Mass. representative files bill to clarify mandatory overtime protections for hospital labor contracts

Representative Carol A. Doherty filed House Bill No. 2092 on Jan. 16, 2025, titled “An Act clarifying mandatory overtime protections,” asking the Massachusetts Legislature to amend Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 by deleting subsection (h) of Section 226 in Section 103. The bill was presented for consideration under Labor and Workforce Development; Representative James K. Hawkins was added as a petitioner on Feb. 11, 2025.

The filing would modify a provision in Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 by striking subsection (h) from subsection 226 of Section 103, according to the text submitted to the House. The petition describes the change as clarifying mandatory overtime protections in collective bargaining agreements entered into by hospitals and labor organizations.

The measure was submitted to the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court (2025–2026) and listed for consideration by the Legislature’s Labor and Workforce Development committee, as noted on the filing. At the time of filing there was no recorded legislative vote or committee action in the submitted document.

The bill text and filing record do not include legislative findings, specific statutory language beyond the directive to delete section (h), or implementation details such as effective dates or enforcement mechanisms. The filing identifies the sponsors as Representative Carol A. Doherty (3rd Bristol) and Representative James K. Hawkins (2nd Bristol) and provides the dates the petition and co-petition were added to the docket: Jan. 16, 2025, and Feb. 11, 2025, respectively.

Next steps for the measure follow the standard legislative process: docketing with the General Court and referral to the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development for any hearings, amendments, or votes. The submitted document does not record committee hearings, votes, or a formal legislative outcome.