About
Lou Kafka is in his thirteenth term as the State Representative for the 8th Norfolk District, comprised of Sharon, Stoughton precincts 2, 3, 4 and 6, Walpole precincts 3 and 4, and precinct 4 in Mansfield. A graduate of the University of Miami, he holds a J.D. from the New England School of Law. Representative Kafka resides in Stoughton with his wife, Anita. He has been involved in many community and youth groups including the Sharon Recreation Committee, the Sharon Rotary Club and the Sharon High School Athletic Boosters Club.
Prior to his election to the House, Representative Kafka was the Staff Director to former State Senator (now Congressman) William R. Keating for 11 years. In that capacity, he performed much of the Senator’s constituent services as well as serving as his key staff person to the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy.
During his tenure, Lou has served on the Joint Committees of Insurance and Transportation, and the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, which is the investigative side of the legislature. Lou also served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the committee that works with the budget. He also served as the Vice Chairman of the House Special Committee on Veterans Affairs, culminating in the successful enactment of many laws relative to the rights and care of veterans. He most recently served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, the committee tasked with managing the House Calendar. This session Speaker DeLeo promoted Lou to Assistant Majority Whip/Floor Division Chair.
Highlighting his legislative career to date, Representative Kafka was the receipt of the 1993 Legislator of the Year Award by the Environmental League of Massachusetts for his role in successfully sponsoring legislation banning phosphate-based detergents from supermarket shelves, thereby protecting lakes and ponds. He was also cited by the American Red Cross for his successful advocacy of legislation which would increase the emergency blood supply by allowing older teenagers to give blood without parental approval. Lou was recognized by the Massachusetts Early Intervention Collaborative for championing early intervention programs for pre-school children most at risk for developmental disabilities throughout the Commonwealth for over a decade. The Massachusetts Family Planning Association, Community services of Greater Brockton and Commonwealth Zoological Corporation have all presented Lou with appreciation awards. As well as the Stop Hand Gun Violence Campaign presented him with a Leadership Award. His colleagues showed their respect for Lou by electing him President of the Massachusetts Legislators’ Association in 2001. A strong fighter against animal cruelty in the Commonwealth, Lou was named the Humane Legislator of the Year in 2006 by Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and 2008 by the Humane Society.
The Representative has sponsored bills which have become law protecting the rights of mentally handicapped citizens purchasing life insurance, providing for the recycling of mercury-bearing lamps, and allowing for the sale of Kosher Wines on Sundays. After a lengthy battle, Lou secured an increase in the pay rate for Kosher meals in Nursing Homes, preventing closure of at least two of them. He co-sponsored a measure that increased funding for local Councils on Aging to continue to improve the quality of services provided to seniors. He was the lead sponsor of the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act, providing for insurance coverage of diabetic home monitoring supplies and education programs and sponsored legislation requiring independent review of condominium financial reports. Last session he authored laws that require coverage for the treatment of cleft palate and cleft lip by insurance companies for children, public access of private restrooms to those who suffer from Crohn’s disease, and designated the third week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Lou worked hard to enact bills he drafted to ban animal fighting and ensure continuity of health insurance coverage to children of divorced parents, among many others.
Prior to his election to the House, Representative Kafka was the Staff Director to former State Senator (now Congressman) William R. Keating for 11 years. In that capacity, he performed much of the Senator’s constituent services as well as serving as his key staff person to the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy.
During his tenure, Lou has served on the Joint Committees of Insurance and Transportation, and the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, which is the investigative side of the legislature. Lou also served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the committee that works with the budget. He also served as the Vice Chairman of the House Special Committee on Veterans Affairs, culminating in the successful enactment of many laws relative to the rights and care of veterans. He most recently served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, the committee tasked with managing the House Calendar. This session Speaker DeLeo promoted Lou to Assistant Majority Whip/Floor Division Chair.
Highlighting his legislative career to date, Representative Kafka was the receipt of the 1993 Legislator of the Year Award by the Environmental League of Massachusetts for his role in successfully sponsoring legislation banning phosphate-based detergents from supermarket shelves, thereby protecting lakes and ponds. He was also cited by the American Red Cross for his successful advocacy of legislation which would increase the emergency blood supply by allowing older teenagers to give blood without parental approval. Lou was recognized by the Massachusetts Early Intervention Collaborative for championing early intervention programs for pre-school children most at risk for developmental disabilities throughout the Commonwealth for over a decade. The Massachusetts Family Planning Association, Community services of Greater Brockton and Commonwealth Zoological Corporation have all presented Lou with appreciation awards. As well as the Stop Hand Gun Violence Campaign presented him with a Leadership Award. His colleagues showed their respect for Lou by electing him President of the Massachusetts Legislators’ Association in 2001. A strong fighter against animal cruelty in the Commonwealth, Lou was named the Humane Legislator of the Year in 2006 by Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and 2008 by the Humane Society.
The Representative has sponsored bills which have become law protecting the rights of mentally handicapped citizens purchasing life insurance, providing for the recycling of mercury-bearing lamps, and allowing for the sale of Kosher Wines on Sundays. After a lengthy battle, Lou secured an increase in the pay rate for Kosher meals in Nursing Homes, preventing closure of at least two of them. He co-sponsored a measure that increased funding for local Councils on Aging to continue to improve the quality of services provided to seniors. He was the lead sponsor of the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act, providing for insurance coverage of diabetic home monitoring supplies and education programs and sponsored legislation requiring independent review of condominium financial reports. Last session he authored laws that require coverage for the treatment of cleft palate and cleft lip by insurance companies for children, public access of private restrooms to those who suffer from Crohn’s disease, and designated the third week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Lou worked hard to enact bills he drafted to ban animal fighting and ensure continuity of health insurance coverage to children of divorced parents, among many others.