unprecedented infringement on First Amendment protections in Massachusetts.
Mirrors California’s Controversial Model: The bill follows the trajectory of California’s restrictive vaccination laws, which began with eliminating religious exemptions and progressed toward tight scrutiny and revocation of medical exemptions.
Creates a De Facto Enrollment Ban: Without a religious exemption, families who decline vaccination on religious grounds would be forced to homeschool—regardless of the child’s educational needs, IEP status, or ability to thrive outside a traditional setting.
Triggers Public Reporting by School & Municipality: Requires every public, private, and charter K–12 school to annually report the total numbers of immunized and exempted students to the Department of Public Health. The bill then statutorily mandates that the Department “shall annually publish” aggregate immunizations and exemptions data for each individual school and school district, and authorizes additional publication by municipality, county, or other geographic area.
Lays Groundwork for Future Medical Exemption Challenges: By centralizing and publicizing medical exemption data, the bill paves the way for state surveillance and rejection of legitimate medical exemptions, as seen in post-SB276 enforcement trends in California.
Disproportionate Impact on At-Risk Children: Students with disabilities, complex medical conditions, or recent trauma—who may qualify for valid exemptions—could face increased scrutiny, exclusion risk, or forced compliance through state oversight.
AN ACT PROMOTING COMMUNITY IMMUNITY
COMMITTEE:
Senate Ways and Means
CURRENT BILL #: S.3070 (Previously S.1618 & S.2623)
BILL STATUS:
S.3070 – 5.18 the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing Committee recommended ought to pass with an amendment, substituting a new draft see S3070. Referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
Disclaimer: This overview is intended as a general guide to the legislative process. Deadlines and procedures are subject to change under Joint Rules, committee extensions, or other legislative actions.
BILL SYNOPSIS: The Community Immunity Act purports to improve and standardize immunization reporting but goes well beyond this stated goal. The bill would significantly expand state oversight of immunization policy while creating substantial new compliance, reporting, operational, and exclusion-related burdens for students, families, schools, childcare programs, camps, colleges, and healthcare providers.
This legislation applies to:
- Public schools
- Private & parochial schools
- Charter schools
- Homeschoolers participating in school activities, programs or athletics
- Daycares, childcare programs and preschools
- Family childcare homes
- Recreational camps
- Colleges & universities, public & private
- Students with medical or religious exemptions
Key provisions of the bill include:
- Provides that exemptions are valid for one year only,
- Mandates immunization and exemption reporting by all “covered programs” (generally including schools, colleges, daycares, camps),
- Designates “covered programs” as “elevated risk programs,” if they fail to report or if immunization levels fall below state-defined herd immunity thresholds,
- Gives DPH commissioner discretion to exclude from “elevated risk programs” those students who are not immunized in accordance with the schedule — including students with medical or religious exemptions
- Expands exclusion policy that applies in the event of an outbreak by granting the DPH commissioner broad discretion to exclude unvaccinated children from school if there is a “potential epidemic” in the “geographic area” that includes the school/program,
- Allows private “covered programs” to impose vaccine requirements stricter than those required by the state— this means private programs are given permission to mandate additional vaccines not otherwise required by the state and, arguably, may be permitted to refuse to accept religious or medical exemptions,
- “Covered programs” designated “elevated risk” will be listed on the DPH website, will be required to notify families of the designation, and may be required to host an information session on immunization; DPH will be required to provide information statements that the program must distribute to families at the school,
- Expands Massachusetts minor consent law by allowing minors to consent to preventative care, including vaccination, without parental knowledge or consent, and without clear intellectual capacity safeguards.
- Mandates that DPH collect immunization data, including extensive demographic data, and report daily immunizations during public health emergencies, and
- Grants DPH broad implementation authority related to these provisions.
AN ACT ENHANCING ACCESS TO ABORTION CARE
COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Health Care Financing
BILL STATUS:
Hearing took place on November 18, 2025
S.1244 Bill reported favorably by the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing
H.1815 Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
In Massachusetts, “sent to study” means the bill does not advance this session.
Disclaimer: This overview is intended as a general guide to the legislative process. Deadlines and procedures are subject to change under Joint Rules, committee extensions, or other legislative actions.
BILL SYNOPSIS: An Act Enhancing Access to Abortion goes beyond abortion-related care by granting minors the ability to consent to preventative medical care, including vaccinations and sterilization, without parental consent or knowledge. It does not include any age delineations or mental capacity guidelines for minors making these decisions.
This bill strips parents of their fundamental right to be involved in critical healthcare decisions affecting their children, potentially exposing minors to medical interventions without adequate oversight or guidance.
