News from Beacon Hill
Language from Rep. Stanley's Domestic Violence bill Included in Speaker DeLeo and AG Coakley's Bill
Language from Rep. Stanley's domestic violence bill was incorporated into legislation filed by House Speaker DeLeo and AG Martha Coakley. The bill passed the House unanimously.
The legislation establishes a first offense domestic assault and battery charge that will allow officials to immediately identify an offender who has a history of domestic violence and take appropriate punitive action. As a result, a second offense charge of domestic violence will include cases in which a first offense had resulted in probation or a continuance without a finding. The bill also creates a specific charge of strangulation and suffocation, actions that statistically indicate an abuser is more likely to commit domestic violence related homicide in the future.
The bill gives law enforcement officials, attorneys, judges and medical professionals updated resources to help balance prevention and punishment. By streamlining and standardizing records it ensures key decision-makers have the most accurate information and that parties across the jurisdictions have access to an offender's complete history. Additionally, under this legislation judges must evaluate whether domestic violence was a predicate or concurrent factor to certain crimes.
In an effort to consistently improve prevention efforts and find effective solutions to combat domestic violence the legislation establishes enhanced training programs and creates Domestic Fatality Review Teams to investigate domestic violence related fatalities. The state-level review teams will serve as a tool to establish best practices and help officials understand any shortcomings present in current protocol.
Rep. Stanley Files Amendments to FY15 Budget
Rep. Stanley filed three amendments to the House budget for Fiscal Year 2015. The first amendment regarding Homeless Student Bus Transportation (McKinney-Vento) reimburses municipalities and regional school districts for transporting non-resident students to in-district schools. The House Ways and Means budget funded this line item at $7,350,000, $7,528,069 below DESE's estimate ($14,878,069) on the amount that is going to be spent to transport non-resident students. Rep Stanley's amendment seeks the additional $7,528,068 to add to the current line item.
Rep. Stanley filed an amendment funding domestic violence shelter and support services. On Tuesday (4/8) a comprehensive Domestic Violence bill advanced by the Speaker and endorsed by all members of the MA House was approved. Rep. Stanley would like the FY15 state budget to reflect that commitment by investing more in services which protect victims of domestic violence and their families. This line item funds Domestic Violence emergency shelter, transitional housing and community based services across the Commonwealth.
Rep. Stanley filed an amendment to request level funding for FY15 for Fragile Beginnings. Fragile Beginnings is a network of initiatives committed to improving the lives of parents of premature infants through direct support services, educational materials, and connections to community resources and to each other. This program was included in the FY 14 State Budget at $100,000.
Hanscom to receive $2.9 million through Military Bond Bill
Governor Patrick signed H. 3736, "An Act Encouraging the Improvement, Expansion and Development of Military Installations in the Commonwealth," which authorizes funding for infrastructure projects in partnership with Massachusetts military installations and the Massachusetts National Guard. These projects are designed to expand public and private sector growth for the cities and towns surrounding each installation and enhance both the military installation's value in support of national and domestic security goals
To enhance the military mission and industry growth at Hanscom Air Force Base, the $177 million military bond bill includes $2.9 million for energy and communications upgrades to the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Enterprise Integration Facility (CEIF) at Hanscom Air Force Base. The funding will help realistically test and integrate advanced software, cyber security and network applications and expand private sector and research and development opportunities. The CEIF serves as a secure, scalable environment for developing, integrating, and testing today's cutting edge technologies and provides a secure infrastructure for systems.
The six military installations in Massachusetts include Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield; Fort Devens; Hanscom Air Force Base; Joint Base Cape Cod; Natick Soldier Systems Center; and Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee. These installations account for a total economic impact of $14.2 billion and more than 46,500 Massachusetts jobs. Additionally, these bases are hubs for partnerships with the Commonwealth's defense sector. Massachusetts' defense and homeland security federal contracts collectively generate more than 130,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. In 2011, Massachusetts received $13.9 billion in Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security contracts, an 83 percent increase to the Commonwealth since 2003.
House Passes Autism Services Bill
Rep. Stanley and the House unanimously approved legislation to improve educational opportunities and access to services for people with autism or other intellectual disabilities. The legislation creates a special commission to look at state policies dealing with individuals with autism, and allow families to set aside money tax free in savings accounts to pay and plan for the long-term care and housing of children with intellectual disabilities. The bill would also expand eligibility for developmental services to individuals with IQs higher than 70, as many residents with autism have other developmental challenges they must overcome.
Legislature Sends Transportation Bond Bill to Governor
Rep. Stanley joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to enact a $12.766 billion transportation finance bill to bolster the state's transportation systems, improve existing infrastructure and assist Massachusetts' communities in funding local projects.
The bond bill authorizes $300 million in Chapter 90 funding to help municipalities complete road, bridge and infrastructure improvement projects, and requires earlier notification of funding levels so cities and towns can prepare appropriately. This marks the eighth consecutive year that the Legislature has either raised or level-funded Chapter 90.
The legislation will improve and modernize the state's infrastructure system and includes numerous provisions designed to result in savings and efficiency improvements including the creation of a special Commission to study metropolitan planning organizations and advise on potential ways to simplify and streamline the federally-mandated project selection process. The bill now goes to the Governor for his consideration.
Rep. Stanley Votes to Raise Minimum Wage, Enact Substantial Reforms to Unemployment Insurance, Enhance Protections for Domestic Workers
Rep. Stanley helped pass a bill that reforms the state's unemployment insurance system (UI) and raises the minimum wage, changes that will make both systems more sustainable, fair and predictable. The bill passed the House 125-24.
To balance the needs of businesses and individuals, the legislation addresses minimum wage and UI in tandem. The bill proposes a new minimum wage of $10.50 an hour and a new tipped wage of $3.75 an hour, both to be phased in over three years. In the interest of providing employers with stability and accountability, neither wage will be indexed to economic factors. The minimum wage increase will be implemented in accordance with $9.00 an hour effective July 1, 2014, $10.00 an hour effective July 1, 2015 and $10.50 an hour effective July 1, 2016.
Reforms to unemployment insurance are designed to increase predictability for employers and close existing loopholes. This bill includes a rate freeze for 2014 and a three-year rate freeze which will reflect the new wage base and rate table. Additional changes include adjusting the ratings table to lower the tax burden on most employers and increasing system accountability for public employees, including municipal and seasonal employees and retirees. This includes closing loopholes that enable school-based municipal employees as well as retirees to receive both pensions and UI benefits.
The legislation also creates the Domestic Worker's Bill of Rights which enhances and establishes numerous workplace rights and protections for employees including caregivers, nannies and housekeepers. The bill extends the Massachusetts Maternity Leave Act to domestic workers and expands wage and hour law protections. It also guarantees UI coverage.
House Passes Legislation to Promote Health, Safety of Pregnant Inmates
Rep. Stanley helped pass a bill that prohibits the shackling of pregnant women after their first trimester and forbids the use of certain restraints on a pregnant or postpartum inmate. This bill ensures that all incarcerated women have access to labor and delivery care in an accredited hospital and requires that they are afforded with a minimum of a forty-eight hour hospital stay following delivery. Additionally, under this legislation, all inmates must receive prenatal, delivery and postpartum care including dietary and nutritional care. The bill passed the House unanimously.
The bill also requires that pregnant inmates receive written information on child birth, correctional facility policies and practices regarding care and labor, post-discharge planning, medical services and mental health screening and counseling; instructs that if a correction officer is present in the room during the pregnant inmate's physical examinations, labor or childbirth, the officer shall, if possible, be female. Whenever possible, the correction officer shall be positioned in a location in the room that will ensure, to the extent feasible, patient privacy; and provides for the safe transportation of pregnant women to and from medical visits.
House, Senate and Gov. approve increased death benefits for those killed in line of duty
Governor Patrick signed H. 4023, "An Act Making an Appropriation for the Fiscal Year 2014 to Provide for Supplementing a Certain Existing Appropriation and for Certain Other Activities and Projects," or the "Line of Duty Act." The bill passed through the House and Senate following the deaths of Boston Fire Lieutenant Edward Walsh and firefighter Michael Kennedy, and Plymouth Police Officer Gregg Maloney.
The legislation increases the death benefit of public safety employees who are killed in the line of duty to $150,000, a $50,000 increase to the original amount that had remained unchanged since the law had passed in 1994. The Governor was joined at the bill signing by Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo.
Gov. Patrick Awards Nearly $2 Million to Train Health Care Workers, Reduce Costs
Governor Patrick awarded nearly $2 million in grants to help train health care providers to improve patient service and reduce costs. The funding will go to 51 organizations across the state to begin assessing how to prepare health care workers for the careers of the 21st century economy. Chapter 224 health care cost containment legislation allocated $20 million to prepare the health care industry for the new demands and innovations called for in the legislation.
The award recipients may partner with hospitals, community centers and educational institutions to create new service delivery models and determine what workforce skills and training are necessary for today's workers. The Health Care Workforce Transformation Grants will enable health care businesses to assess the skills of their workforce, as well as the relevance, quantity and quality of existing training or education programs. They will also allow businesses to develop a plan to deliver new training and education programs to their current workers and, in partnership with the state's educational institutions, determine the need for improving or creating programs that will attract future workers.
"Read, Explore, Learn More!" Series to Support Early Learning Opportunities for Children
State education officials and community members launched the "Read, Explore, Learn More!" education series, underscoring the important role of the Commonwealth's early education and care programs and community-based enrichment programs in fostering children's early development. "Read, Explore, Learn More!" will promote programs that support healthy brain development and provide a strong foundation for academic success. Community-based educational programs in informal settings are essential supplements to the formal, subsidized early education and care programs that Massachusetts provides free or at low cost to over 50,000 children each year. Governor Patrick proposed an additional $15 million in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget to allow all infants, toddlers and preschoolers currently on the waiting list for child care financial assistance to enroll in high-quality early education and care programs.
$25 Million to Create Over 335 Units of Supportive Housing
The Commonwealth will invest more than $25 million in funding to create over 335 new units of supportive housing for veterans, homeless and very low income households across the Commonwealth. In addition to a providing housing for families, supportive housing, which is operated in conjunction with a network of non-profit agencies across the Commonwealth, can include services such as childcare, access to job training, mental-health care and other opportunities that give participants a hand up towards stability and success.
Supportive housing helps individuals and families that are homeless or facing homelessness, institutionalized or at-risk of institutionalization, people with disabilities and the elderly. Additionally, the agencies continue to assess the extent of public cost-savings generated as a result of providing permanent supportive housing and will recommend strategic reinvestments.
Governor Patrick Announces Steps to Preserve Snap Benefits for 163,000 Households
Governor Patrick announced steps to preserve Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for approximately 163,000 households in Massachusetts and avoid the loss of approximately $142 million in SNAP benefits set to be cut under the recently enacted federal Farm Bill.
Under the plan, the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will partner with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to provide at least $20 in heating assistance to eligible families through the H-EAT program, which makes them eligible for an increase of $80 in monthly SNAP benefits to help families pay for food. DHCD will invest approximately $3 million to support the continuation of the program and leverage the additional SNAP benefits for these families.
The investment will also help maintain economic stability for families and businesses in Massachusetts, as each SNAP dollar spent generates approximately $2 in economic activity for the state, according to the USDA.
State Awards $8 Million in Summer Jobs Funding
Governor Patrick joined Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rachel Kaprielian, local elected officials, youth job advocates and a number of young people to announce $8 million dollars in state funding for the YouthWorks Summer Jobs Program. The subsidized program is expected to put 4,000 at-risk teens and young adults to work in summer camps, daycare centers, cities and towns, non-profits, state agencies and private sector firms to gain valuable work experience, which can build stronger and safer communities.
Prescription Take-Back Day
Did you know that medicines in the home are a leading cause of accidental poisoning? Just as disturbing, are the alarmingly high rates of prescription drug abuse among teens. A National study, conducted last year by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and the MetLife Foundation, found that 49% of teens who misuse or abuse prescription medicines get them from a family member or friend. More often than not, these drugs are found in our medicine cabinets.
This year's U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) National Prescription Take-Back Day will be held on Saturday, April 26th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We encourage you to visit www.DEA.gov or http://www.justice.gov/dea/index.shtml and click on the National Prescription Take-Back Partnership Toolbox to help spread the word on this important opportunity for your communities to dispose of potentially dangerous unwanted and expired medicines.
Governor's Statewide Youth Council Recruitment 2014-16
Governor Patrick created the Governor's Statewide Youth Council to incorporate youth voices into the policy-making process. The Youth Council serves as a critical resource in advising the Governor in making decisions and setting policy to improve the lives of young people. The Governor's Office will be selecting 28 new Youth Council members to represent Massachusetts' 14 counties, two Council members per county. Members serve for 2 years. We are now aggressively seeking to contact and recruit potential candidates throughout the state to apply for membership in the Youth Council.
Youth Council applicants should be passionate, motivated and emerging leaders between the ages of 14 and 20. Their responsibilities will include: attending bimonthly meetings and conference calls, advocating for youth issues and incorporating the ideas of other youth and young adults into the creation of effective policy. Please contact Rep. Stanley's office for an application.
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.
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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