Walsh announces resignation from Legislature

LYNN – State Rep. Steven Walsh announced Tuesday he is leaving an 11-year legislative career marked by health-care reform work to become the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals executive director.Walsh starts working for the Boston-based nonprofit corporation in March and said he will resign his West Lynn-Nahant seat in the Massachusetts House shortly before his start date.”I love my job but this is an outstanding opportunity. I think I can add value to MCCH. My impact is going to be to keep care in the community,” Walsh said.Walsh resigned as House chairman of the Legislature’s health care financing committee Tuesday. Named chairman in 2011, Walsh set his sights on helping to forge a health care cost containment law. He visited 64 hospitals across the state and traveled around the country researching industry financial details.The Legislature passed cost containment reform in 2012 and Council President Kevin Smith underscored Walsh’s legislative experience in a Tuesday press statement announcing Walsh’s new job.”Steve recognizes the importance of our hospitals as stewards of community health, and essential stabilizing factors in the economic viability of the cities and towns where they are located, He is the ideal leader for our organization,” Smith said.A council press statement said the corporation “consists of 17 community hospitals from throughout the state.”Walsh said his council job will involve highlighting how local hospitals improve communities. He is taking on that role at a time when Partners HealthCare is planning changes at Union Hospital requiring state Public Health Council review sometime this year.Walsh and his wife, Annie, have four children and Walsh grew up in a political family: His mother, Deborah Smith Walsh, is a former City Council and School Committee member, and his uncle, James Smith, represented the West Lynn district from 1970 to 1978.Walsh said he knocked on voters’ doors for his uncle at the age of 5 and watched “with great pride” as his mother debated city and school concerns. Walsh drew on his theater experience to become LynnArts, Inc. executive director in 1996 at the age of 22. He ran for the 11th Essex District seat in 2002, winning a four-way Democratic primary that September.He said a string of drug overdoses reported locally prompted him in 2004 to file legislation creating a special commission to study abuse of the painkiller OxyContin and recommend drug control reforms.”Out of that grew one of the most extensive prescription abuse monitoring systems,” he said.One of the Democrats Walsh beat in 2002 – School Committee member Donna Coppola – said Walsh “has done a great job” as West Lynn’s legislator. State Sen. Thomas M. McGee called Walsh “a tremendous legislator” and credited him for helping push for Nahant Causeway’s reconstruction.”He really cares about Lynn,” McGee said.Walsh on Tuesday said he will not rule out a future run for public office and said he has “loved every minute” serving in the Legislature.””I’ve tried to serve with honor and dignity,” he said.