Voters get their say on nurses, campaign spending, trans rights

Perhaps one of the most controversial entries on the ballot today is Question 1, which attempts to regulate how many patients a nurse handles.

If passed, the question would limit each nurse to one to five patients while also requiring that facilities maintain the same or increased amount of nursing and other staff they now have. The law would also require every facility to develop a written tool to evaluate patient condition to decide the limits.

The Health Policy Commission estimated the staffing ratios will cost up to $949 million a year if the law is fully implemented. The Massachusetts Nursing Association denies that claim.

Those in favor of the law say that no limit on patients per nurse decreases the quality of patient care. They also deny the claims that patient limits would create increased wait times and potentially turn away patients.

Opposition said passing this law would create too much government interference in health care and establish more of a one-size-fits-all health care model, where not everyone would benefit from the requirements. They say more staffing needs to occur for community-based nursing and health care workers, social services, elder services and physician assistants and addiction treatment.

Question 2 on the ballot focuses on creating a citizens committee to limit election spending as well as look at differentiating corporate and human rights.

This is part of a national push to overturn the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision, to limit money in politics.

If passed, the question would create a 15-person commission to recommend potential amendments to the Constitution that would establish corporations don’t have the same rights as human beings.

Question 3 could potentially repeal provisions set in place to protect transgender citizens from discrimination in public places.

If passed, the ballot would keep in place the current law prohibiting discrimination, which those in favor say is vital for trans rights.

Many Massachusetts Democratic leaders favor this bill, saying that a repeal would violate the human rights transgender people have gained.

The group Keep MA Safe, which brought the ballot question, said this law allows predators to take advantage of innocent victims.

MATT STONE PHOTOS / BOSTON HERALD NURSING SUPPORT: A sign urges a ‘no’ vote on Question 1 at the entance to Faulkner Hospital, above, while a sign on Grove Street in Norwell, below, seeks a ‘yes’ vote.