The Providers’ Council recently announced its position on two ballot questions that will be decided by Massachusetts voters on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, encouraging voters to vote No on Question 1 and Yes on Question 3.
Question 1 would allow state government to establish nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals.
Question 3 solidifies transgender protections under state law.
Council President and CEO Michael Weekes recently outlined the organization’s position – as voted by its 33-member board of directors – with editorials on Question 1 and Question 3. You can read the editorials here.
The Council believes Question 1’s nurse staffing ratios could not only have negative impacts at hospitals, but in the community-based provider sector as well. A statewide nursing shortage could get worse, with a risk of losing nurses from the human services sector causing service disruptions. There is little evidence to support that nurse-patient staffing ratios increase patient safety and there is a potential for increases in insurance premiums.
Question 3 is an effort to repeal the Massachusetts law that protects transgender individual from discrimination in public places such as restaurants, stores and doctors’ offices. A Yes vote would leave the law intact. The Providers’ Council is among the nearly 100 nonprofit and advocacy organizations that supports the Freedom for All Massachusetts Yes on 3 campaign.
In addition to the editorials, you can find more information on the ballot questions here, and at freedommassachusetts.org.
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