2. House Docket #3923 - An Act relative to the definition of a research and development corporation.
This legislation clarifies the definition of a research and development corporation in order to increase Massachusetts' competitiveness in biotech and life science industries.

Public Health
Relative to Schools

3. House Docket #2633 - An Act promoting school nutrition.
This legislation addresses the child obesity epidemic by permitting only nutritious foods and beverages to be sold in schools. This legislation would also enhance training of school nurses to recognize childhood obesity and eating disorders and would authorize the Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to develop data collection and reporting guidelines in order to better analyze trends in obesity and eating disorders in students.

 4. House Docket # 2833  - An act relative to the public health impact of commercialism in schools.
Schools have become inundated with advertisements and marketing of consumer goods and services. Schools are restricted environments and children should be permitted to focus on education and not on products and services that are being advertised in order develop brand loyalty for products during early stages of development. This legislation would prohibit advertising and marketing of manufacturers' consumer goods and products on school grounds or on property that is owned or leased by a public school.

5. House Docket #3767 - An Act relative to air quality in schools and public buildings. This legislation would create the Division of Indoor Environments within the Center for Environmental Health in order to protect employees across the state from environmental hazards that exist within public buildings. This bill outlines the responsibilities of the newly created division, including specific protections for people that request an inspection of a building.

Recommendations from the OxyContin Commission

6. House Docket #3855 - An Act to develop a pilot program for unused prescription medication disposal.
This legislation is filed in response to recommendations reported by the Massachusetts OxyContin and Other Drug Abuse Commission in July 2006. In response to concerns regarding the abuse of unused prescription and over the counter medication, such as OxyContin, this legislation would establish a pilot program, implemented by the Department of Public Health, to implement a take-back and disposal program for unused prescription and over the counter medications.

7. House Docket #3222 - An Act relative to mandatory reporting of overdoses.
This bill mandates the reporting of all drug substance overdoses, including alcohol, occur in emergency departments.

8. House Docket #3235 - An Act Relative to prescription drug abuse.
This bill mandates improvements in the Prescription Monitoring Program at the Department of Public Health.

9. House Docket #3207 - An Act to prevent prescription fraud.
This bill mandates a system (electronic or tamper-proof pads) to prevent "doctor shopping."

10. House Docket #3331 - An Act preventing drug diversion through continuing education.
This bill mandates certain continuing education credits for physicians to identify "doctor shoppers" and appropriately treat pain without triggering addiction in patients.

Public Health General

11. House Docket #2283 - An act relative to mutual aid for local public health.
This legislation is filed in response to the Joint Committee on Public Health's oversight hearing on Local Public Health Effectiveness that was held in October 2006. This legislation would permit local cities and towns to provide public health mutual aid assistance to other municipalities and assures that persons providing assistance will have the same authority, immunities and privileges as if providing services in their own town. This legislation does not prevent cities or towns from entering into additional contractual agreements.

12. House Docket #2504 - An Act relative to the study on methods to reduce incidents of suicide.
This bill establishes a commission to investigate initiatives in order to increase awareness and help prevent suicide in Massachusetts. The commission includes members of many different agencies, including the departments of elder affairs and public safety, and as redrafted, incorporates suicide prevention experts as well as survivors to enhance contributions to the commission.

13. House Docket #2365 - An Act providing for the prevention of influenza in health care workers and high risk patients.

It has been recommended by the CDC that health care workers be vaccinated annually for influenza in order to prevent influenza from being transmitted to the elderly and high risk patients in health care facilities. This legislation would require health care workers to receive annual influenza vaccinations as terms of their employment. This legislation would also require nursing homes and assisted living facilities to offer influenza vaccination to their residents in order to prevent influenza in elderly and populations at high risk for influenza complications.

14. House Docket #99 - An Act protecting public health. "Restriction on the Use of Trans Fats"
Researchers have linked artificial trans fat to many chronic diseases, including coronary disease and obesity. This legislation would restrict the use of artificial trans fats in all eating establishments within the Commonwealth.

15. House Docket #2329 - An Act relative to the marketing of light cigarettes and the effect on public health.
This legislation would require tobacco manufacturers whose products are sold in the commonwealth to certify (under penalty of perjury) that claims made by tobacco manufacturers indicating that tobacco products are light, or will result in a "reduction in risk," are supported by reasonable scientific analysis and submitted by the manufacturer to the Department of Public Health.

16. House Docket #2328 - An Act relative to the sufficient services within the department of mental retardation. (This is a refile of last sessions "Act to Address the Waiting List" at the Department of Mental Retardation). This legislation addresses the improvements needed in services provided by the Department of Mental Retardation. The department is commissioned to develop a three-year plan to address all individuals waiting for community-based services including residential, day, transportation and family support.

Health Care
Health Care and Disparities

17. House Docket #2535 - An Act relative to the commission for the elimination of health disparities.
This legislation establishes a commission with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to monitor and coordinate policy in Massachusetts for the purposes of the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities.

18. House Docket #2497 - An Act relative to primary care physician recruitment and retention.
This legislation creates a task force to study the shortage of primary care physicians in Massachusetts and ways to alleviate this shortage and its negative impact on access to care and racial and ethnic health disparities.

19. House Docket #2483 - An Act relative to the health disparities council.
This legislation clarifies the structure of the health disparities act as created in Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006 (Health Reform Legislation).

Health Care General

20. House Docket #3566 - An Act relative to hospital and clinic medical record retention.
This legislation reduces the amount of time that hospitals must retain medical records from 30 years to 10 years. This will result in a significant reduction in costs to hospitals in Massachusetts while continuing to protect patients and support quality care.

21. House Docket #1883 - An Act relative to manufacturers coupons.
Massachusetts is currently the only state that does not permit the use of manufacturers' coupons for prescription drugs. Manufacturer coupons have helped patients in other states offset the co-pays costs for patients with insurance or full-price costs for patients with no insurance. This legislation, in line with the other 49 states, would permit the use of discounts or coupons offered directly to consumers by manufacturers of prescription drugs.

22. House Docket #1863 - An Act to improve training opportunities for health care workers.
This legislation would create a Health Workforce Training Fund to provide incentives for training of health care workers and would permit health care workers to receive an upfront voucher for training programs so that workers have no out of pocket expenses when enrolling in eligible training programs. Both grants and contributions from employers of health care workers such as acute care, long-term care and community based health care facilities, would make up resources for the fund.

Public Safety & Criminal Justice

23. House Docket #2597 - An Act relative to the profits of crime. "Son of Sam Law"
This bill prohibits convicts, such as murderers, from profiting off their crimes through the sale of artwork, books, memorabilia and other items.

24. House Docket #2180 - An Act prohibiting the use of certain communication devices while operating a motor vehicle.
This legislation would prohibit the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth. This bill requires motor vehicle operators to use a hands-free headset when talking on a cell phone and driving. It also prohibits junior operators from speaking on a cell phone (even with hands-free device) while driving. Penalties for violation of this law would include one year suspension for junior operators as well as a $100 fine and adults in violation of this legislation would be fined $100 and $250 for the first and second offenses, respectively.