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At least on Beacon Hill, the captains of industry can count on the continuity represented by Charlie Baker and his administration – until the popular Republican governor decides not to seek a third term. He was seen as one of them, with an MBA and experience as the CEO of a large health insurance company.
Haley, while not as brash as Baker, has developed connections with the business community during her two terms as attorney general. She addressed her opening remarks on policy issues near and dear to employers. Focused on building the state’s economic competitiveness by investing in job training, making community college free for seniors, reducing housing costs and creating a better transit system.
Longtime supporter Beth Boland, a partner at a Boston law firm, said her criticism of business leaders may seem out of place in their roles as supervisors and executives.
“Her first instinct was always to get the right business, community and social decisions before looking at them through a prosecutorial lens,” said Boland, who chaired Haley’s gubernatorial campaign finance committee.
Healy showed a willingness to listen and cooperate with the process. Exhibit A: In her first year as attorney general, she had to draft regulations for the Paid Sick Leave Act, which voters approved in a November 2014 ballot initiative. The law went into effect in July, and business groups have raised concerns that some employers may not want it. They can update their payroll system in time.
Haley pressed the date, but her office introduced a safe harbor provision, allowing employers who offer sick time until January 2016 to fully comply with the new law.
“It was an indication of her open door policy to feedback, that she’s always willing to listen to it and act on it if necessary,” said JD Chesloff, president of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. “I’ll always remember that example…he set the stage for an effective and collaborative relationship with her office.
At the same time, Haley sees herself as an “advocate for the people” and doesn’t hesitate to sue businesses if she feels consumers have been wronged. But the most notable cases tended to be with out-of-state companies like CVS Health, ExxonMobil, Facebook, Johnson & Johnson, Purdue Pharma and Walmart.
Healey has drawn national attention for leading the charge among attorneys general to hold drug companies accountable for harm caused by their marketing, manufacturing and distribution of the opioids that have fueled the epidemic. Her lawsuits led to a $26 billion settlement with drug dealers, including $525 million in statewide payments for opioid treatment and recovery programs in Massachusetts.
As Attorney General Haley He was a well-known figure in business circles, speaking at events and working on legislation affecting employers and workers, such as pay equity. If she seems comfortable in that position, there’s a reason.
Between stints in the public sector, the Northeastern law graduate spent seven years at white-shoe law firm WilmerHale (formerly Hale & Dorr) representing corporate clients including financial services, medical devices and technology.
Before Haley was sworn in as Attorney General in January 2015, I had. Lunch with her and asked Whether you can work with the business community. She seemed to come out of nowhere, but after winning the race, she emerged as a star in the Democratic Party.
Haley knew what to say, and she kept her word.
“I know how important predictability, certainty, transparency and fairness are when it comes to business,” Healy told me. “That’s what companies, general counsel, boards and CEOs want.”
some Business sectors will still be confused about Healey’s management. As attorney general, Haley has made it clear that she believes the state does not need more natural gas pipelines or power plants and should instead invest in clean fuel sources.
Healy was also hard at Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest hospital chain. In the year In 2015, she threatened to sue the company over its plans to acquire community hospitals north and south of Boston. Then in the year In 2021, Mass General Brigham wrote a letter warning that a proposal to build three suburban surgery centers would increase health care costs. In either case, the healthcare behemoth will eventually pull those expansion plans.
Another major point of tension in health care: whether the state needs to raise insurance premiums and reinsurance costs, as Gov. Deval Patrick did when he took office a decade ago.
No one expects Haley as governor to give the business community a free pass. There will be fireworks – there always are – but she has created the best relationship, one where both parties don’t always see eye to eye, but know how to work with each other.
Shirley Ling is a business columnist. She can be reached at shirley.leung@globe.com.
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