LOWELL – The Disability Policy Consortium, one of the leading disability rights organizations, has selected a bill co-filed by 17th Middlesex Sate Representative Vanna Howard (D-Lowell) and state Rep. Mindy Domb (D-Amherst) as one of its top three legislative priorities for the 194th General Court.

HD.2485 “An Act relative to preventing discrimination against persons with disabilities in the provision of health care” was co-filed by Howard and Domb to address explicit and implicit bias faced by people with disabilities in the health care system. State Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) filed a companion bill (SD.1130) in the Senate.

Speaking at a policy briefing at the State House on Thursday, Howard shared how the bill is of personal importance for her as a mother of a daughter with a disability.

“Having a disability doesn’t mean a reduced quality of life or mean someone should be pressured into decisions that aren’t right for them,” said Howard. “Everyone, including people with disabilities, deserve the same right to lifesaving care.”

“This is a personal matter to me, I have a daughter who is disabled, and it is a daily challenge for her and many others to have the same access to the care they need,” Howard continued. “It takes a village; it takes a community to come together to fight for the right for quality health care for people with disabilities..”