Will Brownsberger — State Senator, Democrat, 2d Suffolk and Middlesex District

I attended an information session on health care reform ran by Representative Hogan, Jessica Constantino of AARP and Deb Thompson of the PASS Group (Public Advocacy and Support Strategies) a couple of weeks ago. The material that was handed out and the presentation given were very informative, and I thought what I learned could be useful to constituents, especially for senior citizens and those on Medicare.

In 2008, Massachusetts passed a law prohibiting gifts by drug and device companies to doctors. I voted for the ban then. After revisiting the issue, I continue to support the ban. I will listen carefully to the arguments on the floor, but I expect to vote against repeal.

I’ve always wondered – why do we need a Governor’s Council? What duties do they perform that could not be covered by other existing bodies?  As far as I can tell: approval of gubernatorial appointments (including judges), prison pardons, and something about payments from the treasury. How much does this cost, in terms of salary, [...]

In April, the House, with leadership support, passed two big steps in the right direction on financial transparency. The Senate, during budget debate, approved roughly the same measures, making their final passage highly likely.

The disappointing news last week was the response of some leaders that political influence is OK in probation. Probationary supervision is an important strategy for cost-effectively controlling crime and it is centrally important that we do probation well.

I saw today (boston.com) that the Senate voted to eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day holidays. I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and have been stumped why they still exist. We all know one is just an excuse for St Patrick’s Day partying by Boston people.  If you chopped out Patriots Day [...]

I just completed this training which is now required for all state and municipal employees. The scenarios are reasonable and even sometimes interesting, but they are also confusing because a lot (over 2/3?) of the training is for state employees and does not seem to apply in the same way for municipal employees — or [...]

This from a lifelong Democrat and continuing true believer in government spending: The heart of our problem is a sense of entitlement to spend the taxpayers’ money.

Just read this Globe article today.; A growing group of dissidents in the Massachusetts House yesterday called on Speaker Robert A. DeLeo to open the chamber’s books, allow healthy debate on all bills, and subject the Legislature to the laws that cover other elected bodies – including laws on public records, open meetings, and competitive [...]

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of a more transparent legislature. While information is essential to democracy, it is the organized participation of informed people that is necessary to achieve the political and economic reforms that will move us toward a more just society. We are fortunate to have an honest and progressive voice [...]

There is a deep and passionate conversation going among legislators right now around the issue of transparency. There is a growing group of legislators who feel that the legislature needs to change the way it manages its own business.

This post relates to a fairly technical question that has been the subject of some confusion on the House floor: Exactly what information is available to the public about spending on legislative operations?

I found myself voting in the minority — with the Republicans and a small group of Democrats — on three financial integrity issues this week.

The Ethics reform bill that we passed earlier this year imposes a number of new disclosure and procedural requirements.

Members of the house grew uneasy last week as they voted a routine final “deficiency” budget — a set of appropriations to cover a short list of cost overruns from the last fiscal year.

Will, I also appreciate your being candid about the tough decision.  But this vote by the Massachusetts House is just the height of hypocrisy. After voting to deny Gov Romney the ability to appoint a Senator back in 2004, and then changing the law back to serve themselves is embarrassing…these people must have no shame. [...]

Thanks Will, and also for your thoughtful analysis and open communication.

A tough choice, but I think you made the right decision.  For me, the fact that the interim senator will not run in the special election is important.  Am I right in understanding that that stipulation is only a requested pledge and not part of state law? If so, is it possible to make interim [...]

As a citizen of Massachusetts I urge you to support giving our Governor the authority to appoint an interim US Senator to fill Senator Kennedy’s seat. If my daughter needs health care services I don’t want to have to tell her that she doesn’t have it because the Massachusetts legislature voted against giving it’s citizens’ equal representation with every [...]

Please approve the proposal allowing the governor to appoint a temporary U.S. Senator pending the special election in January. That vote could mean the difference between a health care plan and no health care plan.