Legislation
192nd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2022)
Rep. Honan speaks to the 192nd General Court of Massachusetts and begins his tenure as Chair of the Steering Committee.
February 16, 2022- I co-sponsored the Work & Family Mobility Bill which passed the House 120-36. The bill will improve equity, public safety, and public health for all MA residents and protect communities who are a vital part of our healthy economy.
February 18, 2022- Sen. Jo Comerford, along with myself and my colleagues, submitted a letter to urge MassHealth to take action on new CMS guidance that will provide significant relief to seniors and people with disabilities who are nursing home eligible but would like to access community-based care under the Home and Community Services Based Waiver. This will help seniors and people living with disabilities more fully remain in their homes with the care they need and deserve.
March 3, 2022- the House passed the Offshore Wind and Clean Energy Bill to further enable the state to reach its goal of net-zero emissions. This bill creates affordable and abundant reusable energy off our shores while adding thousands of good-paying jobs. Specific provisions include a $50 million tax incentive for capital investments and employment in the wind sector and statewide electric grid modernization to ensure access for all to the newly unlocked electricity. The ability to produce our own clean energy while generating economic growth puts us on the right path to securing our green future.
March 9, 2022- The supplemental budget addressing pandemic recovery passed the House. The budget included my amendment providing much needed low-income fuel assistance programs across Commonwealth. Additional funding for COVID-19 resources, rental assistance, tax assistance for low-income workers, and more will progress us towards an equitable recovery.
March 17, 2022- The House passed H. 4555 (An act relative to the creation of a women's rights history trail) to establish a women’s rights history trail in Massachussetts. So many notable women in our state have contributed to women’s equality movements but are often overlooked in the historical narrative. This trail will educate the public about their success and inspire future generations.
April 27, 2022- The House passed FY2023 budget with significant investments in housing, health care, education, climate and other areas essential to sustainable growth across the Commonwealth.
June 17, 2022- The House unanimously passed H.4879 (An Act addressing barriers to care for mental health to boost mental health services) to address longstanding issues with our behavioral health care delivery system. The bill focuses on acute psychiatric care and crisis response, youth behavioral health initiatives, community-based behavioral health services, investments in the workforce, and enforcement of existing behavioral health parity laws.
June 17, 2022- The House passed H.805 (VOTES Act) which greatly expands Massachusetts’ voters access to the ballot. All voters are now eligible for no excuse vote-by-mail for all elections and will face less hurdles for early voting and voter registration.
July 7, 2022- The House passed H.4978 (An Act relative to military spouse-licensure portability, education and enrollment of dependents) addressing the Commonwealth’s most immediate needs in the veteran community and making necessary updates to service member quality-of-life issues and acknowledgements of our military branches and individual service, including supporting military families who relocate to the Commonwealth with expedited licensure and school enrollment, creating education awareness programs and establishing the Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity.
June 29, 2022- In wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the House passed H. 4930 (An act expanding protections for reproductive rights) to further strengthen reproductive and gender-affirming MA laws.
July 14, 2022- Saw new stop-arm safety technology implemented by Bus Patrol that protects children from motorists violating state laws.
My bill H.4478 (An Act concerning the safety of school children embarking and disembarking school buses) allows violation detection systems to be installed in school buses across Massachusetts.
Read more here.
July 21, 2022- Responding to the national gun crisis and recent Supreme Court ruling in the Bruen decision, the House passed legislation to keep Massachusetts’ gun laws as some of the safest in the nation. Stricter licensing laws will protect our communities and ensure our law enforcement has the tools they need to prevent gun violence.
July 28- The House passed H.5104 (An Act relative to accelerating improvements to the local and regional public health system to address disparities in the delivery of public health services) designed ensure that every resident has access to foundational public health services, regardless of where they live, through the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) State Action for Public Health Excellence (SAPHE) program established by the Legislature in 2020. This bill will raise public healthcare standards in every region and locale across the Commonwealth.
July 18, 2022- The Legislature sent a final FY23 budget to the governor’s desk, expanding on the House’s version passed in April with additional funds to improve safety on the MBTA, extend the universal school meals program and invest in mental healthcare.
August 1, 2022- The House passed S. 3097(An Act addressing barriers to care for mental health) to create parity between mental health and physical health in Massachusetts. The bill mandates insurance coverage of an annual mental health wellness exam, invests in the behavioral health workforce, expands access to acute psychiatric care and the behavioral health of people under the age of 18, and empowers community-based mental health services.
August 10, 2022- The governor signed H.5164 (An Act regulating sports wagering) into law. People 21 years or older will soon be able to bet on professional sports and most collegiate sports at the state's casinos, slots parlor, simulcast centers and through mobile platforms.
August 11, 2022- The governor signed H.5060 (An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind) into law. This landmark climate legislation makes Massachusetts a national leader in offshore wind production and will enable the state to reach its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
August 10, 2022- The governor signed H.5151 (An Act relative to Massachusetts’s transportation resources and climate) into law. The $11.4 billion bond bill puts $400 million toward immediate safety improvements for the MBTA and $275 million as a down payment toward a western Massachusetts passenger rail expansion.
November 2, 2022- The governor signed H.4929 (An Act relative to step therapy and patient safety) to ensure patients receive continuity of care and possess greater individual choice to select prescription drugs suiting their unique medical and economic needs.
November 2, 2022- The Massachusetts American-Irish State Legislators Caucus welcomed TD Joe McHugh to the State House to honor our cultural bonds.
November 3, 2022- Governor Baker signed the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Law. The pioneer statutory pathway will increase access to higher education for students with intellectual disabilities and promote their professional development.
November 3, 2022- The House passed H.5374 (An Act relating to economic growth and relief for the commonwealth), a wide-ranging economic development bill infusing federal and state funds into the economy with investments in healthcare, education and affordable housing expansion. Two of my amendments were included in the bill, securing $50,000 for Operation ABLE and $35,000 for renovations at Ringer Park in Allston.
December 13, 2022- Joined state legislative leaders around the country for a round table hosted by the White House addressing housing affordability.
December 13, 2022- Dr. Anthony Fauci and the late civil rights icon Bill Russell received the 2022 Awards for Inspired Leadership from the Edward M. Kennedy Institutue.