Senate · Democrat

Cindy F. Friedman

Current member · Fourth Middlesex

Data through FY2026; built October 19, 2026.

Residence

Arlington

First elected

Senate 2017 (special)

Seats held, General Courts 189–194 (the FY2017–FY2026 budgets)
Session	Chamber	District	Lines
190th (2017–18)	Senate	Fourth Middlesex	2011 lines
191st (2019–20)	Senate	Fourth Middlesex	2011 lines
192nd (2021–22)	Senate	Fourth Middlesex	2011 lines
193rd (2023–24)	Senate	Fourth Middlesex	2021 lines
194th (2025–26)	Senate	Fourth Middlesex	2021 lines

Posts and stipends

Cindy F. Friedman was paid $546,047 in leadership and committee stipends from 2017 to 2026 (2026 to date).

Posts and stipends by session (stipends by calendar year)
Session	Posts	First year	Second year
190th (2017–18)	W&M Vice Chair (from 2018)	$6,461	$15,000
191st (2019–20)	W&M Vice Chair	$32,496	$32,496
192nd (2021–22)	W&M Vice Chair	$68,170	$68,170
193rd (2023–24)	W&M Vice Chair	$81,872	$81,872
194th (2025–26)	W&M Vice Chair; Chair, Senate Committee on Steering and Policy; Chair, Joint Committee on Health Care Financing; Vice Chair, Senate Rules; Chair, Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions	$89,724	$69,785 (to date)

Posts: the Legislature’s leadership and roster records as compiled for this project; where those name no post, the member’s committee chair, vice-chair and ranking roles from the Legislature’s member profiles. Stipends: additional compensation in the Comptroller’s payroll data (CTHRU dataset 9ttk-7vz6), 2016–2026; 2026 is the year to date. Stipends for 2015 are not available. Base salary is not included.

The district

Fourth Middlesex on its 2021 lines: 5 cities and towns, 178,462 residents (2020).

Arlington 26% · Billerica 24% · Woburn 23% · Burlington 15% · Lexington 13%, 66% of the town

Percentages are each place’s share of the district’s 2020 residents; for a town split between districts, the share of the town inside this one follows.

Population-weighted Fairness Index of the district’s cities and towns: 35 for all state aid and 30 for discretionary money (50 is a fair share).

Local earmarks are counted three ways. District money uses the first, clauses that name a place in the district; the second table adds organizations located in the district (placed in the district) and state facilities located there (everything placed). Three ways to count a local earmark.

District money, first measure: enacted earmarks in clauses naming a place in the district, by session (district money, not the member’s)
Session	District	Dollars	In corrective clauses	Per resident per budget, rank	Without corrective clauses, rank
190th (2017–18)	Fourth Middlesex	$933,000	$0	$2.61 · 34th of 40	$2.61 · 34th of 40
191st (2019–20)	Fourth Middlesex	$883,000	$0	$2.47 · 32nd of 40	$2.47 · 32nd of 40
192nd (2021–22)	Fourth Middlesex	$2.3M	$0	$6.42 · 28th of 40	$6.42 · 28th of 40
193rd (2023–24)	Fourth Middlesex	$2.7M	$94,000	$7.56 · 25th of 40	$7.29 · 26th of 40
194th (2025–26)	Fourth Middlesex	$1M	$0	$5.87 · 31st of 40	$5.87 · 31st of 40

District money is where enacted earmarks land, by the place a clause names, mapped to districts by 2020 population; it is not attributed to the member and does not include leadership’s base-text money that names no place. Ranks are of district money per resident among the chamber’s districts, 1 = most. “In corrective clauses” is the part carried by a Ways and Means chair’s corrective amendments, which is leadership’s money; the last column gives the per-resident figure and rank without it. Sessions are labeled by the General Court that enacted each budget. Per-resident figures use the district as drawn for each session (2011 lines through the 192nd General Court, 2021 lines from the 193rd), so they will not equal a session’s dollars divided by the resident count above.

The same district on the other two measures, by session (enacted; includes any corrective-clause money)
Session	District	Placed in the district	Per resident per budget, rank	Everything placed	Per resident per budget, rank
190th (2017–18)	Fourth Middlesex	$1.5M	$4.22 · 26th of 40	$1.5M	$4.22 · 28th of 40
191st (2019–20)	Fourth Middlesex	$1.5M	$4.30 · 26th of 40	$1.5M	$4.30 · 29th of 40
192nd (2021–22)	Fourth Middlesex	$2.9M	$8.03 · 19th of 40	$2.9M	$8.03 · 22nd of 40
193rd (2023–24)	Fourth Middlesex	$3.3M	$9.38 · 23rd of 40	$3.3M	$9.38 · 26th of 40
194th (2025–26)	Fourth Middlesex	$1.4M	$7.98 · 29th of 40	$1.4M	$7.98 · 32nd of 40

Budget amendments

Cindy F. Friedman sponsored 45 budget amendments in FY2017–FY2026, asking for $25 million in all.

Amendments sponsored

FY2017–FY2026 budgets

Adopted, known outcomes

64%

29 of 45

Chamber rate, same ask sizes

40%

expected at the chamber’s rates

Of the 45 with a known outcome, 29 were adopted (64%). At the chamber’s adoption rate for amendments of the same size, about 18 (40%) would have been.

Largest enacted items matched to an amendment Cindy F. Friedman filed (strong text matches)
Year	Amount	Enacted budget text (excerpt)	Amendment
FY2019	$4M	“not less than $4,000,000 to begin to align MassHealth fee-for-service payment rates for outpatient and diversionary behavioral health services with…”	S4 #618
FY2021	$350,000	“enhance the commonwealth's capacity to support the development of school-based bridge programs for youth who have had prolonged absence due to…”	S4 #190
FY2026	$250,000 (shared two ways)	“enhance the commonwealth's capacity to support the development of school-based bridge programs for youth who have had prolonged absence due to…”	S3 #533
FY2021	$160,000	“the Arlington Youth Counseling Center”	S4 #191
FY2019	$160,000	“the Arlington Youth Counseling Center”	S4 #612

Strong matches: 16 enacted items, $5.9 million (the member’s share where several amendments claim one clause).

For 4 amendments the sponsor is the first mover named in the amendment text, because the Legislature’s record listed none. Ask size is the larger of the earmark dollars and the line-item change an amendment requests; bands: no dollar amount, under $50,000, $50,000–$250,000, $250,000–$1 million, $1–5 million, $5 million or more. Leadership’s unattributed base-text and corrective-amendment money is never assigned to a member. The comparison describes outcomes; it is not a measure of merit.

Bills sponsored

Cindy F. Friedman filed 184 bills as lead sponsor in these sessions; four were enacted on their own. In completed sessions, 2% of their lead bills were enacted on their own, against chamber medians of 1% to 3% for the same sessions.

Most bills die in every legislature, and many policies pass inside other bills; the chamber median for the same session is the fair comparison.

Bills filed as lead sponsor, by session and outcome
Session	Chamber	Lead bills	Enacted	Folded into an enacted bill	Sent to study	Reported favorably, then died	Reported adversely or withdrawn	No action	Pending (session open)	Enacted rate	Chamber median	Cosponsored
190th (2017–18)	Senate	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0%	3%	64
191st (2019–20)	Senate	59	1	0	25	25	7	1	0	2%	3%	171
192nd (2021–22)	Senate	45	1	2	17	20	3	2	0	2%	2%	78
193rd (2023–24)	Senate	36	1	1	12	19	0	3	0	3%	1%	55
194th (2025–26)	Senate	42	1	2	7	0	0	0	32	2%*	1%	47

Enacted bills as lead sponsor

S23 (191st): An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Pierre Richard Nortelus, an employee of the Department of Developmental Services · Chapter 7 of the Acts of 2019
S3062 (192nd): An Act authorizing the town of Billerica to transfer certain parcels of land · Chapter 169 of the Acts of 2022
S2986 (193rd): An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Kate Sout-Sorm, an employee of the department of transitional assistance · Chapter 273 of the Acts of 2024
S2152 (194th): An Act designating June 7 as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day · Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2025

Outcomes are the furthest point each bill reached in the record. “Folded into an enacted bill” means the history names the enacted bill that absorbed it. “Passed both branches; no chapter recorded” means the bill was enacted by both branches and laid before the Governor, with no chapter or veto in the history; in the 194th General Court such bills are shown as laid before the Governor (pending). The 194th General Court is in session until January 2027, so its open bills are pending, not dead, and its rates (*) are not comparable with completed sessions. Chairs and leaders control the calendar, which raises their rates. Source: malegislature.gov bill histories.

Recorded votes on accountability measures

Cindy F. Friedman cast 60 yes-or-no votes on the 63 accountability roll calls in this file (21 yes, 39 no, three for a named candidate).

Roll calls on rules, audits, public records, term limits and pay
Date	Measure	Vote	Chamber result
January 31, 2019	Amendment 1.1 (Bruce E. Tarr): Posting of Committee Roll Call Votes	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
January 31, 2019	Amendment 1.0 (Walter F. Timilty): Improving Access to Records	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
January 31, 2019	Amendment 2.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Informal Session	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
January 31, 2019	Amendment 3.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Conference Committee Report	No	Yeas 8, nays 31
January 31, 2019	Amendment 11.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Audit of accounts	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
not available	Joint rules (S9), rules package: question on acceptance of the report (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
January 31, 2019	Amendment 1.0 (Diana DiZoglio): Non disclosure agreements	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
January 31, 2019	Amendment 7.1 (Rebecca L. Rausch): anti-harassment and assault	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
January 31, 2019	Amendment 5.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Numbers of bills considered at a hearing	No	Yeas 8, nays 31
January 31, 2019	Amendment 17.0 (Ryan C. Fattman): Matters considered in an informal session	No	Yeas 6, nays 33
January 31, 2019	Amendment 25.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Unanimous consent	No	Yeas 6, nays 33
not available	Senate rules (S8), rules package: question on acceptance of the report (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
not available	Senate President election (contested meaning)	Voted for Karen E. Spilka	not available
February 11, 2021	Amendment 3.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Members receiving SWM GAA recommendation	No	Yeas 4, nays 35
February 11, 2021	Amendment 6.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Unanimous consent to go past midnight	No	Yeas 6, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Amendment 7.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Going past 10 pm	No	Yeas 6, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Amendment 8.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Successive formal sessions	No	Yeas 6, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Amendment 15.0 (Diana DiZoglio): Anti-harassment and bystander intervention training	No	Yeas 10, nays 29
February 11, 2021	Amendment 20.0 (Diana DiZoglio): Amendments to other appropriations bills	No	Yeas 5, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Accessibility; adopted 39-0 (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
February 11, 2021	Supplier diversity; adopted 39-0 (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
February 11, 2021	Amendment 42.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Consideration of further and redrafted amendments	No	Yeas 7, nays 32
February 11, 2021	Amendment 44.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Hearings	No	Yeas 6, nays 33
February 11, 2021	Amendment 49.0 (Ryan C. Fattman): Adoption amendment - Rule 24	No	Yeas 5, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Minority Leader appointments to committees (partisan allocation) (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 4, nays 35
February 11, 2021	Amendment 24.0 (Diana DiZoglio): Notice of legislative matters	No	Yeas 5, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Amendment 1.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): New items on the calendar	No	Yeas 5, nays 34
February 11, 2021	Amendment 1.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Filing of conference committee report	No	Yeas 6, nays 33
February 11, 2021	Amendment 14.0 (James B. Eldridge): Lengthening public notice period for legislative hearings	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
not available	Senate President election (contested meaning)	Voted for Karen E. Spilka	not available
February 9, 2023	Amendment 1.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Successive Legislative Days	No	Yeas 4, nays 34
February 9, 2023	Amendment 2.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Time of recess for consideration of new matters	No	Yeas 5, nays 33
February 9, 2023	Amendment 5.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Going past 10 pm	No	Yeas 4, nays 34
February 9, 2023	Amendment 6.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Unanimous consent to go past midnight	No	Yeas 4, nays 34
February 9, 2023	Amendment 10.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Manner of how member voted	No	Yeas 5, nays 33
February 9, 2023	Amd 23 (Rodrigues) strikes Rule 11B, the 8-year term limit on the Senate President; adopted 32-6	Yes	Yeas 32, nays 6
February 9, 2023	Strike remote-participation rules 57C/57D (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 3, nays 35
February 9, 2023	Remote voting conditions (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 4, nays 34
February 9, 2023	Senate rules (S17), rules package: question on acceptance of the report (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 37, nays 1
February 9, 2023	Amendment 1.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Filing of Conference Committee Report	No	Yeas 4, nays 35
February 9, 2023	Amendment 12.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Adding a Minority Report	No	Yeas 3, nays 36
not available	Joint rules (S18), rules package: question on acceptance of the report (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
not available	Senate President election (contested meaning)	Voted for Karen E. Spilka	not available
February 12, 2025	Amendment 2.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Number of bills to be heard	No	Yeas 5, nays 33
February 12, 2025	Amendment 9.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Minority conference committee report	No	Yeas 6, nays 32
February 12, 2025	Amendment 10.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): 48 Hours for conference committee reports	No	Yeas 5, nays 33
February 12, 2025	Amendment 13.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Timeline for review of conference committee reports	No	Yeas 6, nays 32
February 12, 2025	Amendment 22.0 (John F. Keenan): Considering Conference Reports	No	Yeas 9, nays 29
February 12, 2025	Amendment 26.0 (John F. Keenan): Preventing Unjustified Financial Gain for Members and Their Familes	Yes	Yeas 38, nays 0
February 12, 2025	Amendment 29.0 (John F. Keenan): Limiting Joint Committee Extensions	No	Yeas 6, nays 32
not available	Joint rules (S15), rules package: question on passing the bill to be engrossed (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
February 13, 2025	In-person voting conditions (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 5, nays 32
February 13, 2025	Amendment 36.0 (John F. Keenan): Continuing Beyond Midnight	No	Yeas 6, nays 31
February 13, 2025	Shorten period in which a matter can be laid on the table (dilatory motions) (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 5, nays 33
February 13, 2025	Amendment 10.0 (Bruce E. Tarr): Going past 10PM	No	Yeas 6, nays 32
February 13, 2025	Amendment 19.0 (Ryan C. Fattman): Virtual vote designation	No	Yeas 6, nays 31
February 13, 2025	Legislative days for Rule 24 (dilatory motions) (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 6, nays 32
February 13, 2025	Senate rules (S19), rules package: question on acceptance of the report (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 39, nays 0
June 26, 2025	Joint rules (conference report) (S2545), rules package: question on acceptance of conference committee report (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 40, nays 0
May 28, 2026	S.3104 resolutions limiting the Senate's response to the Auditor to the SJC-defined 4 requests; no votes 5 Republicans + Montigny; contested (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 33, nays 6
July 30, 2026	Press shield amendment to S.3200; adopted 40-0; not about the Legislature's records (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 40, nays 0
July 30, 2026	Amd 18 (Tarr): apply the public records law to the General Court more fully	No	Yeas 6, nays 33
July 30, 2026	Senate passage of H.5469 34-6; no votes 5 Republicans + Montigny (too weak); contested (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 34, nays 6

Votes marked “contested meaning” are rules-package and public-records passage votes; reform advocates were on both sides of them. Descriptions are the project’s plain summaries of each question, or the question as recorded for rules-package roll calls; the official record is on malegislature.gov. Votes are facts; no score is computed.

Campaign money in

Cindy F. Friedman’s committee reported $216,000 in contributions of $250 or more in years the member served, 2017–2026.

By year (years in the Legislature)
Year	Contributions
2017	$78,000
2018	$26,000
2019	$21,000
2020	$9,344
2021	$12,000
2022	$7,500
2023	$15,000
2024	$22,000
2025	$12,000
2026	$13,000

By kind of contributor
Kind	Total	Share
Individuals	$162,000	75%
Political committees and PACs	$38,000	17%
Unions and associations	$16,000	8%

Individuals’ money by the employer they reported
Employer reported	Share
A named employer	39%
Self-employed	22%
Retired	17%
Not employed	14%
Student	1%
Not reported or withheld	7%

Not counted as contributions: $120,000 in other receipts of $250 or more in the same years (candidate loans and the candidate’s own money, transfers, refunds, bank interest and aggregated small receipts).

Largest employers and organizations
Employer or organization	Kind	Total	Contributions
TUFTS MEDICINE	individuals, by employer	$4,000	4
HARVARD UNIVERSITY	individuals, by employer	$2,000	4
MA HEALTH & HOSPITAL PAC	committee or PAC	$2,000	4
TOTAL WINE AND MORE	individuals, by employer	$2,000	2
CROSS & SHIELD PAC	committee or PAC	$2,000	4
WELLFORCE HEALTH SYSTEM	individuals, by employer	$2,000	2
UMMHC	individuals, by employer	$2,000	2
TOTAL WINE	individuals, by employer	$2,000	2
ALKERMES INC PAC	committee or PAC	$1,750	4
32BJ UNITED ADF	union or association	$1,500	3

Source: Office of Campaign and Political Finance, itemized receipts of $250 or more since 2015; OCPF filer record: Friedman Committee (CPF 16625). Individuals are grouped by the employer they reported; no individual contributor is named, and an employer field that is a person’s name is withheld. Massachusetts bars business contributions to candidates. Employer shows affiliation, not instruction.

Sources

Every figure traces to a public record.

Facts only: posts, stipends, sponsored amendments, enacted items, roll-call votes and district money. No score or grade is computed. Associations shown here are not evidence of cause. Method.