Dedham residents who have gone without nearby emergency and inpatient care since Norwood Hospital flooded and closed in 2020 could be a step closer to getting those services back.

Massachusetts lawmakers on Friday, July 31, enacted an emergency bill authorizing the state to seize the stalled Norwood Hospital property at 800 Washington St. in Norwood by eminent domain and transfer it to a nonprofit healthcare operator, WBUR reported. The bill, H.5553, now sits on Gov. Maura Healey's desk. Because it carries an emergency preamble, it would take effect immediately upon her signature.

Healey signaled support during a radio appearance on Thursday, July 30. "I'd love to see it reopen," she said. "I'm happy to support that legislation, which also I think says, though, you've got to find an operator. Like, you can't just take it over, you got to find a hospital system to actually run the hospital."

Before the closure, Norwood Hospital served roughly 126,000 patients in 2019, its last full year of operation, including Dedham residents who relied on it as their closest full-service emergency room. Sen. Michael Rush, whose district includes Norwood, told the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, that approximately 250,000 people lost access to a nearby hospital when the facility shut down.

"Even though the hospital closed, these patients did not disappear," Rush said. "They are now driving further to Brockton, or Milton, or Boston. They are placing a burden on already overcrowded emergency rooms and putting their healthcare in jeopardy for time-sensitive emergency and cardiac events."

Norwood Hospital closed on June 28, 2020, after more than four inches of rain fell in roughly 90 minutes, flooding the building and destroying equipment. Its former operator, Steward Health Care, began rebuilding but declared bankruptcy in 2024. The property is now owned by Alabama-based Medical Properties Trust.

Earlier in 2026, Mass General Brigham walked away from negotiations to buy the site after MPT raised its asking price from $250 million to $375 million, according to WCVB. House Speaker Ron Mariano said on Friday, July 31, that MPT "wasn't negotiating in good faith" and that the bill sends a message the company "has to deal with the people of that area."

State Rep. John Rogers and Sen. Rush first proposed the eminent domain legislation in February 2026. The House passed it unanimously on Wednesday, July 1; the Senate approved a redrafted version on Wednesday, July 29, adding a competitive bidding process that requires proposals to contemplate healthcare use and come only from nonprofit buyers.

Under the bill, the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance would value the property, with the valuation reviewed by Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro. The state could then transfer the site to the Department of Public Health, which would convey or lease it to a qualified nonprofit operator.

As of Saturday, August 1, the Legislature's online bill history did not show the governor had signed the measure. No timeline has been announced for the competitive bidding process that would follow her signature.

In 2025, Healey directed the formation of a task force charged with reopening the hospital, chaired by Norwood General Manager Tony Mazzucco and including Rush and Rogers. The Town of Norwood has launched a "Finish Norwood Hospital" campaign at finishthejobnorwood.com to build public support and attract an operator.