Legislative Update: Week of June 6, 2022

Jun 06, 2022

LAST WEEK

Senate and House leaders appointed a bipartisan conference committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2023 budget. Conference committee members include Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport), Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington) and Senator Pat O’Connor (R-Weymouth); and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), House Ways and Means Vice Chair Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester), and Representative Todd Smola (R-Warren). The new fiscal year begins July 1.

The Massachusetts Democratic Party held their annual convention in Worcester this weekend. Party rules require that statewide candidates must earn at least 15 percent of delegates to qualify for the Sept. 6 primary ballot, and the candidate who wins a majority of delegates’ votes will earn the party’s official endorsement. Candidates who earned the Party’s endorsement include Maura Healey for Governor, Kim Driscoll for Lieutenant Governor, Quentin Palfrey for Attorney General, and Tanisha Sullivan for Secretary of State. The Democratic primary for Treasurer and Receiver General is uncontested. Lieutenant Governor candidates Bret Bero and Adam Hinds did not meet the 15 percent threshold and will not be on the Democratic primary ballot this fall.

THIS WEEK

On Tuesday at 11AM, MassBio hosts a Policymakers Live virtual briefing with Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion for the City of Boston. MassBio CEO Joe Boncore will join Chief Idowu for a discussion on the Wu Administration’s efforts to make Boston a resilient, economically equitable, and vibrant city that creates opportunities to build generational wealth for all communities. Register here to join.

On Wednesday, MassBioEd hosts the annual Life Sciences Workforce Conference at Framingham State University. The conference includes a presentation of MassBio’s 2022 Massachusetts Life Sciences Workforce Analysis Report by MassBio CEO Joe Boncore. Register here to attend in-person or virtually.

The Health Policy Commission meets on Wednesday to review select findings from its upcoming 2022 Health Care Cost Trends report, including trends in spending, prices, hospital and post-acute care use, and provider organization performance variation.

The Public Health Council meets on Wednesday to review the latest overdose data from the biannual opioid report and vote on amendments to hospital licensure regulations and hear overviews of proposed amendments to regulations on radiation control and substance-use treatment program licensure.

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