News Clips

“Open up records from state mental institutions”

senmikeb
The Boston Globe

Given a big job, the Special Commission on State Institutions has re-opened a long-neglected inquiry into Massachusetts facilities for people with mental health issues or intellectual or developmental disabilities. Its report examines the barriers that persist today for members of the public — including relatives and researchers — who have tried and failed to access the records of people who lived and died there.

Good piece from the Globe Editorial Board, who advocate for legislation like the bill I’ve filed that would open these records to the public.

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With abortion rights under new threat, Mass. Lawmakers aim to better protect providers

senmikeb
The Boston Globe

On a 37-3 vote, senators passed a bill that aims to better protect the identities and personal information of providers and those seeking abortion and gender-affirming care.

The bill, which beefs up a 2022 law, would restrict state agencies from sharing information with out-of-state investigations, require insurance companies in Massachusetts to limit access to patient electronic medical records, and require hospitals here to provide emergency abortions if medically necessary

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This just in, from Recharge, a national publication dedicated to covering electric power and the electric grid:

senmikeb

“A major US engineering body this week gave the nation’s grid infrastructure a damning D+ score in its quadrennial school report-style assessment, which noted that “a large portion of the system exhibits significant deterioration” with “strong risk of failure”.

There are bright spots of course – not least in New England, where a study by the grid operator found that the region could absorb power from over 9GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050 with far less investment than previously anticipated.”

Can we have a little optimism, please? Clean energy and the Massachusetts climate movement have legs younger than Donald Trump’s. We’ll be alive and kicking when he is long gone.

Proposed private-jet Hanscom expansion is a climate bomb in sheep’s clothing

senmikeb
The Lincoln Squirrel

State Sen. Mike Barrett posited to Davey that “there is a sense in which you’re rolling out SAFs, I think, as a shield and in order to disarm us,” a point that Davey heatedly denied, referencing an SAF startup in Charlestown in his defense. To this, Barrett replied: “We have lots of startups in Massachusetts that hope someday to cure cancer, and we certainly want to encourage them to try. But none of us go out and encourage our kids to smoke cigarettes because the cure is going to come in their lifetimes.”

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Massachusetts may again lead on climate change. The state (finally, almost) has a sweeping climate bill.

senmikeb
Boston Globe

Months after the close of the formal legislative session, when lawmakers on Beacon Hill came oh-so-close to passing significant reforms only to fall short at the eleventh hour, House and Senate negotiators announced a comprehensive bill on Thursday that addresses the climate crisis and promotes more clean energy adoption. The legislation would again put Massachusetts near the front of the pack of state houses fighting climate change.

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