Let’s Strengthen Our Vaccine Policies

Friday, June 6, 2025

Dear Chair Decker, Chair Driscoll, and Members of the Joint Committee on Public Health: 

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group committed to fighting for an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.

We urge you to give a favorable report to S.1618: An Act promoting community immunity.

We have submitted testimony in support of this bill for multiple sessions now, and with a Health and Human Services secretary in DC hostile to basic science around vaccines and anti-vaxxers in high-ranking public health positions across the federal administration, the bill’s importance has grown. Just see the return of measles and the poor federal handling of it. We need to strengthen our public health infrastructure here in MA.

If we want to be ready for the next pandemic, or even just ready for the next outbreak of a disease we thought we were decades past, we need to be strengthening and standardizing our infrastructure for immunization.

A look at our current immunization infrastructure leaves much to be desired. We currently lack full and accurate reporting on vaccination rates among young people, relying instead on voluntary surveys of schools, summer camps, colleges, and daycares. The limited data available show alarming rates of under- and unimmunized children in communities across the Commonwealth. To put that into perspective, just a few years ago, more than 200 high schools, more than 200 middle schools, more than 200 elementary schools, and more than 1,600 child care centers and preschools failed to report any immunization data to state public health officials. Of the kindergarten programs that submitted data, 152 lacked herd immunity to protect against the spread of measles, and 15 lacked herd immunity to protect against the spread of polio.  

We cannot fix a problem without a full and accurate read of it, and the Community Immunity Act’s data reporting requirements are a key first step. But the bill, as necessary, goes further, with targeted education and outreach about vaccine safety and efficacy and standardization and centralization of vaccination protocols. Standardized state-level policies determined by public health officials are crucial when determining exemptions if we are to make sure that medical and religious exemptions are not abused and that local superintendents are not overburdened.

We ask that you swiftly advance the Community Immunity Act out of the Public Health Committee with a favorable report. Please help to keep all of us safe and healthy, particularly people who are immunocompromised and rely on community immunity.

Thank you for your consideration and your service to the people of the Commonwealth.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

Take Action: Here’s What Government Efficiency Actually Looks Like

We’ve heard a lot about “government efficiency” over the past few months.

Whenever Donald Trump, Elon Musk, or any of their lackeys in Congress use it, they are using code words for cutting valuable programs that serve the public, as opposed to corporate profit.

But there is an actual meaning to the word. Here’s an example.

Our criminal record sealing system is stuck in the last century.

Individuals seeking to seal records need to mail or deliver petitions to the Commissioner of Probation who processes them manually, one-by-one. This creates backlogs, with several months passing before people hear back when they have already waited years for the opportunity.

Moreover, many people do not know when their records are eligible for sealing, and only learn they might be eligible for record sealing after they lose the prospect for a job, housing, or other opportunity due to their record.

Record sealing has well-documented benefits, but these benefits in economic opportunity are only possible if people can get their records sealed.

That’s why we’re a strong supporter of Clean Slate legislation that would create an automated record sealing process. Automating record sealing means fewer bureaucratic obstacles and more opportunity. It’s a win-win.

We testified at the State House on Tuesday in support of the Clean Slate bill. Can you write to your legislator today too?

MA Should Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Chair Collins, Chair Cabral, and Members of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group committed to fighting for an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.

We urge you to give a favorable report to S.2113/H.3292: An Act establishing Indigenous Peoples Day.

For decades, Christopher Columbus has been celebrated as a “hero” who “discovered America.” Indigenous people have made it clear that, to the contrary, these lands were invaded, not “discovered,” and that Columbus and his men were responsible for the enslavement, rape, and murder of countless Indigenous peoples in the Caribbean. Since the 1970s, Indigenous people have asked that Indigenous Peoples Day should instead be celebrated on the second Monday in October as a positive day to learn about and honor Indigenous history and peoples.

Our neighbors in Maine and Vermont already celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, as do an increasing number of cities and towns in Massachusetts. The Commonwealth should join them.

Thank you again for all your work on today’s hearing, and again, please give a favorable report to S.2113/H.3292 (An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day).

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

How to Address Energy Affordability the Right Way

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Chair Barrett, Chair Cusack, and Members of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group committed to fighting for an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.

We urge you to give a favorable report to S.2239: An Act prohibiting the use of ratepayer funds for utility lobbying, promotions, or perks and H.3534/S.2255: An Act relative to electric ratepayer protections. Both are critical bills to address energy affordability and sustainability.

Our public utilities are supposed to serve and be regulated in service of the public interest; however, gas and electric utilities are regularly using money they collect from customers’ bills to fund their lobbying, advertising, and trade association dues. Customers have no say in such decisions, and such spending can often be directly in contradiction of the public interest. Voters across the Commonwealth want strong environmental laws and robust and equitable climate legislation, and we should not be coerced into funding opposition campaigns simply because of the need to have light, heat, and electricity in our homes.

Similarly, utilities are using customer ratepayer money to subsidize the lavish expenses of their Boards of Directors—at the same time as they are raising prices.

It’s quite simple: If utilities have so much money to spend on lobbying, ads, and perks, they are charging customers too much money and investing too little in the transition to clean, green energy.

Similarly, to advance the twin goals of affordability and sustainability, we should also ban the predatory third-party electric supply industry.

These companies routinely deploy unethical practices, including pretending to be from a local utility or municipality to enroll customers before rapidly increasing costs.

They target low-income residents and residents in communities of color, they are more difficult to hold accountable, and they frequently misrepresent how much green energy they are actually sourcing.

As you contemplate ways to address the rising costs consumers have faced in their energy bills, banning these predatory, price-gouging companies must be a part of it.

We would also like to point that any rhetoric about “choice” or “competition” in this sector is incoherent. No one is engaging in self-expression by choosing a third-party electricity supplier over a utility. These companies are failing to innovate in areas other than customer deception. They have no defensible role.

You will hear a lot from corporate actors with vested interests about how to address energy affordability. The solutions they offer tend to be ways to line their pockets more. These bills actually accomplish that goal.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

What “Government Efficiency” Really Means

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Chair Edwards, Chair Day, and Members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group committed to fighting for an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.

We urge you to give a favorable report to S.1114: An Act requiring clean slate automated record sealing and S.1124: An Act to Remove Collateral Consequences and Protect the Presumption of Innocence.

We commend the past efforts from this body to create a fairer criminal record sealing system. However, the system has not been able to reach its full potential. As it exists, the system is burdensome and often prohibitive for applicants, with unnecessary barriers for all and even worse barriers for those with English as a second language or reading difficulties.

When people finally mail or deliver an application to have their records sealed, they have waited the period of time the Commonwealth established. However, due to the backlogs in the system, they are denied opportunities even longer. Backlogs can be regularly 3 to 4 months. No one benefits from such unwieldy administrative burdens. Moreover, the complex nature of the system can lead people to not even know they were eligible for record sealing until after they lose the prospect for a job, housing, or other opportunities.

This administrative burden similarly applies to cases where an offense is dismissed, as an individual needs an additional hearing before the record can be sealed.

All of this exacerbates the already wide racial and economic inequality in this Commonwealth, and it hurts the vital work of reentry and re-integration into community.

Fortunately, the solution is right before us: we can automate this process. People may not know when they are eligible for record sealing, but the Commonwealth does. If the Commonwealth has established that a record is now eligible to be sealed, that record should be sealed—taking the onus away from the individual.

We have heard a lot about “government efficiency” over the past few months. So often, those words are simply code for efforts to destroy valuable programs. But this bill is exactly what government efficiency *should* mean: it should mean making our systems work for people. Interfacing with government should be seamless, and interactions should boost faith in government action.

Other states have already realized this. Our neighbors in Connecticut and New York; fellow Democratic trifecta states like California, Colorado, Delaware, and Minnesota; and even more “moderate” or “conservative” states like Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah, and Virginia have successfully adopted automatic record clearing, to great success. Let’s join them.

In addition, we also urge support for H.2052/S.1178: An Act to reduce mass incarceration, which would end the practice of life without parole. Like the Clean Slate bill, this is about creating second chances. Eliminating the opportunity for parole bloats our prison populations, and it keeps people behind bars who, decades out from a criminal offense, pose no risk to the community anymore. Massachusetts talks about how our correctional facilities serve the goal of “rehabilitation,” and eliminating the opportunity to go before a parole board to make the case for release undermines that stated goal.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

Let’s Show Our Commitment to Higher Ed with Green and Healthy Campuses

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Chair Comerford, Chair Rogers, and Members of the Joint Committee on Higher Education:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group committed to fighting for an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.

We urge you to give a favorable report to H.1426/S.949: An Act to Provide Green and Healthy Public Colleges and Universities and Address Their Deferred Maintenance Needs.

Our state has created strong climate goals, and we must continue to work to meet and strengthen these goals. As we do so, making our publicly owned buildings a model for sustainability is key.

Establishing strong standards and requirements for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and energy systems on our public campuses benefits the students, faculty, and staff who have healthier learning environments. It benefits our climate and environment. And just as importantly, it has major spillover effects to the industry itself: when the state sets standards, it spurs innovation and generates demand. By taking such action, the Commonwealth becomes both exemplar and spark.

To ensure that our students, faculty, and staff have the buildings they deserve, the Commonwealth needs to provide greater resources. Such capital expenditures can be difficult from the perspective of campus finances and debt management, but not nearly so from the perspective of the Commonwealth. Our Commonwealth needs to provide funding for such renovations and investments so that green, healthy, world-class facilities on all campuses do not mean higher tuition and fees for students, and thus more student loan debt and lost opportunities.

The Legislature has shown an impressive commitment to public higher education in recent sessions, especially through targeted Fair Share investments. Passing these bills will build upon that progress and strengthen our commitment to public higher education and the essential role it plays.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

PM Lobby Day in the News

Chris Lisinski, “After a noisy launch, Mass. Senate’s response to Trump is in park,” State House News Service, May 28, 2025.

Progressive groups have been pushing the House and Senate Democratic supermajorities to take quicker action in response to the Trump administration.

Jonathan Cohn, policy director at Progressive Massachusetts, ridiculed the pace of legislative activity this session during the organization’s lobby day on Beacon Hill.

Five months into the term, Cohn said the “Legislature and governor have only signed three bills into law.” That summation prompted an attendee to gasp loudly before Cohn continued.

“Which shows that the kind of urgency that many of you probably feel about the need to act in Massachusetts is not registering yet in the State House, which is the importance of putting that pressure on them,” Cohn said.

MA Senate FY 2026 Budget: What Votes Occurred on Record?

On Thursday, the MA Senate wrapped up debate on its FY 2026 budget proposal. You can read an overview of the investments in the budget here.

1,058 amendments were filed to the initial Ways & Means proposal. Of those, 493 were adopted, 371 were rejected, and 194 were withdrawn without discussion or debate.

Only 21 of the 1,058 amendments received a roll call (recorded yes/no) vote. Two-thirds (14 of the 21) were unanimous, offering no accountability but just an easy press release for a lead sponsor.

Several of the amendments were rejected on a 34-5 party line vote:

  • 34-5 against an amendment from Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to worsen our housing crisis by making it easier for cities and towns to evade MBTA Communities Act compliance (Amendment #13, Roll Call #43)
  • 34-5 against an amendment from Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to create a commission stacked with anti-tax and business groups to study unemployment insurance cost increases attributable to the disallowed use of federal COVID-19 relief funds for unemployment claims, and the resulting settlement agreement between the commonwealth and the federal government (Amendment #96, Roll Call #44)
  • 34-5 against an amendment from Sen. Bruce Tar (R-Gloucester) to redirect excess capital gains tax revenue to the rainy day fund away from the state’s pension liability fund (Amendment #263, Roll Call #45)
  • 34-5 against an amendment from Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to raise the estate tax threshold to $3 million and drain vital revenue from the Commonwealth to redistribute wealth upwards (Amendment #756, Roll Call #47)

The Senate also voted 30 to 9 against an amendment from Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to block the transition to zero-emissions vehicles and scapegoat climate and energy efficiency regulations for higher energy prices (Amendment #373, Roll Call #46). Joining the 5 Republicans were Senators Mike Brady (D-Brockton), Nick Collins (D-South Boston), Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), and Michael Moore (D-Auburn).

The Senate voted 34 to 5 in support of an amendment from Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington) to enable the Health Policy Commission to cap certain prescription drug prices. (Amendment #541, Roll Call #33). It was party line except for Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) voting no and Sen. Patrick O’Connor (D-Weymouth) voting yes.

MA Needs to Stand Up for Immigrant Communities

Over the past couple weeks, we have seen increased ICE presence in Massachusetts. ICE has been kidnapping people off the streets, harassing bystanders, and terrorizing communities.

The LUCE hotline has been doing amazing work to keep people alert and to document what’s happening. Bookmark https://www.lucemass.org/if you haven’t already.

Although we can’t stop everything ICE is doing in Massachusetts, we should not be making their work easier. We need our state elected leaders to pass legislation to limit the scope of ICE in Massachusetts and to better support our immigrant communities.

Here are four actions you can take:

Thank you for all you do, and hope to see you on the 28th!

In solidarity, Jonathan Cohn
Policy Director
Progressive Massachusetts

FOUR STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TODAY

(1) Email Your State Legislators about Immigrants’ Rights Bills

We’re proud to be supporting the following bills:

  • Safe Communities Act (H.2580 / S.1681), which would end the voluntary involvement of our public safety officials in civil immigration matters
  • Dignity Not Deportations Act (H.1588 / S.1122), which would prohibit sheriffs from voluntarily renting beds to ICE and ban agreements to deputize state and local law enforcement to ICE
  • Immigrant Legal Defense Act (H.1954 / S.1127), which would ensure that immigrants navigating our complex immigration courts have legal representation

We need our state legislators to be co-sponsoring these bills and building support with their colleagues to bring them to the floor.

EMAIL YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS

(2) Email Your State Senator about the FY 2026 Budget

The Senate released its draft budget proposal last week, and senators will vote on amendments next week. Unfortunately, the Massachusetts State Senate did not include funding for the Immigrant Legal Defense fund. State Senator Adam Gomez filed Amendment #847 to the budget to provide $10 million in funding for public and private-funded programs to provide no-cost immigration legal defense to immigrants in Massachusetts who are at imminent risk of deportation, especially those held in federal immigration detention.

RAPID RESPONSE: Join MIRA on Thursday, May 15th at 10AM at the 4th Floor Cafe in the Massachusetts State House for a lit drop in support of Amendment #847, the Immigrant Legal Defense Amendment. Please email organizing@miracoalition.org to confirm your attendance.

Can’t go? Email your state senator in support of the amendment.

EMAIL YOUR STATE SENATOR

(3) Email Governor Healey to Demand Action

Join the Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts in calling on Governor Healeyto

  • Support state legislation, to terminate every state contract funneling money and resources into the deportation machine, and ban new contracts (including the Dignity Not Deportations Bill – H.1588 & S.1122). This includes terminating the existing 287g contracts with the Department of Corrections, and doing everything in your power to end the Intergovernmental Service Agreement with Plymouth County Correctional Facility
  • Restore COVID-19 era remote participation in our courthouses
  • Create a reparations fund for families and communities shattered by these kidnappings, detentions, and deportations

EMAIL GOV. HEALEY

(4) RSVP for Our Lobby Day

We’ll be holding our annual lobby day on Wednesday, May 28. We’ll be lobbying forkey bills in our legislative agenda, especially bills to raise revenue and to protect our immigrant communities.

Showing up is essential to build the momentum and sense of urgency that propel bills forward into laws.

Progressive Mass 2025 Lobby Day

Wednesday, May 28
10:00 am, Massachusetts State House (Room 428)

RSVP TODAY

Progressive Groups Call Out Beacon Hill Inaction in Trump’s First 100 Days

The Honorable Speaker Ron Mariano

24 Beacon St.

Room 356

Boston, MA, 02133

The HonorableSenate President Karen Spilka

24 Beacon St.

Room 332

Boston, MA, 02133

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 

Hon. Speaker Ron Mariano and Hon. President Karen Spilka,

Two weeks ago marked the 100th day of Donald Trump’s second presidential term. These hundred days have been marked by an incessant barrage of chaos, cruelty, and corruption. We have seen consistent threats to Massachusetts—to essential social programs; to efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion; to our ability to keep our residents safe; to our efforts to tackle the climate crisis; to the scientific research that powers our regional economy; to people’s constitutional rights of free speech, including abductions of MA residents. We have seen an undermining of the basic rule of law that has pushed us into a constitutional crisis as well as a global trade war that will cause economic harm to our Commonwealth. We have seen the exacerbation of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, and antisemitism–the list goes on–in rhetoric and policy. We need not recount every such harmful action taken and its impact on Massachusetts because you know them too well. 

But what is less known is how you will choose to respond. Indeed, 100 days into Trump’s presidency and 17 weeks into the 194th session of the General Court, only two bills had been signed into law: (1) a supplemental budget that included harmful restrictions on the access to emergency shelter for families with children and (2) another temporary extension of the ability of state and local bodies to hold hybrid and virtual meetings. That has not grown in the subsequent weeks. 

Although grappling with the full scale of present and future crisis from the federal administration is daunting, it is incumbent upon you to respond and to meet the moment as best you can. 

While you focus on planning for what’s to come, there are steps that we can take now, steps that have already been vetted in hearings in past legislative sessions:  

  • Guarantee that Massachusetts resources are used for state priorities, not federal immigration enforcement, by ending the state Department of Corrections’ 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), banning future 287(g) agreements, and ending intergovernmental service agreements
  • Protect access to courts by prohibiting police and court officials from initiating contact with ICE about a person’s pending release from police or court custody
  • Embrace the best practices already in place in cities and towns by ensuring that state and local police will not inquire about immigration status will not inquire about immigration status or engage in civil immigration enforcement related activities
  • Ensure the safety and well-being of the residents of the Commonwealth and those traveling from other states for reproductive care by shoring up privacy rights and banning the purchase and sale of personal cell phone location data
  • Strengthen our state’s shield law for reproductive and gender–affirming care

All of these are bills you can, and must, pass now. We must be proactive in our policymaking, not wait until the crisis reaches its apex before responding. 

Moreover, as we have already faced lost federal funding and face even more later this year, with expected harm to our public schools, our health care, our safety net programs, our infrastructure, and so much more, we urge you to present a plan for the public for how you will protect our essential services. Now is not the time for cuts. We can and must raise revenue to fund our needs, and there are many such options available, most notably by closing tax loopholes that allow billionaire global corporations to dodge taxes by hiding their profits in tax havens abroad. We must also not be afraid to tap into the state’s rainy day fund when the torrential downpour comes. 

To ensure the efficient and responsive legislative process that this work requires, we urge you to prioritize coming to an agreement on the Joint Rules for the legislative session. Both chambers proposed valuable reforms to make the legislature more open, accountable, and timely. Clarity on rules is essential for the work ahead: inertia thrives under uncertainty. 

We appreciate the words you have spoken in the past months to criticize the harm being done by the federal administration. What the Commonwealth needs now is your actions. 

Sincerely, 

350 Mass 

Act on Mass 

Asian American Resource Workshop 

Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network – Massachusetts

Chinese Progressive Association 

Clean Water Action 

Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc.

Families for Justice as Healing  

Homes for All Massachusetts 

Indivisible Mass Coalition 

Lynn United for Change 

Massachusetts Peace Action 

New England Community Project

Our Revolution Massachusetts 

Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts

Progressive Massachusetts

Springfield No One Leaves 

Unitarian Universalist Mass Action