Areas of Concern

Addressing the State’s Budget

The WBA supports efforts to identify progressive methods to increase state revenues to avoid drastic budget cuts in education, welfare, health care, and other programs vital to women and children.

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Childbirth/Breast Feeding

The WBA supports bills to establish a Committee on Midwifery in the Board of Registration and to allow certified nurse-midwives to practice in home settings without physician supervision.

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Children's Issues

The WBA is concerned about the health, education and safety of children and pays special attention to areas such as adoption and abuse.

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Civil Rights

The WBA supports a Mass. Constitutional Amendment to prohibit initiative petitions/popular vote on civil rights issues.

The WBA supports full implementation of the Goodridge decision on same sex marriage.

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The WBA has supported the Committee for the Public Counsel Services (CPCS) budget proposals to increase in the compensation rate paid to the private attorneys who are assigned to represent indigent CPCS clients.

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Death Penalty

The WBA opposes the introduction of the death penalty in Mass. The WBA believes that a death penalty would make our society less just and understands the danger of mistaken convictions, the arbitrary and discriminatory features of the system, the lack of a deterrent effect and the costs. The WBA believes that the current mandatory sentence for first-degree murder - life without parole - is sufficient to meet public safety needs.

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Diversity on Corporate Boards and Upper Level Management

The WBA has supported bills that would make the state’s pension fund more accountable in the exercise of its power to influence policies of major corporations. The pension fund investments in corporate stocks give the state a significant voice in electing boards of directors and in determining the outcome of shareholder resolutions related to corporate business practices. The WBA urges the state to use this power to promote equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in corporate management and in the workplace.

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Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault

The WBA has supported An Act to Prevent Harassment and Witness Intimidation, necessary to protect all victims of harassment and to prevent witness intimidation since many victims of harassment do not meet the relationship requirement established in the criminal restraining order law, M.G.L. ch. 209A.

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Elder Law/Medicaid

The WBA is alert to policy measures which could impoverish elders through insufficient maintenance and resource allowances for community spouses of Medicaid recipients; therefore we have supported bills to Help Families Care for Elders; re: Assets of Medical Assistance Recipients; re: l