|
NursePLAN Legislator Recognition
Periodically, NursePLAN, the Political Action
Committee of the MNA, recognizes the contributions of policy makers.
The accomplishments of MNA on behalf of nurses throughout the Commonwealth
are a result of collaborative efforts to pass legislation with lawmakers.
This column is meant to highlight some of those efforts.
Rep. Brian T. Donnelley is this issue’s NursePLAN
Recognized Legislator.
Representative Donnelly (D) is the House Chairman
of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and the House Vice-Chairman
on the Joint Committee on Education, Arts and Humanities.
As a resident of West Roxbury, his constituents
live in West Roxbury, Roslindale and South Brookline. He was
elected to the House in November 1995 and has held a number of appointments
including Chair of the House Committee on Ethics in January 1997;
Member of the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling.
Admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1981 and Federal
Bar in 1982, he also served at an Assistant District Attorney in
Suffolk County in the early 1980s. He is currently a Certified
Arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association.
Representative Donnelley has been instrumental in
the successful passage from Committee of H. 3702 An Act To
Successfully Prosecute Sexual Assault Perpetrators – This program
otherwise known as The Sexual Assault Examiner Program, provides
forensic nursing services to victims of sexual assault through emergency
service units throughout the state. These nurses and doctors
improve professional health care and increase prosecution rates
in the criminal justice system by coordinating forensic evidence
collection and testimony with the district attorneys.
His understanding and therefore his influence were
to illustrate the benefit of this program, not only for compassionate
and expert care for victims, but to the entire judicial system as
well. “This is high on my priority list. I was amazed to learn
of the benefits to this state in this program, including, the ability
to more assuredly prosecute perpetrators of sexual assault.
This program has my whole hearted support.” Subsequent to the hearing,
the Chairman also helped to sponsor an amendment to the House Budget
to fully fund this program. The Budget Conference Committee
will also weigh the suggestion of full funding that emanated from
the Senate Budget, under the authorship of Senator Mark Montigny,
(D - New Bedford) Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
The MNA was also invited to participate in a Special
Committee on End of Life Care, chaired by Representative Donnelley
this past year.
For his ongoing support of MNA, NursePLAN recognizes
Rep. David Donnelly. |
