Lawmakers reconsider preparations for avian flu outbreak

By Chelsea Rice
Daily Free Press

March 29, 2007...After failing to pass a bill aimed at preparing Massachusetts for a potential avian flu pandemic last legislative session, Massachusetts lawmakers reintroduced the bill yesterday at the State House.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge), would allocate $36.5 million in funding for preparation efforts and also provide liability protection for volunteers who would administer aid to the more than 1 million people who could be affected in an outbreak. Of the funding, $13.8 million would go toward buying antiviral medications to treat infected people. 

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Sen. Moore’s bill promotes public /private partnerships for schools

March 29, 2007...Last week, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, filed legislation titled “An Act to Encourage Private Support for Public Schools” to promote a public / private partnership in developing educational endowments for public schools. 

“Despite significant assistance from the state, school districts are struggling to find ways to provide the level of education our knowledge-based economy demands,” said Sen. Moore. “This proposal would bring together public and private resources to address this struggle. It would essentially double the power of a portion of state education aid by linking it with private donations. Schools would be able to build endowments to ensure education stability, community members would develop a more vested interest in a school district and students would have better access to the academic resource they need to succeed.”

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Mass. takes top honors in the nation for electronic prescribing 

Gov. Patrick accepts award on behalf of state

March 27, 2007...In front of hundreds of aspiring pharmacy students, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, presented the Safe-Rx Award – recognizing Massachusetts as the top e-prescribing state in the nation – to Gov. Deval L. Patrick at the Face of Pharmacy event today.

“What a tremendous honor this is for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be singled out for how its world class medical community is using technology to help its patients in such a common sense manner,” Gov. Patrick said.

Last month in New Orleans, Sen. Moore accepted the Safe-Rx Award on the Commonwealth’s behalf before a gathering of healthcare leaders from across the nation.

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Sen. Moore urges students to participate in poster contest

March 27, 2007...Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, urges students in grades 1-6 to participate in the 2007 Amusement Safety Poster Contest sponsored by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). 

“This contest is a way to promote safety and develop an understanding among our children of the need to obey rules and play safe when they get on amusement park rides this summer,” said Sen. Moore. 

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Sen. Moore informs MassHealth members and providers of available transportation to medical appointments

March 26, 2007...If you are a MassHealth member you may be eligible for transportation to a medical appointment, according to Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge and Health Law Advocates (HLA). By asking a doctor or a health care provider to submit a request to MassHealth, individuals and their children can get a prescription (PT-1) for transportation if approved.

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Senator Moore hosts "The State of Local Aid 2007" briefing in Oxford

March 16, 2007...Senator Richard T. Moore, today, hosted a briefing for local officials at the Oxford Free Public Library. The discussion featured presentations on budget and local aid matters by Senator Moore, Roger Hatch of the Department of Education and Robert Johnson from the Group Insurance Commission.

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Health care must be more than affordable; it must be safe

By Senator Richard T. Moore for WBUR's "Commonhealth" blog

March 8, 2007...Nearly everyone who helped to craft Massachusetts’ landmark health care law applauded recently when affordable premiums were announced by the Commonwealth Connector. Access to affordable health care was clearly among the law’s primary goals, and it now appears that those Massachusetts residents, who haven’t enjoyed ready access to care, will be able to find a plan that fits their budget.

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Economic Affairs Secretary tours Draper Complex

March 7, 2007... On Wednesday, Daniel O’Connell, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development toured the vacant Draper complex in Hopedale with Senator Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge; Representative John Fernandes, D-Milford; Draper Re-use Committee Chair Michael Ruane; and members of the Draper Re-Use Committee. Secretary O’Connell visited Hopedale at the request of the two local legislators to gain a better understanding of the development potential of the site. Prior to the tour, Secretary O’Connell met with the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors at the Chamber Office in Milford, and with Hopedale Selectmen at the Hopedale Town Hall.

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Senator Moore calls for increased funding for veteran services

March 2, 2007... In a letter to the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, and 70 of his legislative colleagues expressed serious concerns about President Bush’s Fiscal Year ‘08 budget recommendation for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). While the Bush Administration continues to tout its recommendation of $34.2 billion, an increase of $2 billion over the previous fiscal year, as a “landmark budget,” lawmakers point out that the reality is this 6% increase is barely enough to account for the cost of inflation, let alone the need for improvements in medical care and expansion of services. 

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