Tom Hendrickson
DemocraticQ2 What specific forms of AI regulation do you support, and where would you draw the line between necessary oversight and overregulation that could slow innovation?
I support regulations on AI to ensure that it is not used for unethical purposes and to ensure that people’s privacy is protected. For example, I support banning the use of AI to depict people without their consent. This has affected me personally; my opponent has been running AI-generated advertisements depicting me saying and doing things that I would never say or do. This sort of thing is not only an invasion of my personal privacy, it’s also misleading to the public as a whole.
AI surveillance tools also need to be regulated. AI-powered facial recognition tools and other surveillance technology is often an invasion of privacy and has been shown to discriminate.
Additionally, I’m concerned about AI data centers and their drain on the power grid. Massachusetts’s power grid is already in a precarious condition, and energy prices are one of the most pressing cost-of-living issues facing our commonwealth. I’m inclined to support a moratorium on these facilities given their severe impact on the power grid.
Q3 What policies, if any, do you support or envision to manage land-based resources in your state (water, open-space preserves, parks, etc.)?
Western Massachusetts is home to some of the most beautiful natural spaces in the country. As our state representative, I will work to protect our water, air, and ecosystems from pollution and harm.
Q4 What policies do you support to secure affordable and ready access to healthcare services for your constituents?
I strongly support single-payer healthcare in Massachusetts because we deserve a healthcare system that prioritizes public health over the profits of the health insurance industry. Under a single-payer system, healthcare would be free at the point-of-service (premiums, deductibles, and copays would be eliminated) for all Massachusetts residents, and the overall cost of the system would be greatly reduced. A 2023 study by UMass Amherst economist Gerald Friedman estimates that the adoption of a single-payer healthcare system would lower healthcare spending in Massachusetts by almost 11% or about $48.4 billion.
Q5 Do you have any policies or programs in mind to reduce the financial burden for students wanting to attend college?
Massachusetts currently offers tuition-free community college to Massachusetts residents through MassEducate and MassReconnect; I support efforts to expand these programs to make all of Massachusetts’s public colleges and universities tuition-free. I support making public colleges and universities tuition-free because I strongly believe that education is a human right, that cost should not be a barrier for obtaining a good education, and that everyone collectively benefits from living in a more educated society.
Q6 How will you support fellowships and training grants that promote the development of graduate students and other early career scientists in your community?
I support efforts to ensure that Massachusetts’s fellowships, professional training grants, and workforce development programs are well-funded and widely accessible in order to provide students throughout our commonwealth with opportunities.