Co-Chair, Legislative Mental Health Caucus, 1999-present
Co-Chair/Founder, Caucus of Women Legislators Task Force in Criminal Justice System, 2000-2012
House Chair, Joint Legislative Committee on Children, Families and Person's with Disabilities, 2011-2012
Co-Chair/Founder, Caucus of Women Legislators Task Force on Women in Prison, 2000-2010
House Vice Chair, Joint Legislative Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, 2008-2009
Co Chair, Women's Political Caucus, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1998-2002
Chair, Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
— Awards:
"Legislator of the Year Award" from the Provider's Council on November 17, 2014.
"Newton Conservators 2012 Charles Johnson Maynard Award" in May 2012. This award was given by the Newton Conservators and recognizes efforts to improve biodiversity, habitat reclamation and natural resource protection. This Award recognized the successful restoration and reconstruction of the old rail trestle bridge crossing the Charles River in Lower Falls.
"Valuing Our Children Award" in April, 2011. This award is given by the Children's Trust Fund annually to legislators who have shown outstanding commitment to child abuse prevention, and helped in improving the lives of children across the Commonwealth.
Recognized in October of 2007 by the American College of Nurse Mid-wives for her support and vital contribution to the profession of midwifery.
Hobbies or Special Talents:
She enjoys hiking, biking, travel, arts and culture, theatre, ballet, cooking, entertaining, and spending time with her grandchildren.
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice
2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No
3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes
4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes
5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No
6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No
7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No
8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Education (higher)
- Greatly Increase
2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase
3. Environment
- Greatly Increase
4. Health care
- Greatly Increase
5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Slightly Increase
6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Greatly Increase
7. Welfare
- Greatly Increase
8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
1. Alcohol taxes
- Greatly Increase
2. Cigarette taxes
- Greatly Increase
3. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Increase
4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Greatly Increase
5. Property taxes
- Maintain Status
6. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status
7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Greatly Decrease
8. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Maintain Status
9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Greatly Increase
10. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
1. Tapping into Massachusetts's "rainy day" fund
- Yes
2. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No
3. Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
- No
4. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No
5. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No
6. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No
7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Individual
- Yes
2. Political Action Committee
- Yes
3. Corporate
- Yes
4. Political Party
- Yes
5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No
6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes
7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- No
8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No
2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes
3. Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- Yes
4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes
5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No
6. Do you support allowing for more judicial discretion in Massachusetts's "three strikes" law?
- Yes
7. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No
2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes
3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes
4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes
5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes
6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes
7. Do you support allowing bars and restaurants to offer daily or hourly discounts on alcoholic beverages?
- No
8. Do you support extending the state's 5-cent deposit law to plastic water bottles and other non-carbonated beverages?
- Yes
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- Yes
2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No
3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- No
4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- Yes
5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No
6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes
7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Massachusetts high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes
2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No
3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Massachusetts's energy infrastructure?
- Yes
4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes
5. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes
6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes
2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes
3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- No
4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- Yes
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes
2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes
3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes
4. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes
5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes
6. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes
7. Do you support the legalization of physician-assisted suicide for those with a terminal diagnosis and less than six months to live?
- Yes
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- No
2. Should Massachusetts continue to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples?
- Yes
3. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes
4. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
In the following area, on an attached page, or via e-mail, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- Education of our children - support for early childhood education, full day kindergarten, K-12 public education, higher education including increased support for Community Colleges.
Clean and Safe environment - increased funding for improving our public transportation system, bike and pedestrian access, building of transit oriented, multi use developments to reduce traffic congestion, including subsidized and affordable housing for our most vulnerable children and families and seniors.
Vibrant economy, support for small businesses, arts and culture.
Invest in our communities by restoring state income tax rate to earlier rate of 5.95%
Type: bill Chamber: lower
Type: bill Chamber: lower
Type: bill Chamber: lower