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Bills Representative Balser Has Filed 2007-2008 Session |
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WOMEN’S RIGHTS An Act Relative to
Equitable Coverage for Annuity Policies This legislation requires that state regulated annuity policies sold to residents of Massachusetts must be gender-neutral in all the terms and conditions of the contract, including premiums and benefits. MENTAL HEALTH An Act Relative to Mental
Health Parity This bill builds on the Mental Health Act of 2000 but expands it into a comprehensive parity bill. The Act of 2000 gave full parity to all so-called “biologically based” disorders but limited coverage for so-called “non-biologically based” disorders. As a result, treatment of substance abuse, eating disorders, trauma and other conditions is limited. This bill eliminates the distinction between biologically-based disorders and other mental health & substance abuse disorders listed in psychiatric and diagnostic manuals, so that all individuals would be covered for treatment of mental health and substance abuse disorders just as all other medical conditions are covered. An Act Providing For the Establishment
of a Mental Health Court This bill would authorize the Governor to file an application with the U.S. Attorney General to establish a demonstration mental health court in Massachusetts. The Court would be an alternative for offenders who are charged with misdemeanors or nonviolent offenses who are individuals who suffer from mental illness, or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, or mental retardation. These individuals would be directed by the court to appropriate mental health treatment and case management that coordinates treatment with probation, social services, housing, vocational training, education, and health care. An Act Relative to Confinement Conditions and Treatment of Prisoners with Mental Illness House Bill 1313: Bill Text || Bill Status
An Act Relative to Children’s Mental Health
An Act Providing for Behavioral Science
Representation on the Parole Board This bill would require that at least three of the seven members of the parole board be selected from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work and sociology. An Act Providing for Linguistically Appropriate
Mental Health Services This bill would oblige insurance companies to provide mental health services in the patient's primary language when the patient is not fluent in English. An Act to Protect Psychotherapy Patients
An Act to Protect the Mentally Ill in Emergency
Rooms
An Act to Protect Patient Confidentiality
An Act Regarding Low Income Elders and Persons
with Disabilities
An Act to Improve Access to Mental Health
Services
An Act Relative to the Continuity of Care of
Mental Health Treatment
HEALTH CARE An Act Regarding Health Insurance
Responsibility Rating
An Act Regarding Financial Protections for
consumers enrolled in HMOs
PUBLIC SAFETY An Act further regulating the installation of
automatic sprinklers This bill would change the local option concerning the installation of automatic sprinklers in commercial buildings to a statewide requirement. It would also require any building more than 7500 square feet, or major addition to a building that results in the structure totaling more than 7500 square feet to have an automatic sprinkler system. Automatic sprinkler systems are the most effective way to protect against fire fatalities. SENIOR ISSUES An Act to Create an Exemption for Low-Income
Seniors from Proposition 2½ Overrides This bill would permit a municipality to create an exemption for low and moderate income seniors when it places a Prop 2 ½ override on the ballot. An Act to Correct Income Calculation for
Spouses of Nursing Home Residents This bill requires the Division to use a money market rate of interest to calculate the community spouse resource allowance. EDUCATION An Act Relative to Health Education
An Act to Provide Access to Information for
Parents’ Evaluators
JUDICIAL MATTERS An Act to Establish the Uniform Enforcement of
Foreign Judgments The purpose of this bill is to allow one state to more easily provide enforcement of a judgment entered in a sister state. The bill would establish a system for recording foreign judgments and avoids the expensive and cumbersome process of filing a new lawsuit. An Act Relative to Distribution and Use of
Criminal Offender Record Information This bill will make clear that most agencies requesting CORI shall receive CORI reports limited to only conviction and cases pending information. An Act Accelerating the Sealing of
Non-Conviction Criminal Offender Record Information This bill would change the system for sealing records. It would allow for the clerk and probation officers to seal the records of all non-conviction criminal cases whose final dispositions were six years or more before the date on which this law takes effect. BILLS FILED ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS An Act Regarding Massachusetts Teacher
Retirement Benefits for Janet Brandwein This bill would require the Massachusetts Teacher’s Retirement Board to recalculate and refund retirement benefits for a teacher. An Act Relative to Antique Cars This bill would create a special exemption to certain seatbelt requirments for antique cars. An Act Relative to the Sales Tax This bill would remove processed foods from sales tax exemption. An Act Relative to Exemption from
Private Business School Regulations An Act Relative to Parking and Traffic
Ticket Appeals An Act Relative to Parking at Logan Airport This bill would require notification of information collect about cars parked at Logan airport.
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