The formal legislative session for 2011-2012 concluded on July 31st. The session was defined by landmark legislation in healthcare cost containment, economic development, energy, and consumer protection. The Legislature will continue to meet in informal sessions through the end of the calendar year. ML Strategies will report noteworthy developments through the remainder of the session. The following is a summary of legislative accomplishments to date.

In This Issue:

Health Care - “Containing Costs While Improving Care”; “Amendments to the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Manufacturers Marketing Code of Conduct”; “Co-pay Assistance and Prescription Drug Coupons”; “Fair Share Employer Contribution for Health Insurance”; “Consent for HIV Screening”; “Reforming the Ability of Municipalities to Control Health Insurance Plans”; “Allowing Nurse-Midwives More Independence”; “Monitoring the Prescription of Certain Medications to Help Prevent Drug Abuse”; “Improving Tiered Health Networks”; “Updating the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act”; Economic Development - Labor and Employment; “Right to Repair”; “Evergreen Clause”; “Temporary Employment”;“Fraud in Publicly Opened Contracts”; “Unemployment”; “Workers’ Compensation Insurance”; “Domestic Violence Employment Leave”; Gaming - “Expanded Gaming Bill”; “Gaming Compact”; Retail - “Beer and Wine in Supermarkets”; “EBT Reform”; “Item Pricing”; “Sales Tax Holiday”; Energy, Environment and Clean Technology - “Energy Bill Expands Incentives and Increases Competition for Renewable Power”; “Strengthening Utilities Responses to Outages from Storms”; “Bottle Bill Stalls in Study”; Education - “Community Colleges”; “Education Collaboratives”; “Proprietary School”; “Stand for Children”; “Transitional Educators”; Judicial System - “Three Strikes Bill for Violent Offenders”; “Closing a Loophole in Drunk Driving Laws”; “Improving the Indigent Defense System”; “Restructuring the Way Massachusetts Handles Children in Need of Services”; “Reorganizing the Administration of the Court System”; “DNA Evidence”; “Human Trafficking”; “An Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children”; “Reforming the State Alimony Program”; “Protecting the Rights of Transgender People”; Transportation - “Bond Bill”; “Chapter 90 Funding”; “MBTA Reforms”; Housing -“Funding Low-Income Housing”; “Preventing Unlawful and Unnecessary Foreclosures”; Government Reforms - “Vendor Contracts”; “Pension Reform”; and A Look Ahead