News from Representative Denise Provost

You've probably heard about the passage of this bill - which I filed in the House - by the House, on the first of June 2016. You may not have heard how strong the vote was. Only a dozen Democrats voted against the bill, and nine Republicans voted for it, yielding a veto-proof majority of 116 to 36.

Since the House bill differed slightly from the Senate version, the bills went to conference committee, which adjusted some of the effective dates for the bill. On a July 7 roll call, 11 Democrats voted against and 10 Republicans voted for the final passage of the bill. Gov. Baker signed the bill on July 8, which means that the bill is now law. For photos of the "People's Bill Signing," and other commentary, visit:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Representative-Denise-Provost-155811771127401/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeniseProvost1

And my NEW Instagram: instagram.com/repprovost/

As well as coverage in local media outlets:

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_politics/2016/07/transgender_law_celebrated

While passage of this bill was a tremendous advance for civil rights in Massachusetts, it also represented for me a great victory for bipartisanship in our legislature. I started working across the aisle on this bill in 2014, the year before I filed it. The strength of bipartisan support for it is also a sign of health in our legislative process, and is an enormous source of satisfaction.

Local Power to Lower speed Limits!

Frustration with the state's 30 mph default speed limit (which applies "unless otherwise posted") predates my public service. For many years, municipal pleas to allow local decisions to lower speed limits on local roads fell on deaf ears. When I was elected to the legislature in 2006, I vowed to end this gridlock.

More than ten years, three Highway Administrators, and the creation of the consolidated transportation agency MassDOT later - victory! I filed the latest iteration of a local-control speed limits bill as an amendment to our Municipal Modernization bill. It was filed in the Senate side, kept by the conference committee and received a final favorable vote on July 31, 2016.

What went on in the intervening ten years? I filed a variety of bills, based on meetings with state highway officials and municipal stakeholders, some of which made legislative headway, only to meet practical or political impediments. I learned a tremendous amount, not just about the interplay of federal and state speed limit law, but about how various urban, suburban, and rural communities in Massachusetts view their roads, and their road users.

What, specifically, will the new law allow? It will allow municipalities to reduce the default speed limit on local roads to 25 mph, in "any thickly settled of business district," (Section 193,...) also, municipalities may designate "safety zones," on local roads, with speed limits of 20 mph (Section 194,...). So, prepare to organize locally, to lower the speed limit in a suitable location near you.

Building Bipartisan Coalitions

In the Massachusetts Legislature, "across the aisle" means literally a few feet away. It signifies people with whom we share snacks, stories, and sometimes policy positions. Our legislature, to a great extent, runs on relationships, and I never rule out potential collaboration with a colleague of whatever political party.

One issue which has cut across party lines has been the effort to reduce the baleful effects of foreclosure in Massachusetts, as I've written about previously. A feature of that effort I organized to oppose a particularly harsh bill cutting off the already limited rights of property owners in foreclosure was its broad bipartisan support. Layoffs, illness, divorce, and other misfortunes are not partisan, and many members of the minority party have heard from constituents faced with the loss of all they've worked for - along with potential homelessness.

This bipartisan desire to slow the pace of displacement-by-foreclosure was manifest again recently. I circulated a letter, asking the Speaker and the conference committee on the Municipal Modernization bill to include in its report a prevision authorizing communities to set up pre-foreclosure mediation programs. In the course of an afternoon, I got 72 colleagues to sign on, including 19 Republican House members. While the provision ultimately was not included, this level of support makes me optimistic that in the next session, we can provide stronger safeguards against foreclosure.

MBTA Fares - Another Little Victory

Everyone is doubtless aware of the MBTA fare increases, averaging 9.3%, that went into effect on July 1, 2016. You might have heard that this substantial increase was the result of the MBTA's Fiscal Management Control Board (FMCB) deciding that the legislature had authorized an increase of 5% each year - contrary to the intent and recollections of most legislators. The Senate in its budget, included an outside section clarifying that fares could increase no more than 5% every two years.

The House did not include such a provision, and asking the House to do anything the Senate way is always a delicate matter - something some colleagues will categorically never do. Still, MBTA fares are a significant expense for many modestly-paid people. So I circulated a letter, asking the House to include the Senate provision in the conference budget, and prevailed on others to send their own letters.

We did not get exactly what we asked for. The ultimate compromise was a cap of a 7.2% increase every 2 years. Yet Gov. Baker signed this version, and it will keep T riders from getting socked with an increase of the magnitude we this this year - and yes - it was a bipartisan group of legislators in the House who supported the Senate fare cap.

In other good news for transit riders, congratulations to Action for Communities & Environment (ACE) for their success in establishing a broader, better, MBTA Youth Fare - see ACE's cool video by clicking this link .