Attorney General's Policy & Government Affairs Division

The Policy & Government Affairs Division helps develop and advance Attorney General Campbell's policy and legislative priorities. The Policy & Government Affairs Division works with staff across the office to develop a policy agenda aimed at ensuring that everyone in Massachusetts has access to equal treatment under the law, a healthy environment, affordable health care, a transparent and open government, safe neighborhoods, and is protected from abusive practices in the marketplace.

Consumer Protection

The Attorney General's Office works to ensure that consumers are protected from unfair, deceptive, or predatory practices from businesses. Below are recent policy statements, testimony, and letters from the Attorney General's Office. If you want to file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office, please visit our Get Consumer Support page. 

• Letter to Congress on CDC Funding for Gun Violence Research
• Letter to Gun Dealers in Massachusetts on Legal Obligations under State Gun Laws 
• Letter to Joint Committee on Housing on Manufactured Housing Legislation 
• Letter to Joint Committee on Public Health on Electronic Smoking Device Legislation  
• Letter to U.S. Department of Education on For-Profit Schools (April 2015) (press release)
• Proposed E-cigarette Regulations (March 2015) (Press release)
• Pat Moore Municipal Tax Lien Foreclosure Testimony

• Remarks of Amber Villa AG's Neighborhood Renewal Division - Tax Lien Foreclosures

• 940 CMR 37.00 Notice of Public Hearing and Comment Period with Small Business Impact Statement

• Proposed 940 CMR 37.00 Regulations

• Redline of 940 CMR 37.00 Emergency Regulations

• 940 CMR 38.00 Notice of Public Hearing

• Proposed 940 CMR 38.00 Regulations

• 940 CMR 38.00 Public Hearing Recording

Civil Rights

All residents of Massachusetts deserve to be treated equally under the law and live a life free of discrimination. Below are recent policy statements from the Attorney General's Office on Civil Rights. If you feel that you are the victim of discrimination, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division. 

• Letter to Joint Committee on Election Laws in Support of Automatic Voter Registration 
• Gender Identity Guidance for Public Accommodations 
• #EveryoneWelcome (webpage)
• Letter to Joint Committee on the Judiciary on Transgender Public Accommodations Legislation 
• AGO Policy to Protect Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Individuals (Press release)
• Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Uphold the Right to Marry Nationwide (Press release)

• Letter to VOTES Act Conference Committee

• Letter on reforms to state election laws

• Letter to Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight on gender parity and racial diversity on public boards and commissions

Crimes

As the chief lawyer and law enforcement office of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Attorney General's Office works with the legislature to ensure that the office can effectively do its job.

Criminal Justice

The Attorney General's Office advocates for policies to ensure that all Massachusetts residents receive equal treatment on the law. Below you can find recent statements, letters, and testimony on criminal justice. 

• Letter to Judiciary Committee on Criminal Justice Reform  
• Letter to Judiciary Committee supporting a ban on Female Genital Mutilation  
• Letter on the Need to Reform Costly Prison Phone Services  
• Letter to Massachusetts Legislature on Criminal Justice Reform (June 2015) 

• Letter to Joint Committee on the Judiciary on telephone service for inmates

• Letter to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security on An Act relative to inmate telephone calls

Education

• Letter to Joint Committee on Education on Access to Public Colleges and Universities Legislation
• Attorney General's Letter on K-12 Education Finance Reform Legislation

• Letter to Joint Committee on Higher Education on access to public colleges and universities

   

Energy & Environment

The Attorney General's Office works to protect the environment and encourage the development of cost-effective renewable energy for the residents of Massachusetts. 

• Letter to Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy on Clean Peak Standard. 
• AGO Regional Electric Reliability Options Study Report  
• Letter to Massachusetts Legislature on Solar Programs and Net Metering 
• Letter to U.S. Congress on Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act 
• Defense of EPA’s Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants (Press Release)
• Support of U.S. Senate Bill on Toxic Chemicals (Press Release)

Fair Labor

The Attorney General's Office protects workers from exploitation and sets a level playing field for employers. If you need to make a wage complaint with the Attorney General's Office, you can do so by filing with the Fair Labor Division. 

• Letter to Senate Ways and Means Committee on Enhanced Enforcement of Civil Penalties Legislation 

Gaming

The Attorney General's Office ensures proper investigation and prosecution of illegal gaming related activity in Massachusetts, as well as regulating the daily fantasy sports industry. If you need to inform the Attorney General's Office of illegal gaming, you can file a gaming tip.  

• Daily Fantasy Sports Regulations 
• Letter to the Online Gaming Commission (June 2017) 

Health Care and Fair Competition

The Attorney General's Office works to promote public health and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system for all health care consumers in Massachusetts. If you have a problem with health insurance bills or medical bills, you can file a complaint with the Health Care Division. 

• Letter to Joint Committee on Substance Use, Recovery and Mental Health on Children's Mental Health Services Legislation
• Letter to Joint Committee on Financial Services in Support of Access to Confidential Healthcare  
• Letter to Gilead Sciences, Inc.  
• Bill to Protect Consumers From Higher Healthcare Costs (Press Release)

Immigration

The Attorney General's Office serves all residents of Massachusetts regardless of their immigration status and the Attorney General is committed to protecting immigrants in Massachusetts. Through litigation and advisory notices, the Attorney General's Office has made clear that protecting these communities is a priority.

• Amicus Brief in Support of Executive Orders on Immigration 

• Letter to Joint Committee on Transportation on Work and Family Mobility

• Regulations Authorizing Disclosure of Massachusetts License or Learner’s Permit Application or Holder Information 

  • (DISCLAIMER) The official version will be published in the Register.

Insurance and Financial Services

The Attorney General's Office works to ensure fairness in the insurance and financial services industries for the Commonwealth's consumers. 

• Letter to Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight on Homeowners Insurance  
• Letter in Support of Equitable Insurance Coverage in Disability Policies  

Opioid Epidemic

Combating the opioid epidemic is a top priority of the Massachusetts Attorney General. To that end, the AG is working on all fronts across the office with a team comprised of health care experts, law enforcement, advocates, and public policy experts that is dedicated to tackling heroin, fentanyl, and prescription drug misuse using a multi-disciplinary approach that includes enforcement, policy, prevention and education efforts. 

• AG Healey, GE Foundation Launch Substance Use Prevention Initiative to Reach All Public Middle Schools in Massachusetts (Press release)
• Massachusetts Schools Receive Unprecedented Funding to Prevent Opioid Addiction Under New AG Healey Initiative (Press release)
• State and Federal Agencies Announce New Coalition to Fight Illegal Opioid Prescribing and Dispensing (Press release)
• AG Healey Lends Support for CDC Guidelines Around Opioid Prescribing (Pres
• Letter to Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse on Governor's Proposed Opioid Legislation  
• AG Healey Announces $325K Agreement with Naloxone Manufacturer, Dedicates Funds to Help First Responders Statewide Access Life-Saving Drug
• An Act relative to the trafficking of Fentanyl 

 

Sexual and Domestic Violence

The Attorney General's Office has formed a partnership with the Patriots Foundation to create Game Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership, an innovative approach to healthy relationship and violence prevention education. The program, launched in 2015 by the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, is providing training in anti-violence strategies to students, faculty, and coaches at public high schools across Massachusetts.

• Game Change: Preventing Violence
• Op-Ed on Stopping Sexual and Domestic Violence (April 2015)
• Joint Letter with Mayor Walsh to U.S. Senate on Human Trafficking Bill 
• Amicus Brief Arguing Backpage.com Should Be Held Liable for Facilitating Human Trafficking