Yesterday morning, MFI staff hosted a legislative breakfast for state representatives, senators and aides at the Union Club, just across the street from the State House. At the breakfast legislators were briefed by MFI’s Director of Public Policy, Maureen Vacca, on this session’s legislative priorities for families and our shared family values.

As we build relationships with legislators, we seek to find common ground on issues that will honor the sanctity of life, promote the dignity of marriage, ensure parental rights and protect the freedom to live out our faith. While we continue to monitor many bills of significance to pro-family advocates, this year we are excited to support two new bills.

• “A Woman’s Safety Act,” submitted by our friends at Massachusetts Citizens for Life, sheds light on the atrocities of abortion clinics. This bill would hold accountable at least 16 abortion clinics in Massachusetts that currently are not required to be inspected or licensed.
• “Justina’s Law,” modeled after the tragic case of Justina Pelletier, would protect families from state-sanctioned abductions by the Department of Children and Families and preserve the rights of parents to make decisions related to their child’s medical treatment.

In addition to reviewing this year’s legislation, I provided legislators with an executive briefing on our recently published report on Fatherlessness in Massachusetts. Backed up by the latest census and social science data, this report shows how our traditional family values of marriage, fidelity and sexual purity all have objective, measurable value for our culture and communities. Through this report, we are raising awareness of the economic and social consequences of the breakdown of the traditional family unit right here in our Commonwealth.

Click here to download the full report on fatherlessness.

MFI will continue to actively work with Massachusetts legislators and keep you informed on how you can be involved to further protect and strengthen our families and the pro-family movement in Massachusetts.  To view briefs on current legislation, visit the legislative page on our website.

For our families,