image description
State Rep. William 'Smitty' Pignatelli has filed a number of bills, many of which tie into health.

Health Drives Much of Pignatelli's Legislative Agenda

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
LENOX, Mass. — State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli heard a story about a police officer who had witnessed someone die from an overdose while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
 
Not all first-responders carry Narcan, which reverses opioid overdoses, and Pignatelli believes that if that officer's Police Department had it, the person could have lived. 
 
"I am filing a bill that requires all first-responders to carry Narcan. We have this opioid epidemic all throughout Massachusetts and I find that several communities or first-responders do not carry Narcan," Pignatelli said. 
 
"For instance, even locally the state police carry Narcan, Pittsfield Police do not. North Adams carries Narcan, Lee does not. Great Barrington carries Narcan. It is very inconsistent from community to community and I think it comes down to being first-responders, everybody should have access to Narcan."
 
Pignatelli said it wouldn't be too costly as the Attorney General's Office has bulk purchasing and local hospitals can partner with ambulance, fire, and police services. He said Narcan's use is at a point where someone can't really do it wrong so carrying the drug shouldn't bring any additional liability to the agencies.
 
But that's not the only opioid-related bill he is filing. He's again refiled a bill to require all hypodermic needles be retractable. It is a bill he filed a decade ago but one he feels is even more important now.
 
"When the addict is doing their business, the needle itself retracts into the chamber. If I toss that on the ground and toss it in the garbage can, there is nothing exposed. It's a safety needle," Pignatelli said. "We have needle exchange programs. We have an opioid problem. We have people shooting up heroin. If that's what's going to happen, let's have safe needles out there."
 
He said often needles are being discarded in parks or beaches and he doesn't want to see somebody accidentally get pricked by one. He added that the retractable hypodermic needles are also single-use, so that will cut down on needle sharing as well.
 
The Lenox Democrat had previously pushed for multiple bills and funding to combat the opioid epidemic in the past. Last term he got acupuncture added into an opioid bill but he thinks there could be more. He is again filing a bill to expand health insurance coverage to include acupuncture.
 
"The health care world is recognizing the value of acupuncture. It is just another bullet in the chamber. Some people need medications, some people need acupuncture, some people need physical therapy or diet or exercise. We should look at things more interestedly when it comes to health care," Pignatelli said.
 
He said multiple hospitals and health service providers are using acupuncture and he sees it as an alternative way to treat than pain medication.
 
"There are some people who need Oxycontin to be treated. There are others that can find an integrated approach to health care," Pignatelli said.
 
Also related to health care, Pignatelli is refiling a bill to create a mid-level practitioner for dental procedures. He said the Berkshires have a shortage of dentists and this would allow many who struggle to find oral care to receive many of the basic services. The position would require a certain training certificate but would be able to take on many of the routine dental issues.
 
"We have the endorsement of the Mass Dental Society, which is really critical," Pignatelli said.
 
He's also pitching a student loan repayment program for those who work in human services. Those who graduate college in a human service field will be able to get as much as $50,000 a year knocked off their student loans.
 
Pignatelli said he's gaining momentum on a local option gas tax. That was originally pushed for by the town of Lee, which saw it as a way to increase revenue to fix roads and bridges. 
 
"If we in state government cannot provide enough money for cities and towns to fix their roads and bridges, then give them some tools like the local option hotel/motel, like the local option meals, like the local option Community Preservation [Act] Fund, give them a local option gas tax," Pignatelli said.
 
Pignatelli said even the governor's proposal that increases the amount of Chapter 90 funding is "nowhere near enough" for towns to fix all of their roads and bridges. A local option tax, in his mind, is more palatable for residents because they know the money will go right back into their towns instead of getting lost in Boston. He's gotten support beyond Lee from towns like Great Barrington and Blandford for the proposal.
 
Pignatelli is also putting forth a bill to increase the tax credit for conservation land. His proposal would increase the amount available by $1 million a year until it hits $5 million. The tax credit is hoped to be used by people who may own a lot of property and want to keep it preserved but can't afford the taxes on it.
 
"Some people are property rich and cash poor. If you have a family that has 50, 75 acres but can't afford the tax bill and maybe they want to take a portion of that and put it into conserved land, there will be an offset to them so they can stay in their home and protect the land," Pignatelli said.
 
Those are a few of about 20 or so bills he's filed. Others include a diaper benefits program, allowing more contractors to bid on water infrastructure projects, providing a homeless bill of rights, and promoting public schools to purchase food from local farmers. 
 
One of the big issues the Legislature is expected to take on is education funding. It was a bill that lawmakers had worked on the last session but failed to get it across the finish line. 
 
"This time we are starting early and we have to jump on this early so we have no excuses at the end of the session," Pignatelli said.
 
Particularly at hand are the recommendations from the Foundation Budget Review Commission. Pignatelli said those recommendations do come with "winners and losers" and he's particularly interested in making sure cities and towns are held harmless with a new formula.
 
"Any legitimate reform, there are winners and there are losers. If I get more money, I'm a winner. I love that reform. If I'm one of those communities that loses a bit of money, that's not so good," Pignatelli said.
 
He'll be looking for a pool of revenue whether that be gambling or marijuana to provide additional funds for the schools.
 
Pignatelli also has an interest in public colleges. He said the costs have gotten away and now private institutions can sometimes offer better financial aid.
 
"We need to swing the pendulum back to where our public universities are much more affordable than they currently are," he said.
 
Health care finance is expected to be a big piece of the overall legislative agenda as well.
 
"Health insurance companies have way too much power. They are dictating the cost of health care in Massachusetts. We need to change that narrative," Pignatelli said.
 
And workforce development is a piece of Pignatelli's vision for this term. He hopes to do more with bringing together educational institutions to create certificate and training programs specifically tailored to the companies here.
 
"I really get tired of people talking about our inability to attract 24- to 44-year-olds to move to the Berkshires. There is an entire generation of young kids in the Berkshires and some of them want to be here. We need to identify them and streamline them into the pipeline of employment and have a good career path locally," Pignatelli said.
 
He hopes to get those companies together with places like Taconic High School or Berkshire Community College to create those custom programs.

Tags: legislators,   Pignatelli,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

View Full Story

More South County Stories