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News from Beacon Hill
FY2015 State Budget Released
On Wednesday, January 22, 2014, Governor Patrick submitted his Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal to the House of Representatives. The final budget (after it is enacted by the Legislature and approved by the Governor) will take effect on July 1, 2014 and will run through June 30, 2015. To learn more about the budget process, click here.
Lincoln Receives Local Aid Boost
Rep. Stanley voted for a Local Aid Resolution that resulted in Lincoln getting an increase of $82,267 in Chapter 70 money ($759,321 to $841,588) and a $16,346 increase in unrestricted local aid ($589,430 to $605,776). As a Way and Means Committee member, local aid is one of Rep. Stanley's top priorities when the Committee is drafting the House budget. Rep. Stanley is pleased that the Legislature supported increased public education and local aid funding in the FY15 budget. These funds will help Lincoln continue to provide essential education and public safety services.
House Enacts Military Bond Bill
Rep. Stanley and his colleagues in the House unanimously enacted a bill authorizing $177 million in state borrowing to support federal military installations in Massachusetts, designed to preserve jobs amid the reshaping of the U.S. military. More info to follow in April's issue of The Stanley Report.
Rep. Stanley and Committee on Ways and Means Continue Budget Hearings Across MA
Rep. Stanley and his colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee have continued to hold budget hearings across the Commonwealth. Rep. Stanley recently participated in a budget hearing in Everett, questioning Dept. of Transportation Secretary Davey and Environmental Affairs Secretary Sullivan. Sec. Sullivan and Rep. Stanley discussed the unfortunate decline in the DCR budget and the proposed UMASS Urban Sustainability Center at the Waltham Field Station for which Rep. Stanley has been advocating.
Rep. Stanley Meets with DCAM to Discuss Fernald
Rep. Stanley met with Rep. Lawn, MA DCAM Commissioner Carole Cornelison and her staff regarding the Fernald property in Waltham. The state is poised to offer a proposal to the city after a decade of struggle between state and local interest. If the mayor and city council agree with the state's proposal, legislation will be drafted and filed by Rep. Lawn, Sen. Barrett and Rep. Stanley to transfer most of the property.
In 2003/2004, former Gov. Romney tried to sell off the land with little community input. Together, with local advocates, residents and officials, Rep. Stanley was able to thwart state attempts to change the state land disposition process which would have greatly limited legislative involvement in the process to reuse state property. Rep. Stanley also authored legislation that created the Fernald Reuse Committee to ensure that local residents and officials played a pivotal role in the property reuse decision process.
Environmental Bond Bill to include funding for the UMass Center for Urban Sustainability
Rep. Stanley is pleased to announce great news for Waltham, Urban Agriculture and workforce development. Rep. Stanley has been assured that the Environmental Bond Bill will include full funding for the proposed UMass Center for Urban Sustainability at the former site of the UMass Suburban Experiment Station on Beaver Street in Waltham a short walk from Bentley University.
Rep. Stanley met with Steve Goodwin, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at UMass Amherst about this proposal three years ago at the Amherst Campus. Since then, he has worked for its creation with environmental advocates, school officials and many others including Rep. Lawn and Sen. Barrett.
Rep. Stanley Asks Ways and Means to Fund Domestic Violence Programs
In a meeting with Brian Dempsey, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Rep. Stanley asked that the Legislature address the issue of domestic and sexual violence by increasing funding in the fiscal year 2015 state budget. On Beacon Hill, the budget process has begun and Rep. Stanley is lobbying budget decision makers to include additional funding to raise awareness of and prevent domestic and sexual violence. An increase in funds is needed to provide the community-based sexual and domestic violence programs the resources they need to provide the life-saving and life-changing services to those who have experienced sexual and domestic violence.
Domestic violence affects thousands of MA residents each day. Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men in the Commonwealth have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. On an average day in Massachusetts, 1,752 domestic violence victims are served by local, community-based programs. Due to a lack of resources, there are sometimes as many as 443 unmet requests for services that day. A large majority of unmet requests are typically for emergency domestic violence shelter and transitional housing. Unfortunately, as the need for domestic violence services has increased, funding for local domestic violence programs have not kept pace. Many local domestic violence programs have experienced MA state budget reductions, reductions in Federal funds and decreases in private giving.
Rep. Stanley Helps Pass Enhanced Anti-Bullying Legislation
Rep. Stanley voted in favor of legislation that builds on the 2010 landmark anti-bullying legislation by creating new reporting measures and recognizing certain populations as more vulnerable to bullying. The updates are designed to increase the efficacy of the original legislation which prohibited bullying and cyber-bullying, and required schools to establish related programs. The bill creates a data collection and reporting mechanism that will help educators, administrators and legislators identify trends and respond appropriately. The House voted 143-4.
Provisions of the bill are based on recommendations developed by a special commission chaired by Attorney General Coakley and include the following: Schools must annually report bullying data to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and submit aggregate data on bullying to the Attorney General and Legislature; DESE is required to inform parents about its Problem Resolution System and the process for seeking assistance or filing a claim; and school bullying prevention plans must recognize that certain enumerated categories of students may be more vulnerable to becoming targets of bullying.
Rep. Stanley Votes for Bill to Ensure Effective Management and Expansion of Natural Gas
Rep. Stanley and the House approved a bill to further enhance the state's ability to anticipate, repair and guard against natural gas leaks to improve public safety. The bill establishes an infrastructure replacement program to accelerate the process of replacing aging pipelines in a manner that can lower capital costs for companies and gas rates for consumers. The legislation also creates uniform classification standards with corresponding requirements and timelines for repair, surveillance or reevaluation.
The legislation establishes a Gas Expansion Program which makes natural gas service available to new consumers and allows companies to offer financing programs to those switching to natural gas. This should result in cost savings for households, businesses and municipalities.Additionally, anticipated improvements will reduce greenhouse emissions as an estimated 5,600 leak-prone pipes in Massachusetts are repaired.
Health Care Ballot Questions Set for March 24 Hearing
The Health Care Financing Committee will host a public hearing on March 24th on two health care proposals that could become ballot questions this November. The State House hearing will review two initiative petitions governing patient safety and nurse staffing (H 3843) and limiting "excessive" hospital operating margins and executive compensation (H 3844). As the
Massachusetts Nurses Association has gathered ample signatures to advance the petitions, legislative leaders must decide whether to address the proposals themselves of let the voters decide in November. The committee will also review two patient safety bills at the hearing.
House Approves Bill to Sell Alcohol Earlier on Sundays
House Members voted in favor of letting alcohol retailers sell beer and alcoholic beverages on Sunday morning starting at 10am rather than waiting until noon. Advocates of the bill said the change will help retailers who border Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The bill is now before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules.
Rep. Stanley Announces Civil War Preservation Grant Opportunity
Rep. Stanley announces the availability of matching funds for the preservation of historic objects, sites, and document collections that are significant to the history of the Civil War. The Massachusetts Sesquicentennial Commission of the Civil War is accepting applications until April 1, 2014. The program, a partnership of the Sesquicentennial Commission, the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services, and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, is now in its second cycle. Earlier this year, the Commission awarded over $91,000 in matching funds to 24 projects across the Commonwealth. Application materials may be found on the Sesquicentennial Commission's website.
The program is open to Massachusetts municipalities and non-profit organizations and provides state matching funds of up to 50 percent of a project's total cost, but not exceeding $7,500. Eligible projects may include the renovation, rehabilitation, restoration, or enhancement of existing monuments or memorials relevant to the Civil War and Civil War veterans. Proposals to construct new markers for historically significant sites will also be considered. Also, eligibility was recently expanded to include preservation or digitization of historic documents. This will encompass local libraries and towns which may own or seek to acquire documents relevant to the Civil War such as archived records, or letters which may require restoration or digital archiving.
DCR's Park Serve Day
The Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) Park Serve Day will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014. In 2013, the DCR hosted over 4,321 volunteers in 45 park sites across the Commonwealth for Park Serve Day. By day's end, those volunteers had planted almost 900 flowers and shrubs and had collected more than over 37 tons of trash. Since it began, tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents have picked a park, given a day, and made a difference. Please visit the Park Serve Day website for more information.
House Passes Newborn Screening Bill By a vote of 146-0, the House unanimously passed a bill to require a test on newborns to detect potentially deadly heart defects. The bill directs the Department of Public Health to develop regulations governing the screenings. The Centers for Disease Control estimates pulse oximetry screenings for congenital heart disease cost $15 per infant and take about 10 minutes. Massachusetts would become the 26th state with such a requirement. Governor Patrick Signs Upskirting Bill Governor Patrick signed H. 3934, "An Act Relative to Unlawful Sexual Surveillance," which modernizes the Commonwealth's criminal voyeurism laws to outlaw what is known as "upskirting." The law goes into effect immediately. The legislation makes the secret photographing, videotaping, or electronically surveiling of another person's sexual or other intimate parts, whether under or around a person's clothing or when a reasonable person would believe that the person's intimate parts would not be visible to the public, a crime. Under the proposed legislation, whoever willfully photographs, videotapes, or electronically surveils, with the intent to secretly conduct or hide such activity, another person's sexual or other intimate parts will be subject to imprisonment for not more than 2½ years or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both. The bill also creates a new crime that states whoever videotapes or photographs, with the intent to secretly conduct or hide such activity, the sexual or other intimate parts of a child will be subject to imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2½ years, by imprisonment in state prison for not more than 5 years, by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both imprisonment and a fine. Gov. Patrick Announces Nomination to the Parole Board Governor Deval Patrick announced the nomination of Tina M. Hurley as a member of the Parole Board. Hurley has worked at the Parole Board for over 26 years, including the last seven years as a hearing examiner. During her tenure she has served as a parole officer, a special assistant to the Director of Institutional Services, the Deputy Chief Parole Supervisor, the Director of Transitional Services, and the Director of Women's Services and Partnership Development. Hurley is a graduate of Northeastern University (B.S. Criminal Justice, 1984) and University of Massachusetts (M.S. Public Affairs, 1994). She is a resident of Cohasset. If confirmed, Hurley will fill the position on the Parole Board formerly held by Cesar Archilla, with a term expiring in June 2014. State to Invest $100 Million in Renovations at Logan Airport Governor Patrick announced $100 million in renovations focused on better serving international passengers at Boston's Logan International Airport. The project will include a new post-security connector between terminals E and C, improvements to hold rooms and concessions, renovations to accommodate expanded international air service, and the installation of self-service kiosks to expedite the processing of passports for those traveling internationally. The renovations will begin in July and are expected to be complete in about 2 years. They are funded through Massport's capital plan. Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Has New Chair Jamie R. Williamson will serve as Chair of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). Williamson has served as a Commissioner of MCAD since 2010. Williamson was previously in charge of MCAD's Springfield office, where she oversaw the administration, adjudication and education of civil rights matters for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Williamson replaces the previous Chair, Julian Tynes, who is now serving as the Director of Labor Relations for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Prior to joining the MCAD, Williamson served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in Holyoke, a private non-profit fair housing organization serving central and western Massachusetts. In 2005, Williamson was appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts to serve on the Access to Justice Commission. This Commission was created by the Supreme Court to provide leadership, vision and coordination to the multitude of organizations and interests involved in assuring access to civil justice for families and individuals in the Commonwealth. Gov. Patrick Outlines Series of Reforms to Reduce Recidivism Governor Patrick announced a package of sustainable, cost-effective criminal justice initiatives that will help Massachusetts reach the goal of reducing recidivism by 50 percent over the next five years by dramatically improving inmates' reentry into their communities, increasing educational and workforce training opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, improving treatment options for individuals suffering from substance abuse and mental illness and enhancing public safety in communities across the state. The Governor's proposal recognizes that preparation for re-entry must be intentional and start at the point of entry and includes improvements to the Department of Correction's (DOC) classification system and the launch of a step-down program that provides more opportunity for inmates to access educational and training programs. The Governor also strongly believes that substance abuse must be treated as a health problem and not a criminal issue, and has proposed steps to increase the availability of substance abuse treatment programs in community settings. Additionally, to better care for those suffering from mental illness in custody, the Governor has proposed additional funding to train law enforcement to learn how to de-escalate and properly handle people with mental health issues and refocused the Department on ensuring that the use of restraints is a last resort. The Governor also called for an end to the use of restraints on pregnant inmates during labor. While current regulations already prohibit this practice in state prisons, the Department of Corrections will issue emergency regulations extending that prohibition to all facilities, including Houses of Correction. Lastly, the Governor called for a renewed focus on bringing criminal sentencing in Massachusetts up to date, proposing to reinvigorate the Sentencing Commission's work of bringing a critical and data-based lens to the Commonwealth's sentencing practices. Treasury invites you to Operation Money Wise Operation Money Wise is a FREE financial empowerment conference open to veterans, service members and their families. Join to learn more about personal finance and improve financial behavior through quality financial education. This day will focus on the topics that most commonly affect those who have served our country, the benefits available and organizations that can help. This is a joint project between Treasury/Financial Literacy Trust Fund, Dep. of Veterans' Services and the MA National Guard. Click here to learn more.
Help prevent child abuse in Massachusetts Too often child abuse and neglect is discussed only after an awful event occurs. All children deserve to grow up healthy in safe, loving homes. To learn more about the warning signs that a child may be suffering from abuse or neglect, click here. To learn how to report a suspected case to the Department of Children & Families (DCF), click here. "MyLegislature" Website Features Improvements Updates to the public website will allow users to personalize their experience when navigating bills, committees, hearing information and connecting with legislators. Through "MyLegislature" users can create a user-id and password to access their secure MyLegislature account. Users can identify specific bills, hearings, committees and legislators that they are interested in following and their personalized homepage will display each selection. Any hearings scheduled for their selected committees will automatically be included in their MyLegislature hearing list. In addition, users can further personalize MyLegislature by identifying any accessibility needs. The updated website also includes an easy-to-use format to connect with legislators. The public website can be found at www.malegislature.gov. Check out the Massachusetts Business One-Stop
Are you doing business in Massachusetts or just getting started? Our one-stop business portal has the information and tools to help you succeed. Click here to learn more.
Resources to help you find a job Finding a job can be difficult, so Massachusetts offers a number of programs and services to help job seekers find work. Massachusetts One-Stop Career Centers connect workers and employers through job fairs and workshops, while the office of Labor and Workforce Development offers detailed job hunting information, including tips on writing a resume and cover letter, interviewing and networking, as well as career planning advice. The state also offers a variety of training opportunities for job seekers to obtain the education and skills needed for good paying jobs and careers. Additionally, special Section 30 Training Benefits programs exist for the unemployed. Please click here to learn more. Mobile ticketing for Commuter Rail available Commuter Rail customers: Buy your single-ride, 10-ride tickets, and monthly passes via the MBTA's new mobile app for smartphones. Single and 10-ride tickets are now available for the Fitchburg, Haverhill, Lowell, and Newburyport/Rockport Lines. Purchase your monthly pass from your smartphone. No waiting required. Please click here to learn more. Health Care Cost Containment Website The mission of the Center of Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is to improve health care quality and contain health care costs by critically examining the Massachusetts health care system and providing objective information, developing and recommending policies, and implementing strategies that benefit the people of MA. Click here to visit CHIA's website which outlines information on the law, notice of upcoming events and a single portal for connecting with other health care related state agencies, authorities and commissions. Mass.gov Offers Open Government Website To foster an "open government," Mass.gov offers information about legislative and regulatory processes, public records, campaign finance reports, lobbyist registrations and reports, open meetings and more. Residents can also get details on the state budget, see where the state's money comes from, locate a law on a topic that is of interest to you or obtain information on any city or town in Massachusetts. Residents can also view detailed information on state government spending. To learn more and visit the site, click here. MassDOT RMV Customer Service has New Number MassDOT announced a new telephone number for Registry of Motor Vehicles business and transactions, 857-DOT-8000/857-368-8000. The number serves the RMV's Call Center which answers an average of 45,000 calls each month. Over the next year, customers will become familiar with the 857-DOT area code and exchange as MassDOT offices across the Commonwealth transition to the new number. The telephone transition will result in annual phone bill and maintenance savings of approximately $422,000. File for unemployment insurance benefits online or by phone The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) administers the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, providing temporary assistance to unemployed Massachusetts workers. Click here to get help with filing a new claim.
Find Volunteer Opportunities at Connect & Serve Connect & Serve is a free web-based volunteer portal administered by the Massachusetts Service Alliance. The Connect & Serve website is a valuable resource for organizations who recruit volunteers and for individuals who wish to find fulfilling volunteer opportunities in their communities. Click here to find a volunteer opportunity near you.
Connect & Serve's user-friendly design has many features to increase the visibility of opportunities across the state, including a quick search function highlighting impact areas, an easy zip-code radius search, and a monthly service projects calendar. All volunteer opportunities are promoted through a statewide collaboration with volunteer connector agencies to build awareness to a wider audience in all regions of the state.
Exciting Veterans Resource
The Patrick Administration launched www.MassVetsAdvisor.org, a cutting-edge web portal that offers enhanced access to services and support for veterans living in the Commonwealth. The new site will help veterans and their family members access more than 200 state and federal benefits in one location, including programs for education, counseling, employment, health care and other services. MassVetsAdvisor streamlines comprehensive data from state and federal resources and lists only the benefits and services each veteran is qualified for, including an "action plan" to apply for the benefits. Veterans will be able to print, email, save or forward the action plan to their Veterans Services Officer for additional one-on-one assistance.
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program WIC is a free nutrition program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services to Massachusetts families who qualify. WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children. WIC's goal is to keep pregnant and breastfeeding women and kids under 5 healthy. To apply for WIC, call 1-800-WIC-1007 or contact a WIC Program in your community. Please click here for more info.
SAVE Partners with Veterans' Services to Support Veterans & Their Families The fundamental principle of the Statewide Advocacy for Veterans' Empowerment (SAVE) program is to advocate for veterans who are not able to obtain the benefits they have earned due to institutional or personal barriers. The program's primary mission is prevention of suicide and mental health distress through the identification of issues facing veterans when they return from service and proactively providing them with access to benefits and services that may address these issues and result in positive transitions back to civilian life. SAVE acts as a liaison between veterans and their families and the various agencies within the federal and state governments. To learn more, please click here. Mass 2-1-1, in Partnership with United Way, Partners with Department of Veterans Services To learn more about the services available to veterans by MA 2-1-1 and the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services, the chief advocate for veterans and their families in the Commonwealth, please click here. 2-1-1 is the national abbreviated dialing code for free access to health and human services Information and Referral. 2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember and universally recognizable number that makes a critical connection between individuals and families seeking services or volunteer opportunities and the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies. 2-1-1 makes it possible for people to navigate the complex and ever-growing maze of human service agencies and programs. By making services easier to access, 2-1-1 encourages prevention and fosters self-sufficiency. It also is hoped that it will reduce the number of non-emergency calls inappropriately made to 911.
MassWildlife Offers Calendar of Events The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) is responsible for the conservation - including restoration, protection and management - of fish and wildlife resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. The Division works to balance the needs of people and wildlife today so wildlife will be available for everyone's enjoyment today and for future generations. To learn more about DFW events across the Commonwealth, such as wildlife-related workshops, talks, walks or demonstrations, please click here. MassDOT RMV urges eligible drivers to renew their licenses online Services available on the MassDOT RMV website include applying for a first time license; converting an out-of-state license; scheduling a branch appointment; registration renewals; ordering a driving record, crash report or Fast Lane transponder; viewing the status of a license, registration, driver education certificate and title; signing up for organ/tissue donation; and canceling a registration plate.
Drivers Encouraged to "Donate Life"
Massachusetts drivers can register as organ donors on their driver's license or online through the Donate Life New England registry. About 99 percent of all Massachusetts residents who designate themselves as organ and tissue donors do so through the Registry of Motor Vehicles at RMV branches and on its website. Job Opportunities with the Commonwealth of MA
There are a number of job listings posted on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts home page. For more information, click here.
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