Mass. Senate advances three bills: to combat opioid crisis, protect people with IDDs and lower car rental costs

On September 18, 2025, State Senator Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate to approve three bills — aimed at combatting the opioid epidemic, protecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and lowering car rental costs for residents. The approved legislation expands protections for individuals using testing equipment to protect against fentanyl, updates an existing protection law to close an unintended gap for day habilitation participants, and changes car rental insurance requirements to reduce costs for Massachusetts residents. On September 22 the House of Representatives referred the bills to its committee on Ways & Means.

“The Massachusetts Senate is committed to improving the quality of life for our residents by passing legislation that lowers costs and increases safety,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “These bills will secure safeguards for people in day habilitation programs, lower rental car costs, and help reduce the number of opioid overdoses and deaths.”

  An Act relative to fentanyl test strips exempts fentanyl test equipment from the list of prohibited drug paraphernalia and expands liability protections to anyone who provides, administers or uses the tests, including first responders. Fentanyl strips are a simple, low-cost and safe way to help reduce the tragic toll of overdoses and make life-saving tools accessible to those who need them most.

An Act to update Nicky’s Law to protect individuals with disabilities in MassHealth day habilitation programs ensures that the existing statewide registry that prevents individuals with substantiated abuse allegations from being hired in care positions includes day habilitation programs contracted by MassHealth. This update to Nicky’s Law, which was established by the Legislature in 2020 to flag caregivers who were found to have seriously abused people with IDDs, ensures that participants in day habilitation programs are afforded the same safeguards from abuse as individuals in other care settings.

  An Act relative to affordable car rentals updates car rental insurance requirements to maintain liability coverage on a secondary basis, making rental companies responsible only if the renter is uninsured or underinsured. By shifting primary liability to the renter’s personal auto insurance, the legislation helps make car rentals more affordable and accessible for Massachusetts residents, reducing costs while maintaining necessary protections.