State Sen. Nick Collins Touts South End Wins, Civil Rights Record and Big-Name Backers in Campaign Push

State Sen. Nick Collins is highlighting a string of recent legislative victories, neighborhood investments and high-profile endorsements as his re‑election campaign intensifies across the First Suffolk District, with a particular focus on Boston’s South End.

In a campaign update released this week, Collins, a Democrat, pointed to his role in several statewide policy measures dealing with student mental health, digital privacy, reproductive rights and protections for transgender residents.

On education, Collins cited passage of a new K–12 “cell phone‑free schools” law, pitched as a way to reduce classroom distractions and support student mental health. He also underscored his work on what supporters describe as one of the country’s strongest data privacy bills, intended to limit corporate access to personal information and curb digital tracking.

Collins is also emphasizing his record on health care and civil rights. His campaign notes his support for laws safeguarding access to reproductive health services, protecting providers, and insulating patients from legal interference by other states. In addition, Collins backed the “Shield 2.0” Act, aimed at reinforcing protections for transgender residents’ rights and safety in Massachusetts.

Closer to home, Collins is framing the race around neighborhood-level issues in the South End, including housing costs and local infrastructure.

He points to passage of legislation that bars landlords from requiring tenants to pay broker fees, shifting those costs away from renters. His update also cites state funding secured for South End infrastructure projects, public parks, green spaces and community programming.

On property taxes, Collins says he is leading Senate efforts to give municipalities more tools to ease the burden on residents and small businesses. The proposal would allow cities and towns to issue direct property tax rebates, raise exemption limits for seniors, increase personal property tax exemptions for small businesses and provide additional protections for long‑time homeowners facing steep tax increases.

The campaign is also leaning on a roster of prominent endorsements. Collins has been formally backed by Gov. Maura Healey along with state Sen. Julian Cyr of the Cape and Islands and state Rep. John Moran, who represents the South End in the House.

Organized labor is emerging as a core pillar of his coalition. The Massachusetts AFL‑CIO and the Massachusetts Nurses Association have both endorsed Collins. AFL‑CIO President Chrissy Lynch praised his support for union priorities, safer worksites and what she called economic fairness for working families. MNA President Katie Murphy cited his work on health care standards, protections for public‑sector workers and enforcement of safe conditions for frontline medical staff.

As the campaign heads into its final phase, Collins’ team says it is concentrating on grassroots outreach in the South End, Dorchester and surrounding neighborhoods, including volunteer organizing, local meet‑and‑greets and direct voter contact.

The Committee to Elect Nick Collins can be reached at [email protected]. More information is available at nickcollins.us.