MA House OKs Framingham Health Board Expansion

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham is about halfway to an expansion of the Board of Health.

On Thursday, the state House engrossed a bill that allows the board to expand from three members to five. The bill still needs to be approved in the Senate and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker.

The bill was sponsored by state Reps. Maria Robinson and Jack Lewis. The City Council asked the state Legislature for the expansion in the spring.

According to the language of the bill, the first term for the two new Board of Health members would serve two and three-year terms, that way future three-year terms will be staggered.

The health board had five members when Framingham was a town. But a new city charter that took effect when Framingham became a city repealed a previous town order for a five-member health board.