New Panel Maps Out Long-Term Water System Needs
 
In the aftermath of the state's water crisis, the newly-formed Water Infrastructure Finance Commission met to discuss the state's long-term needs for financing high-cost improvements to aging water and wastewater systems.  The meeting followed the recent MWRA water main rupture that spurred a boil water order in dozens of communities.

The panel will file recommendations in June 2011 keeping in mind best practices in other states, specifically Pennsylvania which just completed a similar effort and New Hampshire, in the midst of one. Efforts will focus on new ways to finance improvements in infrastructure to protect drinking water, facilitate wastewater treatment and deal with storm water runoff.  The panel will also examine the gap between available funds for infrastructure upgrades and the total value of necessary projects.

 

Cape Wind Receives Federal Approval
 
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar approved the Cape Wind renewable energy project on federal submerged lands in Nantucket Sound, but will require the developer of the $1 billion wind farm to agree to additional binding measures to minimize the potential adverse impacts of construction and operation of the facility. 

The Cape Wind project would be the first wind farm on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, generating enough power to meet 75 percent of the electricity demand for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island combined. The project would create several hundred construction jobs and be one of the largest greenhouse gas reduction initiatives in the nation, cutting carbon dioxide emissions from conventional power plants by 700,000 tons annually. That is equivalent to removing 175,000 cars from the road for a year.
 
The project will create as many as 1,000 new construction jobs in MA, stabilize electric rates and help MA address climate change, producing 450 megawatts of clean, renewable power.  The approval is significant as it shows that the state of Massachusetts is ready to compete in today's global market of technology, energy and ideas. 
 
Rep. Stanley Supports State Aid Background Checks Amendment
 
Rep. Stanley supported a budget amendment proposed by Rep. Jeff Perry to require background checks for all residents applying for state aid to ensure that they are legal, tax-paying citizens. The amendment would not prevent funding for children or emergencies. The amendment did not come to a vote on the House floor.  The House voted on a further amendment to send Rep. Perry's amendment to a study.   Rep Stanley voted along with Rep. Perry against the further amendment sending the issue to a study.  The further amendment passed 82-75 effectively killing Rep. Perry's original amendment which would have ensured that only individuals here legally receive state benefits.

Gov. Signs Anti-Bullying Bill
 
Rep. Stanley joined his colleagues in approving comprehensive legislation prohibiting bullying and cyber-bullying, directing schools to implement bullying prevention and intervention plans, and requiring school staff to report incidents of bullying.  The Senate also passed the bill and Gov. Patrick signed the legislation on May 3, 2010.
 
Under the bill, schools are required to include bullying prevention in their curriculum and to develop and implement plans to address bullying. To stop bullying when it happens, the legislation requires school staff to report incidents of bullying to the principal, who must then investigate and take appropriate disciplinary action. Rep. Stanley and other legislators insisted on this provision which leadership tried to remove. The bill prohibits bullying on school grounds, school busses, at school-sponsored activities, and through the use of electronic communications.  
 
House Adopts State Spending Website
 
Rep. Stanley voted to approve a new level of state budget transparency. With a unanimous vote, (157-0), the new rules create a state budget website, making transparent much of state spending and revenue sources, for all state agencies, including quasi publics. The website will allow the public, including local officials, businesses, lawmakers, citizens, and others to see where the state is investing our tax dollars.   
 
More controversial but overwhelmingly supported by a vote of 130 to 27, the House included language to provide greater transparency of certain transferable  or refundable tax credit programs offered to businesses in MA. The language would require agencies that administer these programs to provide the following information starting in 2011:  1) the identity of the taxpayers who receive these credits; 2) the amount of the credit provided; and 3) the date the credit was issued.  This information would be made available on the new state budget and spending website.  These transparency amendments were pushed by a small group of legislators including Rep. Stanley and Rep. Kaufman.

 

House to Debate CORI reforms in May
 
Speaker DeLeo announced his intention to tackle proposed reforms of the state criminal record system before the end of May.  The Senate passed this legislation, cited as a priority by Gov. Patrick, six months ago.

  
House Votes for Increased Budget Openness
 
Rep. Stanley helped pass budget amendments aimed at increasing the openness and accessibility of the budget process. These amendments - coupled with the online, searchable database of government expenditures established by the FY11 House budget proposal - promise to increase the visibility of state spending.
 
 "This provision will increase transparency and accountability of the state budget, making for a more open government. This is a step in the right direction to making our government more transparent, but there is still much work to be done," said Rep. Stanley.
 
According to a recent MASSPIRG study, 32 other states provide on online database with in-depth detail on government expenditures. With the establishment of a searchable, online database in the House FY11 budget proposal, Massachusetts would join these states in terms of accessibility to information on government spending.
 
The amendments promise to make government expenditures more visible by requiring the public disclosure of the results of certain tax credit programs and including tax credits within the definition of "state awards" that are posted in the online budget database established by the FY11 House budget proposal.
 
Last year's House rules reform required the House Clerk to make all bills introduced and admitted for consideration to the House available to members electronically and post them on the internet. The reform package also requires notice of committee hearings to be posted on the internet.
 
House Passes Municipal Relief Bill
 
Rep. Stanley and members of the House passed legislation facilitating mutual aid agreements, allowing pension systems to extend their funding schedules and permitting municipalities to enter into leases of up to 30 years without a home rule petition in an effort to provide cities and towns with new means for managing municipalities through these challenging economic times.  The Senate is expected to consider the legislation with the next couple weeks.
 
The legislation establishes a statewide mutual aid agreement allowing mutual aid assistance - such as fire services, law enforcement and emergency medical services - during a public safety incident. The bill also creates a statewide public works mutual aid agreement for the sharing of public works resources across jurisdictional lines during public works incidents.
 
The bill allows pension systems to extend their funding schedule to 2040. Additionally, the bill allows municipalities to enter into leases of up to 30 years without a home rule petition. Currently, municipalities may only enter into leases of up to 10 years without a home rule petition.
 
In an effort to control costs, the bill lets school districts reimburse parents of disabled children who drive their children to private day programs outside the municipality in which they live rather than allow only the school district to provide such transportation. 
 
The package also allows any accepting municipality to establish an early retirement program for its employees. Municipalities would be restricted when filling vacancies created by early retirements and could pay only a fraction of the participants' total annual salary in upcoming fiscal years.

House Passes Expanded Gaming Legislation
 
The House passed expanded gaming legislation designed to create jobs and stimulate economic growth throughout the state.  The legislation, which authorizes two resort casinos and up to 750 slots at each of the state's four racetracks, passed with bipartisan support by a veto-proof margin of 120-37. The bill will create an estimated 15,000 jobs in MA, deliver $260 million in up-front licensing fees to the state and bring an estimated $300 - 500 million in annual tax revenue.
 
In addition to creating construction jobs and permanent jobs at two resort casinos, the bill allows slot machines at each of the state's four racetracks to help Massachusetts grow and retain jobs at these venues while bringing much-needed revenue to the state. The bill directs all revenue generated from slots to cities and towns in the form of local aid until resort casinos are operational.
 
Rep. Stanley files bottle bill amendment
 
Rep. Stanley filed an amendment to the FY11 state budget to update the state's Bottle Bill, the state's most successful recycling program.  He has previously filed similar legislation. An expanded bottle bill will increases recycling, as 80 percent of bottle-bill-covered beverages are redeemed and/or recycled but only 22% of NON-covered beverages are recycled.  The amendment will complement curbside recycling, which is very effective for beverages consumed at home, but the majority of single-serving containers are consumed on-the-go, out of curbside's reach.  The proposal has strong public support and has been endorsed by more than 140 cities and towns and just about every environmental group in the state.  Additionally, the bill decreases landfill use, saves energy, saves oil and creates green jobs.  Additionally, the amendment increases state revenue.

Rep. Stanley files rental assistance program amendment as alternative to current system
 
Rep. Stanley's amendment will create a program called "Massachusetts Moving to Economic Opportunity Housing."  Through the program, more than 500 extremely low income working families who have a work history and are currently working or seeking employment will receive rental assistance. Participants will work with a stabilization worker to set individualized plans to meet their educational and career goals, and connect to existing services and resources including job training, education, transportation, child care and financial planning.
 
Rental assistance will be determined as the difference between 30 percent of the tenant's income and the rent.  As the participants' incomes grow, their share of the rent will increase and the subsidy will decrease.  For the first five years of the program, the housing agency will put the 'savings,' or the difference between the increased rent and the decreased subsidy, into an 'escrow' account.  The participant will receive these funds at the end of the five-year program, and the rental assistance paid by the state will be significantly lower.

Rep. Stanley Files Amendments to Budget
 
Rep. Stanley filed an amendment to the Human Service Providers Salary Reserve, requesting that $28 million be appropriated to a reserve to adjust the wages, compensation or salary and associated employee-related costs to personnel earning less than $40,000 in annual compensation who are employed by private human service providers that deliver human and social services under contracts with departments within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
 
Rep. Stanley filed an amendment to update the state's 529 college savings plans. The plan will encourage responsible saving for higher education by allowing for tax deductions to those investing in a 529 college savings account.  The deductions will not exceed $2000 per investor.
 
Rep. Stanley also filed an amendment requiring the state to reimburse municipalities in which homeless families are residing in hotels, motels, or shelters 100 percent for expenses arising from transporting students to out-of-district schools.

Rep. Stanley also filed an amendment recommending that the audit of house spending is broken down so information is provided on subsidiary accounts and object codes.  This amendment will attempt to make government spending more transparent.

National Stroke Awareness Month
 
The Massachusetts Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and Control Program (HSPC) provides leadership across the state in the areas of heart disease, stroke and related risk factors. HSPC provides education and quality improvement, creates partnerships and promotes evidence-based changes at the policy and environmental levels to reduce disparities, disease, disability and death.  To learn more about program and initiatives, please click here.