Bill > S2216

This bill authorizes the University of Massachusetts Building Authority to purchase and construct a hospital in the town of Norwood to be operated by UMass Memorial Health Care, Inc. Specifically, the bill enables the authority to either purchase or take by eminent domain the property at 800 Washington Street in Norwood, and allows the university trustees to transfer the management and control of the clinical division to one or more nonprofit corporations. The bill provides comprehensive details about the potential transfer, including provisions for governance, board composition, and financial arrangements. It ensures that the new hospital arrangement will maintain strong ties to the University of Massachusetts Medical School, with provisions requiring the corporation to support the medical school's academic mission and maintain the hospital as a primary teaching and training site. The legislation also includes important protections for employees, particularly registered nurses, guaranteeing their right to collective bargaining and ensuring comparable employment terms during the transition. Additionally, the bill provides exemptions from certain competitive bidding and procurement regulations to facilitate the transfer and establishes the transaction as superseding certain federal and state competition laws. The bill is classified as an emergency law, emphasizing its importance for public health and the immediate need for implementation.