2023-2024
Accomplishments
PROVEN LEADERSHIP
WORKING FOR YOU
Now in my fourth term in office, my team and I continue to work tirelessly to deliver legislative victories, local funding, and forward-thinking advocacy for you, your family, and our communities. Below are some highlighted accomplishments from the 2023-2024 Massachusetts Legislative session. If you have any questions or ideas about the next big win we can achieve together, I welcome you to contact me and my team.
Bringing Beacon Hill to You
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Over the course of this past session, my team and I hosted 20 virtual and in-person office hours for constituents across our district, including in Franklin, Milford, Needham, Norfolk, Plainville, and other towns.
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I’ve hosted 10 school tours here at the State House and have visited 18 schools in every corner of our district, meeting with more than 1,000 students. One of my favorite parts of this job is speaking with students, from kindergarten through high school, about civics and state government.
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My office had more than 19,750 constituent contacts on topics ranging from legislative advocacy and policy to assisting constituents with unemployment, housing, health care, and other essential services.
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I hosted six public town halls throughout the district, where I provided updates on successful legislation and priorities that are still in the works. I also answered questions from attendees about my bills and the legislative process.
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I continued gathering my Small Business Advisory Council, comprised of local entrepreneurs across our district, to inform my legislative work.
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I host an annual Youth Summit at the State House to hear directly from students about issues important to them. Over 25 students have participated in our annual Youth Summit this term!
Senator Rausch attending the ribbon cutting for Primrose School of Franklin
Securing Millions of Dollars for Your Community
During the 2023-2024 legislative session, I secured $1,000,000 in local funding, supporting every town in our district. These funds supported accessibility upgrades for recreation spaces, public artwork, historic preservation, and much more. I am committed to putting dollars where our cities and towns say they need it most; learn more about the investments in your community here. I also secured $6,500,000 in bond funding for housing authorities in every town in our district in the Affordable Homes Act.
Protecting Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice in Massachusetts
I’m tremendously proud that in 2024, Massachusetts passed trailblazing, lifesaving maternal health and reproductive justice legislation. An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options. This comprehensive legislation will strengthen access to physical and mental health care during and after pregnancy.
I authored a central pillar of the bill, which will finally provide licensing for certified professional midwives and integration into the health care system. Midwives are an important solution for our maternal health crisis – their care improves patient outcomes, uplifts patient choice, and reduces inequities. Additionally, the bill requires MassHealth coverage for doula services and directs DPH to update regulations for birthing centers, further promoting birthing choices.
Several more of my standalone bills were included in this legislation, which will:
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Require insurance coverage for post-pregnancy depression screenings for all post-pregnancy patients, respecting and reflecting the many complexities of post-pregnancy circumstances.
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Ensure licensed providers supervise ultrasound services, safeguarding patient protection against so-called “crisis pregnancy centers.”
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Help parents and caregivers get their children to pediatric appointments.
I introduced several pieces of legislation to advance reproductive justice and remove still-present barriers to care. One such bill, An Act enhancing access to abortion care, had sections regarding patient protections for ultrasounds passed into law as part of the comprehensive maternal health legislation mentioned above. Other parts of this legislation would:
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Strike parental consent requirements
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Ensure life-saving abortion care will be provided
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Remove existing targeted regulation of abortion providers
I’ve also filed legislation to support medical residents and our reproductive care workforce. Laws banning abortion and gender-affirming care have passed in nearly two dozen states, impacting patients and would-be providers who may not be able to access the training necessary to provide this essential care. An Act supporting access to training on reproductive and gender-affirming care will provide temporary, limited licensure to medical students completing their residencies in other states to come to Massachusetts to learn how to provide full spectrum reproductive care, including abortion, IVF, and gender-affirming health care.
Architects of the Maternal Health Law: Representative Fluker Oakley, Senator Rausch, and Representative Kay Khan
Climate Action
As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources, I’m proud to have supported and strengthened Massachusetts’ nation-leading climate change legislation. I introduced the Plastics Reduction Act, which will bring systemic change to our single-use plastics problem in the Commonwealth. Plastics are made from fossil fuels and create significant greenhouse gas emissions when they’re created and as they degrade. They harm human health, litter our environment, and hurt wildlife.
I’m extremely proud to report that in June of 2024, the Senate passed the Plastics Reduction Act! The bill would ban single-use plastic bags and limits plastic food service ware to request-only and single self-serve. It codifies the Governor’s ban on state purchases of single-use plastic water bottles and creates an Environmental Protection Trust Fund that will support small businesses and low- and moderate-income communities. It will also create a report on expanding access to composting and a commission studying Extended Producer Responsibility, a proven waste-reduction policy.
I also supported climate legislation that streamlines the siting and permitting process for clean energy projects, empowering Massachusetts to meet its aggressive climate goals. It also expands access to electric vehicles and prioritizes clean energy sources by requiring the DPU to consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate targets when considering expanding gas service territory.
Senator Rausch meeting with advocates from the Green Budget Coalition after a legislative briefing.
Expanding Access to Mental Health Care
During one of my youth legislative forums, my young constituents spoke frankly and fearlessly about classmates they lost to suicide, the real concerns about whether or not to seek help for mental health problems, and their clear need for accessible mental health supports. In response, I secured $1,000,000 in the FY '23 Senate Budget to expand the services of Hey Sam, a youth mental health support text line run by Samaritans, Inc. The program has been a tremendous success, with over 4,200 young people using the text line since it began. In FY ’24, I successfully urged the legislature to override budget cuts to the program, securing $1,800,000 for this lifesaving initiative. I helped ensure the program received the same level of funding in FY’25.
I also introduced legislation that would require the state to provide school mental health professionals, such as a counselor or psychologist, at a ratio of at least 1 per 250 students, the recommended ratio by the American School Counselor Association. Schools are uniquely situated to provide equitable access to mental health supports for our students.
Senator Rausch presenting a citation to Kathy Marchi, CEO of Samaritans, on their 50th Anniversary.
Making It Easier to Cast Your Ballot
I’m proud to have supported An Act improving voting access and elections infrastructure, which would expand access to mail-in voting, establish a paid leave of absence from work for voting, and move Massachusetts’ primary election date away from the busy Labor Day weekend.
To support cities and towns in increasing civic participation, I sponsored An Act ensuring municipal participation of the widest eligible range, or the EMPOWER act. This would let municipalities allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in their municipal elections without needing to pass a home rule petition. This supports local choices for local elections and encourages young people to become informed and engaged participants in the political process.
I sponsored legislation that would allow ranked choice voting, because your ballot can give you options that make it easier for your voice to be heard. This bill would ensure election by majority vote and generate more diversity both on the ballot and in elected office. I explain further in this Boston Globe op-ed.
Building More Housing
I was proud to vote for the Affordable Homes Act, which was signed into law in August 2024. This legislation tackles the current housing crisis in Massachusetts by authorizing $5.1 billion in long-term capital spending on housing. The bill legalizes accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, by right in single-family zoning across the state, creating droves of new housing units across Massachusetts, and creates a program to help develop supportive housing for veterans. It authorizes $2 billion for public housing, $800 million for the affordable housing trust fund, and $275 million for sustainable and green housing initiatives.
I’m proud that several of my amendments to the bill were included, which expand the eligibility of mid-sized towns to receive state funding for housing development and allow condo associations to take votes electronically. I also secured $6,500,000 in bond funding for housing authorities in every town in our district.
Preventing Gun Violence in Massachusetts
I proudly voted for the SAFER Act, which will reduce gun violence and give public safety officials the tools they need to do their jobs. This law, signed by the governor in July 2024, was supported by both gun violence prevention advocates and the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. It limits untraceable “ghost guns,” bans guns from most government buildings, and bans devices that allow semiautomatic weapons to fire more quickly.
My amendment to clarify provisions to ensure 3D printers are not used to make guns was incorporated into the final language, as was my amendment to improve firearm data collection, maintenance, access and analysis.
Economic Development
I supported a $3.9 billion economic development package that will further Massachusetts’ leadership in health sciences, clean energy, arts and culture, and much more. The bill authorizes $400 million in bond investments for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, $500 million for the Life Sciences Breakthrough Fund, and $400 million for the MassWorks Infrastructure Program over the next decade. I secured $10 million in bond authorizations for economic development, street repairs and renovations, sidewalk extension, school upgrades, and water infrastructure projects in our district.
Educating Students on Genocide and Human Rights
In response to growing concerns regarding anti-Semitic incidences in Massachusetts, my colleagues and I passed legislation last session requiring every middle school and high school in the Commonwealth to teach the history of genocide. This bill establishes a Genocide Education Trust Fund to promote and educate middle and high school students on the history of genocide and provide professional development training to assist educators with their teaching and curriculum development.
In the wake of the 10/7 attack on Israel, I co-authored the Massachusetts Senate resolution supporting Israel and condemning Hamas, hosted an open community space for people impacted by the terrorism and violence in Israel and the attendant antisemitism, and secured the near-immediate remediation of antisemitic graffiti on the Mass Pike. I also led a bipartisan nationwide open letter to the President, Vice President, and Congress signed by nearly 300 state lawmakers from more than half the states in the country denouncing antisemitism and urging continued efforts to secure the safe rescue of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Sadly, these efforts must be coupled with engaged efforts to combat antisemitism in our communities and throughout the Commonwealth. I have been partnering in this work since the start of my Senate tenure, and it has only increased over time. Most recently, I was appointed to serve as a member of the Massachusetts Hate Crimes Task Force. The Task Force’s collective work to combat identity-based hatred and bigotry is profoundly important, and I am proud to be part of it. I also secured $75,000 for the Office of Public Safety and Security to expand its report on the State of Hate in Massachusetts to include bias-motivated incidents.
Uplifting Native American History and Culture
Native American history, voices, and contributions are woven into the fabric of Massachusetts. I sponsored An Act relative to celebrating and teaching Native American history and culture, which ensures that students in the Commonwealth learn this history in full, through a curriculum that covers tribal history and contemporary indigenous issues. This bill, which was crafted in close collaboration with tribal leaders, directs state officials to develop these educational standards in consultation with tribal nations.
Early Education and Childcare
Massachusetts is among the most expensive states in the country for childcare, and over 19,000 children are on a waitlist for subsidized care. As the only mom in the Senate with young kids, I can personally attest to the unaffordability of this care. This situation hurts children and families and costs our economy billions of dollars each year.
I was proud to vote for the Early Education Act, which expands access to childcare subsidies, bringing costs within reach for more families. It will help stabilize providers, improve program quality, and expand capacity. It also supports our childcare workforce, made up of 92% women and 41% women of color. Parents and economists agree – good childcare is good infrastructure.
Senator Rausch reading a book to a Head Start early childcare classroom.
Safeguarding Care for Veterans
Following the tragic deaths of at least 76 veterans at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke during the early days of the pandemic, the Legislature passed laws to increase access to long-term care services for veterans across the state. This included the construction of a modern facility for veterans in Holyoke, as well as the development of preventative measures to avoid future tragedies by restructuring the chain of command and increasing public oversight at veterans’ homes. I also proudly voted for the HERO Act, which modernizes and expands veterans’ access to services, including mental health services and medical assistance benefits.
Supporting Access to Menstrual Products
As a deep believer in every body’s right to personal hygiene and dignity, I supported An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products, which ensures menstrual products be provided at no cost and free of stigma in public schools, homeless shelters, and prisons. This bill, which I have introduced in the past, passed the Senate in a unanimous vote.