Senate President Karen Spilka sets mask requirements for MA Senate

Senate President Karen Spilka (@KarenSpilka) tweeted Wed, Aug 25, 2021:

Yesterday, the @MA_Senate Reopening Working Group, tasked with preparing us and the public for a safe and full return to the State House, recommended all Senators and employees provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Oct. 15. I agree. #mapoli 1/3

2/3 As Senate President, the safety, health and wellbeing of Senators and Senate employees is my top priority, particularly as COVID-19 continues to spread. #mapoli 

3/3 Vaccines have proven to be the best tool we have to reduce transmission and are our best hope to emerge from this pandemic and get back to better. I want to thank the members of the Working Group, along with their staffs, for their continued efforts. #mapoli 

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/KarenSpilka/status/1430643138666901513?s=03

CommonWealth Magazine article on this topic

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/spilka-lays-out-vaccine-mandate/

Senate President Karen Spilka speaks after Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signs new climate policy legislation, at the State House.. (Staff photo by Nicolaus Czarnecki/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Legislative Statement on Emergency Paid COVID Leave

Statement on Emergency Paid COVID Leave 

 

"The evidence is overwhelming: receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is the best way to keep our residents safe, end the pandemic in Massachusetts, and ensure we can continue the process of building a robust and equitable economic recovery. In order for the Governor's vaccine mandate to be successful, the Legislature will work to extend emergency paid COVID leave in the Commonwealth past the September 30, 2021 deadline and ensure that all workers have the opportunity to take time from work to receive the vaccine if and when they can." 

 

Senate President Karen E. Spilka 

Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano 

Senator Jason Lewis 

Representative Paul Donato 

Public comment on qualified immunity requested - hearing on Friday, Aug 20

The Special Commission on Qualified Immunity will host a virtual public comment meeting on Friday, August 20, at 11 a.m. to give members of the public an opportunity to share their views on qualified immunity and its impact on the administration of justice in the Commonwealth. This will provide everyone an opportunity to share their perspectives with the Commission as it works its way through the various provisions of the charge from the reform legislation passed last year. 

The public hearing will be livestreamed on the Commonwealth’s website at https://malegislature.gov/. To register to testify, individuals must provide contact information on this Form (https://forms.gle/qujupLFGAKA81jNW7) at by 5:00 p.m. on August 19, 2021. Written testimony may be submitted by e-mail to jacqueline.o.manning@mahouse.gov or by mail to Qualified Immunity Commission, 24 Beacon Street, Room 136, Boston, Massachusetts 02133. 

The legal doctrine of qualified immunity is a complex one and legal scholars do not all agree on its application, which is why Rep. Roy filed an amendment (#204) (link below) that created the special legislative commission to study the origins and interpretation of qualified immunity. The precise language that was adopted can be found by clicking here (link below).  

Over the past few months, the Commission has heard from academic experts, studied the impacts of Chapter 253 of the Acts of 2020 (commonly referred to as the “Police Reform Law”) on the doctrine, and reviewed recent legislation passed in other states and jurisdictions relative to qualified immunity. 

To learn more about the members of the Commission, review documents discussed by the commission and read the charge please visit its website at https://qicommissionma.com/. 

Rep Roy's amendment ->  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/GetAmendmentContent/191/H4860/204/House/Preview

Language adopted ->  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/GetAmendmentContent/191/H4860/C/House/Preview

Download a copy of the PDF for this press release

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13xPpKlWapG2FimbhakTVJaZsxKl-kpkS/view?usp=sharing

Public comment on qualified immunity requested  - hearing on Friday, Aug 20

Massachusetts State Senate Overrides Governor’s Vetoes on Fiscal Year 2022 Funding

Massachusetts State Senate Overrides Governor's Vetoes on Fiscal Year 2022 Funding

Ensures adequate funding for school districts, RTAs, police training, behavioral health and more 

The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed a bill to override Governor Charlie Baker's vetoes on certain items in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget passed earlier this month. The actions taken by the Senate will ensure adequate funding for school districts, regional transit authorities (RTAs), and public and mental health supports, as well as the implementation of last year's landmark police reform bill. Additionally, the bill includes measures to reinstate certain guidance relevant to state bodies such as the MBTA and prison facilities.

"Our Fiscal Year 2022 budget was carefully crafted and debated to ensure the success of our efforts to get back to better by focusing on resources and services that are critical to everyday life in the Commonwealth," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "The Senate refuses to compromise on investing in public transportation, our schools, and behavioral health supports, among other things, which are so important to our recovery. I would like to thank Chair Rodrigues, the entire Ways and Means committee, and my colleagues for acting swiftly to override the Governor's actions.

"The votes we took to swiftly override the Governor's vetoes ensure we stay the course and uphold the spirit of a forward-looking, fiscally responsible Fiscal Year 2022 budget plan that this Senate passed unanimously a few weeks ago," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "I want to thank my friend, Senate President Spilka for her close counsel and leadership, Chair Michlewitz for his continued partnership, the members and staff of Ways and Means for their hard work and my colleagues and their staffs for their input throughout this process. Collectively, our actions today support our Commonwealth and our communities, providing municipalities with critical resources necessary to meet the requirements of police reform, preserving an equitable funding stream for our regional transit authorities, while taking a common-sense approach to fulfill future obligations we know exist—fully funding the Student Opportunity and meeting our state pension needs."

Many of the Governor's vetoes were cost-cutting measures deemed unnecessary by the Legislature in light of the state's need to invest in crucial programs and services. Gubernatorial vetoes threatened $150,000 in funding for the children's behavioral health advisory council, as well as $150,000 for Emergency Family Assistance Shelters. With the Legislature's overrides, these funds are now restored.

To offset the cost of charter schools on school districts, this legislation reinstates a policy of 100 per cent charter school tuition reimbursement for school districts which have reached the spending cap on charter schools, thereby providing $2.9 million to school districts across the Commonwealth. For local transportation, $3.5 million is reinstated to enable Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) to operate effectively as use of public transportation picks back up.

Last year's omnibus police reform legislation, An Act relative to justice, equity and accountability in law enforcement in the Commonwealth, included provisions requiring cities and towns in Massachusetts to follow new officer training standards. In line with this, the Legislature set aside $1 million in funding to pay cities and towns for costs incurred by new training programs, which the Governor vetoed entirely. The override legislation reinstates this funding so that cities and towns can be compliant with the police reform law without additional financial burden.

Citing fiscal concerns, the Senate also voted to further delay implementation of a tax deduction for charitable donations until at least 2023.

"The trigger for the charitable tax deduction was the income tax hitting 5 per cent, and that happened January 1, 2020," said Senator Adam G. Hinds (D-Pittsfield). "In the period between the triggering event and the start of the implementation of the charitable tax deduction, COVID-19 hit and completely changed our economic picture. A delay makes sense until we have more clarity on the economy and our revenue absent federal assistance."

The Fiscal Year 2022 budget conference report included two transfers of FY22 funds to help support known obligations that the Commonwealth will face in the future: fully funding the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) and unfunded state pension obligations. The Governor sent an amendment back asserting that there may not be sufficient surplus funds to make the transfers as proposed and recommended using FY21 funds instead. The Senate adopted a further amendment yesterday that suggests funding these transfers to the highest level possible given actual revenues at the time the transfer is to take place, thus providing flexibility to react to an uncertain future revenue picture while still requiring surplus funded to be dedicated to cover these future obligations.

In addition to funding projects across the Commonwealth, the legislation passed on Thursday encourages the MBTA to develop 'shovel-ready projects,' or projects in their final stages of development, in anticipation of incoming federal dollars and their requirements. The Senate also reinstated guidance on releasing, transitioning, or furloughing inmates from Massachusetts prisons in a timely manner.

Having previously been passed by the House, the overrides now return to the Governor's desk with a veto-proof majority.

Massachusetts State Senate Overrides Governor’s Vetoes

Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When? Written by Dr. Ron Jarmin, U.S. Census Bureau Acting Director Since releasing the apportionment results in April, we've had several teams working hard on the next set of 2020 Census data — the redistricting data. These data play an important role in our democracy and will begin to illuminate the changes to the local and demographic makeup of our nation over the last decade. These data include the first sub-state population counts and demographic characteristics from the census, information that states typically use for redistricting — the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries based on where their populations have increased or decreased.  Although redistricting is a state function, the U.S. Census Bureau performs an important role in the process — providing quality data to the states from the census that states may choose to use in redistricting.  Continue reading the article ->  https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/director/2021/07/redistricting-data.html Video: What is Redistricting? Video link -> https://youtu.be/O0MhAue2Tuk Hear from the Census Bureau's James Whitehorne, chief of the redistricting and voting rights data office, and Nicholas Jones, director and senior advisor of race and ethnicity research and outreach, as they answer common questions about the upcoming 2020 Census data release.  We serve as the nation's leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. The Census Bureau is the federal government's largest statistical agency. We are a scientific organization focused on data. Policy-makers, businesses, and the public use our information to make far-reaching decisions.

The Climate Minute: Advice on how to lobby your elected representative (audio)

"Climate activist can take advantage of opportunities to speak with their elected officials.  Lobbying can seem intimidating. What is the best way to do it?  We talk to a legislator about what he hopes to hear from people who come to talk to him about pending legislation."

Ted McIntrye talks with State Representative Jeff Roy about this topic. The conversation runs about 14 minutes.

Audio link =>  https://massclimateaction.podbean.com/e/advice-on-how-to-lobby-your-elected-the-climate-minute/

 

The Climate Minute: Advice on how to lobby your elected representative (audio)

Massachusetts Legislature Passes FY22 Budget

 

Massachusetts Legislature Passes FY22 Budget

The Massachusetts State Legislature on Friday unanimously passed a $48.07 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). This budget maintains fiscal responsibility, does not cut services, and makes targeted investments to address emerging needs, safeguard the health and wellness of the most vulnerable populations and ensure residents will benefit equitably as the state recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"With this budget, we can continue our work of getting back to better with a focus on increasing resources for services that are critical to everyday life in the Commonwealth," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "This compromise proposal, which does not draw from our rainy day fund, helps prepare us for the road ahead by investing in mental and behavioral health services, Family Resource Centers, early education and care, K-12, and more, along with providing additional supports for vulnerable families. I want to thank my partner, House Speaker Mariano, as well as Senator Rodrigues, Representative Michlewitz, the members and staff of Ways and Means as well as my colleagues and their staffs for their collaboration in advancing this proposal."

"As we recover from uncertain times during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Legislature is proud to deliver a budget that thoughtfully grows the Massachusetts economy, spurs job training and employment opportunities, expands services and programs, and invests in our long-term priorities, such as growing our Stabilization Fund and implementing the Student Opportunity Act," said Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). "I am proud of my House colleagues and would like to thank Chair Michlewitz, Vice Chair Ferrante and Assistant Vice Chair Donato for their diligent work during this process. I would also like to thank Senate President Spilka and her colleagues in the Senate for their hard work and collaboration."

Taking into consideration strong tax revenue performance in Fiscal Year 2021 (FY 2021), the final FY22 conference report increases revenue assumptions by $4.2 billion over the December consensus revenue projection for a new tax revenue projection of $34.35 billion. The FY22 budget does not make a withdrawal and instead transfers funds into the Stabilization Fund, projecting an estimated balance of approximately $5.8 billion for this crucial 'rainy day' fund at the end of the fiscal year.

Notably, the Legislature provides substantial funds in the FY22 budget to invest in the Commonwealth's long-term obligations. Prioritizing funding for education, the new Student Opportunity Act Investment fund was funded at $350 million to be utilized in the coming years for the implementation of the state's landmark Student Opportunity Act (SOA). Additionally, a supplemental payment of $250 million was transferred to the Pension Liability Fund to reduce the Commonwealth's pension liability.

"Built upon a resilient and steadily improving economy, the FY 2022 Conference Committee Report is a forward-looking, fiscally responsible plan that doubles down on our commitment to an equitable recovery; bolsters our Rainy Day fund, ensuring healthy reserves for years to come, and more importantly, leaves our Commonwealth in a much stronger fiscal position than before the COVID-19 pandemic," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "Thank you to Senate President Spilka for her continued leadership and support, Senators Friedman and O'Connor for their invaluable contributions on the Conference Committee, Chairman Michlewitz and the House conferees for their partnership, and to all of my colleagues for their advocacy and input throughout this budget process. Because of our collective work together, we have charted a hopeful path forward by investing to expand educational opportunity, safeguard the health and wellness of our most vulnerable, support our children and families, strengthen local public health efforts, meet the workforce needs of our post-pandemic economy, and so much more. I look forward to the Governor signing this budget."

"As we vote on the final FY2022 budget, we mark a capstone to a volatile 16-month odyssey we have seen since the pandemic first struck the Commonwealth, but thankfully this roller coaster is letting us exit off today at a peak and not a valley. We have come out of the last year and a half in a stronger fiscal situation than anyone could have ever imagined.  For us to be in this favorable of a situation is a testament to the fortitude and resolve of the Legislature," said Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means (D-Boston). "The investments made in this budget will go a long way to improve the economic outlook for the Commonwealth in an efficient and equitable manner."

As a cornerstone of the Commonwealth's equitable recovery, the FY22 budget protects access to educational opportunity and charts a path forward for students, families, educators, and institutions. The budget maintains the Legislature's commitment to implementing the Student Opportunity Act by FY 2027. The conference report proposal fully funds the first year of the SOA consistent with the $5.503 billion local aid agreement reached in March, amounting to an increase of $220 million over FY21.

Despite the uncertainty created by the pandemic, this increased level of investment represents a 1/6th implementation of SOA rates and ensures that school districts across the Commonwealth have adequate and equitable resources to provide high quality educational opportunities for all students. The FY22 budget also includes a $40 million reserve consistent with the March local aid agreement to provide additional aid to districts experiencing increases in student enrollment compared to October 2020.

The budget invests in higher education allocating $571 million for the University of Massachusetts system, $315 million for community colleges, and $291 million for state universities. The budget also includes $130 million in scholarship funding and funds the community colleges SUCCESS Fund at $10.5 million and the STEM Starter Academy at $4.75 million.

The budget also includes large investments in labor and economic development, such as the creation of a trust fund dedicated to job training for the offshore wind industry to be administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. This budget makes an initial deposit into this fund of $13 million to establish and grow technical training programs in our public higher education system and vocational-technical institutions. The fund will also prioritize grants and scholarships to adult learning providers, labor organizations, and public educational institutions to provide workers with greater access to these trainings.

Other education investments include:

• $388.4 million for the Special Education Circuit Breaker, reimbursing school districts for the high cost of educating students with disabilities at the statutorily required 75% reimbursement rate
• $154.6 million for reimbursing school districts at 75% for costs incurred when students leave to attend charter schools
• $82.2 million for regional school transportation
• $50 million for Adult Basic Education
• $27.9 million for the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program
• $6 million for Social Emotional Learning Grants to help K-12 schools bolster social emotional learning supports for students, including $1M for a new pilot program to provide mental health screenings for K-12 students
• $4 million for Rural School Aid

"We could not have predicted the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but over the past 16 months we have done our best to prepare for the future, and I'm proud the FY22 budget continues that work by making robust short- and long-term investments in mental and behavioral health services, education, local health departments, and so much more," said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and member of the FY22 Budget Conference Committee. "I sincerely thank Senate President Spilka, Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues, and the rest of my colleagues in the Legislature for their work supporting all residents of the Commonwealth, especially those most in need."

"Today's passage of the FY 22 Budget is a reflection of sound and prudent decisions made by the Legislature to move the Commonwealth's economy forward," said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Vice Chair of House Ways & Means (D-Gloucester).  "This year's budget continues in that tradition by investing, protecting and growing jobs in our film industry, depositing funds into the Stabilization Fund and Accelerating Payments into the Pension Fund, all while protecting our most vulnerable by increasing the Commonwealth's investment in mental health and the student opportunity act. I want to congratulate Speaker Mariano and Chair Michlewitz for a job well done."

This budget supports working families by addressing the increasing costs of caregiving for low-income families by converting the existing tax deductions for young children, elderly or disabled dependents and business-related dependent care expenses into refundable tax credits. These tax credits will benefit low-income families who have little or no personal income tax liability and cannot claim the full value of the existing deductions. The conversion to a refundable tax credit would provide an additional $16 million to over 85,000 families each year. Coupled with the expanded Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care tax credits under the federal American Rescue Plan Act, these credits will help lift families out of poverty and support low-income working parents and caregivers across the Commonwealth.

The FY22 budget builds on the success of last year's efforts to tackle 'deep poverty' with a 20 per cent increase to Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) benefits over December 2020 levels, ensuring families receive the economic supports they need to live, work and provide stability for their children. Further, the final budget repeals the asset limit for Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Traditionally, asset limits on assistance programs further expose those who are already financially vulnerable to greater economic hardship. While families are recovering from the impacts of COVID-19, it is vital to make assistance programs accessible and effective, and removing the asset limit allows families to save for education, job training, reliable transportation, home expenses, and other emergency needs.

Other children and family investments include:

• $30.5 million for Emergency Food Assistance to ensure that citizens in need can navigate the historic levels of food insecurity caused by COVID-19
• $7.5 million for grants to our Community Foundations to support communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic
• $5 million for the Secure Jobs Connect program, providing job placement resources and assistance for homeless individuals
• $4.2 million for the Office of the Child Advocate, including $1M for the establishment and operation of a state center on child wellness and trauma
• $2.5 million for Children Advocacy Centers

To help families get back to work, the FY22 conference report includes $820 million for the early education sector, including $20 million to increase rates for early education providers, $15 million for Massachusetts Head Start programs, $10 million for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative to expand public preschool, and $9 million to cover the cost of fees for parents receiving subsidized early education in calendar year 2021.

The FY22 budget provides resources to help with housing stability, including $150 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program to expand access to affordable housing, $85 million for grants to local housing authorities, $22M for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition Program and $8 million for Housing Consumer Education Centers to help administer nearly $1 billion in federal housing relief.

"This budget represents an essential step forward as our Commonwealth looks ahead to recovering from the pandemic and rebuilding a strong and equitable economy for Massachusetts families, businesses and communities," said Senator Jason Lewis, Assistant Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. "I'm especially proud that this budget invests substantially in Massachusetts K-12 public schools and in early education and child care, which form a key pillar of economic opportunity for millions of working parents and families across the state."

"I'd like to say how proud we are to have passed the budget today," said Representative Paul J. Donato, Assistant Vice Chair of House Ways & Means (D-Medford). "We are growing our rainy day fund as well as the aid of vital state programs, such as the Chapter 70 program which provides financial support to public elementary and secondary schools, as well as funding for transportation, infrastructure and economic development projects. I look forward to seeing the results of this vital funding in the near future."

The budget makes the state's film tax credit permanent and requires an increase in the percentage of production expenses or principal photography days in the Commonwealth from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. The film tax credit was set to expire in January 2023. The budget also includes a disability employment tax credit for employers that hire employees with a disability.

To ensure long-term fiscal responsibility, FY22 budget repeals three ineffective tax expenditures as recommended by the Tax Expenditure Review Commission (TERC), namely the exemption of income from the sale of certain patents, the medical device tax credit, and the harbor maintenance tax credit, effective January 1, 2022. The TERC found that these tax expenditures are either obsolete, fail to provide a meaningful incentive, or fail to justify their cost to the Commonwealth. The TERC was created as part of a Senate budget initiative in Fiscal Year 2019.

"While it took some extra time to produce, this budget has been worth the wait," said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). "We prioritized our spending to address the needs of the Commonwealth, investing in our long-term obligations while also building our reserves to historic highs to mitigate future revenue shortfalls. The budget balances present day needs and future obligations, whether they be educational funding or the pension obligations we face down the road. The budget also takes an important step forward in addressing the rights of sexual assault survivors by requiring all previously untested investigatory evidence kits to be tested within 180 days, building on the important reforms we enacted three years ago to assist survivors."

"Traveling the road to a state budget for Fiscal Year 2022 has been an odyssey filled with challenge and uncertainty, but by working together we have arrived at a spending document free of broad-based tax increases and stabilization fund withdrawals," stated Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). "Now, with the acceptance of this conference committee report, we are on a path to support important priorities like education, regional school transportation, public health, and support for our cities and towns, while boosting out stabilization fund and other reserves to provide stability and continuity for the future"

"The investments we are making throughout the Commonwealth move us closer to our goal of ensuring no one gets left behind in our recovery efforts," said Senator Patrick O'Connor (R-Weymouth). "By investing in education, infrastructure, public health, housing, and more, we are investing in the livelihoods of our children, families, seniors, and small businesses. I am proud to have worked alongside my colleagues on the conference committee in a bipartisan fashion to make our state stronger and improve the quality of life for everyone that calls Massachusetts home."

"This budget reflects a bipartisan collaboration that funds the most important programs in our Commonwealth," said Representative Todd Smola (R-Warren). "Our commitment to local aid and education continues to be a primary focus and we are adding significant dollars to our stabilization fund, which provides us greater financial security for the future. This budget supports essential services and resources that are critically important given the challenges of the last year."

The Legislature's FY22 budget confronts the frontline health care impacts of the pandemic to navigate the challenges posed by COVID-19. It also sustains support for the state's safety net by funding MassHealth at a total of $18.98 billion, thereby providing over 2 million of the Commonwealth's children, seniors, and low-income residents access to comprehensive health care coverage. It also invests $15 million to support local and regional boards of health as they continue to work on the front lines against the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Understanding that the pandemic has been a stressor on mental and behavioral health, the FY22 budget invests $175.6 million for substance use disorder and intervention services provided by the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. It also invests $12.5 million to support a student telebehavioral health pilot, public awareness campaigns, loan forgiveness for mental health clinicians, and initiatives to mitigate emergency department boardings for individuals in need of behavioral health support, as well as $10 million for Programs of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) grants to provide intensive, community-based behavioral health services for adolescents.

Other health care and public health investments include:

• $98.4 million for children's mental health services, including $3.9M for the Massachusetts Child Psychiatric Access Program (MCPAP) and MCPAP for Moms to address mental health needs of pregnant and postpartum women
• $25 million for Family Resource Centers (FRCs) to grow and improve the mental health resources and programming available to families
• $56.1 million for domestic violence prevention services
• $40.8 million for early intervention services, to ensure supports are accessible and available to infants and young toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities, including funds to support health equity initiatives

To support economic development, the FY22 budget increases access to high quality and reliable broadband—which is crucial for businesses, students and families—by moving the duties of the Wireless and Broadband Development Division to the Department of Telecommunications, which is working to facilitate access to broadband, and has the institutional ability and knowledge to address broadband access issues. The budget also includes a $17 million transfer to the Workforce Competitiveness Trust fund, $15.4 million for Career Technical Institutes, and $9.5 million for one-stop career centers to support economic recovery.

Other investments in economic and workforce development include:

• $15 million for the Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant Program
• $6 million for Regional Economic Development Organizations to support economic growth in all regions of the state
• $2.5 million for the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Innovation Fund, including $1.5 million for new regional security operation centers, which will partner with community colleges and state universities to provide cybersecurity workforce training to students and cybersecurity services to municipalities, non-profits, and small businesses

To protect residents of the Commonwealth, the FY22 budget codifies and expands the existing Governor's task force on hate crimes to advise on issues relating to hate crimes, ways to prevent hate crimes and how best to support victims of hate crimes. The conference report makes the task force permanent and expands its membership to include members of the Legislature and an appointee from the Attorney General. The conference report also contains a provision that supports immigrants who are victims of criminal activity or human trafficking.

The budget also authorizes funds from the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Innovation Fund to be used for monitoring and detection of threat activity in order to investigate or mitigate cybersecurity incidents. In order to proactively combat threats and attacks, the budget provides funding for a public-private partnership with the goal of engaging educational institutions to jointly expand the training, employment and business development in cyber fields in Massachusetts through a combination of regionalized instruction and business outreach, state-wide shared resources, and real-life simulations for cyber training and business development.

Having been passed by the House and Senate, the legislation now goes to Governor Baker for his signature.

The FY 2022 budget docs can be found online ->  https://malegislature.gov/Budget/FY2022/ConferenceCommittee

Senator Rausch: Beacon Hill Summer Update

Policymaking is in full swing, and you could win $1 milllion?

View this email in your browser Senator Rausch State House Briefing   Part 2, Chapter 8 (June 30, 2021)  Dear friends,    Summer is here! And with it came the end of the declared COVID-19 state of emergency, though the persistently inequitable public health crisis remains (especially with the emergence of the delta variant in Massachusetts). Earlier this month, the Senate passed a bill to extend numerous provisions implemented in the early days of the pandemic to facilitate Bay Staters' access to resources and help communities continue to operate even while remaining physically apart. Although there was a brief lapse, I am pleased to report that the House engrossed a similar extension bill, and the Governor signed it into law. This means we've got evictions protections, virtual public body meetings, and outdoor dining until April 1, 2022; cocktails to go until May 1, 2022; continued representative town meeting remote options; and several other extensions. We still have plenty more work to do, including the pressing questions of telehealth pay parity, 2021 voting access (and my MAIL-in Voting Act for permanent solutions), remote open town meetings, and exorbitant third party service delivery fees, to name a few.    Some of this work is already underway in the usual course of the legislative process. All the timely filed bills have been assigned to committees, the hearings are happening (virtually, as we continue to protect public health), and both chambers passed versions of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. I proudly secured funding in the Senate budget for a statewide youth mental health support text line, reproductive justice advancements, and several local priorities, including anti-racism work in our district. Many of my priority bills have already had early hearings, including several elections bills (like local option ranked choice voting) and two of my reproductive justice bills (the Pregnant Persons Health Act and licensing midwives who provide home birth care). I hope you'll read more about my ongoing advancement of our shared values on Beacon Hill through legislation and committee leadership and service.  My team and I also continue to directly engage with constituents throughout our district. Last month, we held our first youth legislative forum (stay tuned for details about the next one!), and our virtual office hours are still going strong. I'm excited to see folks during the upcoming Needham July 4th parade (on July 5th this year) and hopefully an increasing number of in-person opportunities to reconnect safely.  For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me and my team via phone (617-722-1555) or email (becca.rausch@masenate.gov). We are here to help. Our COVID-19 resources are still available on my website. Remember to mask up indoors and keep your distance if you are not vaccinated or otherwise at higher risk.  I wish you and your loved ones strength, health, resilience, and joy.     Yours in service,     Senator Becca Rausch    Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway Tomorrow (July 1, 2021), any Bay Stater who has received their COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible for massive prizes for doing their part in keeping our communities safe. Five vaccinated people 18 or older in Massachusetts will win $1 million, while five people 12-17 years old will win a college scholarship.  Don't miss out! For more information, go to https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-vaxmillions-giveaway. The newsletter was shortened for publication here, to view the full contents visit https://mailchi.mp/39090df6ccd7/reopeningupdate-14536100?e=0c2c9810fe

Boston Globe: "Warning of a coming ‘Egg-mageddon,’ Mass. lawmakers move to alter animal welfare ballot measure passed in 2016"

"The cracks started appearing a few years after Massachusetts voters in 2016 approved a ballot initiative that effectively mandated that all eggs sold in the state come from cage-free hens.

The law, backed by nearly 8 of 10 voters, was pushed by top animal welfare groups in order to create what they argued were more humane standards for animals.

Now, warning of an “Egg-mageddon” — a severe egg shortage that would send prices spiking — lawmakers are moving to change the measure before it goes into effect in 2022. The proposal would reduce the floor space requirements for hens housed in facilities where they are able to move vertically, a change supporters argue would bring Massachusetts in line with a standard developed over the last five years. The effort has the support of both the egg industry, which largely opposed the 2016 reforms, and animal welfare groups that spent millions to pass them, including the Humane Society of the United States."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/25/metro/warning-coming-egg-mageddon-lawmakers-move-alter-animal-welfare-ballot-measure-passed-by-huge-majority-voters/

Senate Passes $261.6 Million FY 2021 Supplemental Budget

Today (06/24/21), the Massachusetts State Senate passed a $261.6 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) to primarily address time-sensitive deficiencies, cover costs related to implementation of the 2020 landmark police reform law and make investments to support the Commonwealth's continued recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Senate continues to pave the way to an equitable recovery, the supplemental budget passed today includes $131 million to provide support and stability for our early educator workforce, $27.9 million for one-time economic relief payments to families on transitional assistance, and $12.5 million for costs associated with the implementation of last session's landmark police reform bill.

"As we carefully emerge into a post-pandemic world, we must continue to keep a close eye on areas which are critical to our Commonwealth's wellbeing," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "This supplemental budget provides us additional tools to ensure such areas as early education, public health, veteran and family services and transportation remain resilient as we get back to better. I want to thank Chair Rodrigues, Vice Chair Friedman, the team at Senate Ways and Means and my colleagues for their work and collaboration on this proposal."

"As we continue on the path toward our new normal, the supplemental budget passed today by the Senate allows us to pay our bills to address time sensitive needs, while meeting the immediate challenges facing our Commonwealth by investing in our early educator workforce, helping vulnerable families and fulfilling our funding obligations to ensure timely implementation of the police reform law. Additionally, in response to the tragic passing of Worcester Police Officer Familia, this budget includes an amendment we adopted unanimously to close an existing loophole in line of duty death benefits so the families of fallen police officers can get what they are owed," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means (D-Westport). "Thank you to Senate President Spilka for her steady leadership and continued support and to all of my colleagues in the Senate for their advocacy on behalf of their communities as we continue to recover from the lasting impacts of this pandemic."

"This spending bill maintains funding for critical services throughout the Commonwealth," said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "It was particularly important that we made investments in our early education and care system, and that we reformed the representation of the MBTA's governance and management board to better reflect the population it serves."

To maintain the Senate's strong support for early educators who have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic, the supplemental budget invests $131 million of federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding into the Early Education and Care (EEC) COVID-19 Stabilization and Workforce reserve. This funding will provide early educator stabilization grants, workforce supports and system-wide technology upgrades. 

In addition to supporting early educators, the Senate's supplemental budget takes meaningful action to combat the lingering effects of the economic crises the Commonwealth has faced over the last 15 months and ensure families receive the economic supports they need to live, work and provide stability for their children. To that end, the budget passed today invests $27.9 million to provide for one-time payments to families that receive Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) benefits, totaling $525 to $580 per child.

Additionally, the supplemental budget provides $12.5 million to cover costs related to the implementation of last session's landmark police reform bill. These funds will be used to support bridge academies for reserve officers and special state police officers previously not subject to the same training requirements as the general law enforcement population, support the first diverse state police cadet class, and to meet municipal police training requirements on mandatory training on de-escalation, use of force, and school resource officers.

With the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's (MBTA) Fiscal Management and Control Board set to expire on June 30, 2021, the supplemental budget passed by the Senate today establishes a new seven-member MBTA Board of Directors effective July 1, 2021 and contains a number of changes on the overall governance and oversight of the MBTA. The changes include:

·       Establishing the composition of the MBTA Board of Directors. It will comprise seven members and consist of the Secretary of Transportation, serving ex officio; five members appointed by the Governor; and one member appointed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board. 

·       Requiring that one member of the MBTA Board of Directors appointed by the Governor be a rider that uses the services of the Authority and is a resident of an environmental justice population. 

·       Requiring that one member of the MBTA Board of Directors appointed by the Governor be selected from a list of three persons recommended by the president of the AFL-CIO. 

·       Requiring subcommittees on safety, health and environment, planning and workforce development, and audit and finance.

In addition, the Senate voted unanimously to allow the pension of a police officer who dies while performing their duties in certain emergencies to be paid to their surviving spouse. This change, which closes a loophole, was made to honor the service of Officer Manny Familia, a Worcester police officer who died in June while heroically attempting to save a 14-year-old boy from drowning. If the Senate's language is passed, this supplemental budget would ensure that Officer Familia's family receives the pension he earned.

Other notable highlights of the FY 2021 supplemental budget include:

• $31.9 million for the Medical Assistance Trust Fund;
• $13 million for National Guard activations, including pandemic-related work;
• $11 million for the Department of State Police for pandemic related costs;
• $9 million for increased COVID-19 costs at the Department of Public Health
• $7.8 million for home health aide rate increases;
• $5.4 million for the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldiers' Homes for pandemic-related costs.
• $5 million for the Police Officer Standards & Training (POST) Commission;

$1 million for the Supplier Diversity Office.

Having been previously passed by the House, the Senate and House will now work to reconcile outstanding differences between the supplemental budgets passed in each chamber before sending the bill to the Governor's desk.

Coverage from CommonWealth Magazine can be found: https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/lawmakers-cool-to-baker-spending-plans