Massachusetts Public Health Alliance
MPHA seeks to eliminate all forms of structural racism and structural inequity that affect health, including poverty, sexism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and xenophobia, among others. Our policy platform is developed in collaboration with the MPHA Policy Council, the MPHA Board of Directors, and trusted allies.
Over the next two years, MPHA will continue to champion state legislative and regulatory policies that promote a high quality of life for people throughout the Commonwealth through advocacy, coalition building, and partnership with communities most impacted by oppression. We will act boldly to protect programs and funding that are essential to the health of residents.
Public Health Infrastructure
Strong governmental systems that provide services preventing disease and illness and ensure safe communities, regardless of race, income or zip code.
- Establish and implement minimum standards for local boards of health to ensure that all residents have access to a credentialed workforce and foundational public health services, like:
- communicable disease control
- food inspection and housing code enforcement
- protection from harmful environmental exposures and disasters
- Maintain state funding to support local boards of health and municipal health departments and build capacity by supporting shared services across regions.
- Support state funding for programs administered by the Department of Public Health, particularly those which address the root causes of health inequities.
- Overdose Prevention Centers (H.2196/S.1393) by Reps Decker and Lawn, Sen. Cyr
Housing Justice
Inclusive communities where all residents can find safe, accessible, stable, affordable housing, and where residents who have been harmed by racist housing policies and practices have decision-making power.
- Rent Control Enabling Act (H.2328/S.1447) by Reps. Rogers and Montaño, Sens. Jehlen and Gomez
- Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) (H.1544/S.998) by Reps. Livingstone and Consalvo, Sen. Jehlen
- Foreclosure Prevention Program (H.1090/S.765) by Rep. Barber, Sen. Gomez
- Right to Counsel in Eviction Proceedings (H.1952/S.968) by Rep. Rogers and Day, Sen. DiDomenico
- Local Option for Housing Affordability (LOHA) (H.3056 /S.1937) by Rep. Connolly, Sen. Comerford
- An Act Relative to Affordable Housing and Environmental Adaptation Dollars (AHEAD) (H.3194/S.1973) by Rep. Montaño, Sen. Eldridge
- Improving the Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter and Services Program (H.216/S.136) by Rep. Decker, Sen. Gomez
- Codifying and improving the RAFT homelessness prevention program (H.1488/S.961) by Rep. Decker, Sen. Crighton
- Codifying the Homebase Program (H.1469/S.1011) by Rep. Barber, Sen. Miranda
- Codifying the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) (H.1547/S.1008) by Rep. Madaro, Sen. Lovely
Environmental Justice
Climate policy that prevents and mitigates the public health impacts of environmental racism, particularly in low-income communities, communities of color, and English as an additional language (EAL) households.
- Access to Justice (H.1889/S.1064) by Rep. Meschino, Sen. DiDomenico
- An Act Promoting Drinking Water Quality for All (H.900/S.585) by Rep. Blais, Sen. Eldridge
- An Act to Protect Massachusetts Public Health from PFAS (H.2450/S.1504) by Rep. Hogan, Sen. Cyr
- An Act to Improve Indoor Air Quality for Highly-Impacted Communities (H.2427/S.1546) by Reps. Garcia and Montaño, Sen. Gomez
- An Act to Ensure Cleaner Air for Communities Overburdened by Outdoor Air Pollution (H.2369/S.1548) by Reps. Barber and Connolly, Sen. Jehlen
- An Act Relative to Toxic Free Kids (H.384/S.195) by Rep. Hawkins, Sen. Comerford
- An Act Preventing Gas Expansion to Protect Climate, Community Health and Safety (H.3457/S.2290) by Reps. Ramos and Williams, Sen. Gomez
Equity through Health Care
A healthcare system that leverages its power and resources to achieve health equity through legislation and regulation addressing health-related social needs and promoting equity in health care.
- An Act to Advance Health Equity (HD3226/SD1202) by Reps. Williams and Garcia, Sen. Payano
- An Act Promoting and Enhancing the Sustainability of Birth Centers and the Midwifery Workforce (H.117/S.784) by Reps. Cruz and Sabadosa, Sen. Lovely
Transportation Justice
A well-integrated statewide public transit system that gets all residents – particularly people living within a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) service area – where they need to go.
- Maintain dedicated, sustainable, and progressive funding for RTAs to preserve, expand and integrate statewide transit services.
- An Act Establishing a Special Commission on Micro-transit (H.3658/S.2366) by Reps. Farley-Bouvier and Smola, Sen. Cyr
Sustainable Food Systems
An equitable and resilient food system that ensures all communities have access to healthy, affordable food.
- Sustain funding for the Massachusetts Food Trust Program to support food retailers in low-income communities, and
- Sustain funding for the Mass in Motion Program to promote opportunities for healthy eating and active living.
- Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) bill (H.222/S.104) by Reps. Domb and Vargas, Sen. Comerford
Additional Fundamental Building Blocks of Good Health
MPHA follows the lead of trusted partners to advance policies that promote community stability and health for all people, including people of color, immigrants, people who are poor, older adults, youth, LGBTQ+ people, women, people with disabilities, and others impacted by oppression.
- Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty (H.214/S.118) by Rep. Decker, Sen. DiDomenico
- Jail and Prison Construction Moratorium (H.214/S.118) by Rep. Tyler, Sen. Comerford
- Corporate Fair Share (H.3110/S.2033) by Rep. González, Sens. Lewis and Miranda
- Clean Slate Automatic Record Sealing (H.1811/S.1114 by Reps. Keefe and Vargas, Sen. Friedman
- Location Shield Act (H.86/S.197) by Reps. Lipper-Garabedian and Vieira, Sen. Creem
- Immigrant Legal Defense Act (H.1954/S.1127) by Reps. Rogers and Moran, Sen. Gomez
- Utility Accountability Act (H.3400/S.2239) by Reps. Owens and Armini, Sen. Creem
Additional Resources
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