Mass NOW's Largest Legislative Agenda EVER!
As we reach the end of the first year of the current legislative session, we want to share an update on our legislative agenda and how you can get involved to take action. This session, Mass NOW has our largest legislative agenda ever, totaling 65 bills! While 60 of our bills have had hearings, 50 bills have yet to be reported favorably out of their committees. Click here to see the full list of bills and where they are in the legislative process. February 7th is the last day for bills to be reported out of committee so it’s not too late to submit testimony urging the Chairs to report the bills favorably out of committee! Check out our testimony as a starting guide in the Member Portal.
We’re excited to share that three of our priorities have passed in the Senate, one passed in the House too, and another was passed as part of the State Budget:
An Act Relative to Hormonal Contraceptives passed as part of the State Budget. Now registered pharmacists can prescribe hormonal birth control without a prescription from a primary care physician. H.2133/S.1430
The Wage Equity Bill passed both the House and the Senate. Now it is waiting for the Governor to sign it into law. H.4109
Legislation to enable pharmacists to prescribe, dispense, and administer PrEP passed in the Senate. S.2480
The I AM Bill was passed unanimously in the Senate; 6 months earlier than last session. H.534/S.2491
Not only did Mass NOW submit organizational testimony for over 12 bills, we mobilized over 500 people to submit testimony for the I AM Bill. In October, we hosted the 4th Annual Rally to End Period Poverty. We heard from elected officials, health care providers, activists, students, formerly incarcerated menstruators, and menstruators with chronic health conditions about why period products should be free - just like toilet paper. Just weeks later, the I AM Bill was brought to a vote on the Senate floor and passed unanimously - showing that intersectional feminist policy can be bipartisan too. To mark this occasion, we hosted a press conference in the State House with Senate President Karen Spilka, Senator Cyr, and Senator Jehlen following the vote.
We’re not waiting for the state legislature to pass period policy though. When the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education proposed new health and sex education frameworks, they did not include any mention of menstruation education. In response to this oversight, Mass NOW organized over 100 activists to submit public comment. Not only did the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopt the new frameworks for the first time since 1999, but they also updated the frameworks to include menstruation education, starting in 3rd grade for all students. The frameworks being updated is a huge win, but it is not the end of the fight for comprehensive sex education. We still need to keep advocating for the Healthy Youth Act to be passed! Learn more about the Healthy Youth Act and how to get involved.
Mass NOW founded a national coalition Mujeres and Menstruators United (MAMU) to convene activists from around the country to pass period poverty on the federal level. MAMU has grown to over 100 activists from nearly 20 states. We hosted a virtual panel in Spanish about menstrual equity within the Latinx community with Congresswoman Meng (D-NY). Mass NOW is working to provide activist toolkits in Spanish and continue expanding access to advocacy.
In addition to founding and leading the MAMU and MME Coalitions, we’re a part of the leadership team for the Parents Running for Office Coalition, and Healthy Youth Act Coalition. We also joined the Bay State Birth Coalition, the No Longer ⅗ths Coalition, Wage Equity Now, Coalition Against Period Poverty, and the MA Inclusive Testimony Coalition in advocacy days.
The legislative session is not over! Join us February 8th for an Advocacy Day at the Massachusetts State House as we advocate for the I AM Bill, Healthy Youth Act, Parents Running for Office, and Gender and Racial Parity on Boards.
Write your state Representative to bring the I AM Bill to a vote in the House!
Write your federal Representative to co-sponsor the Menstrual Equity 4 All Act!