Legislative Forum hears of limited help from state funding for school budget issue (audio)

FM #970 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 970 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the 5th Annual Franklin, MA School Committee Legislative Forum held on Monday, April 10, 2023.

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: School Committee members, key guests, and the public were in person in the Lecture Hall at Franklin High School. Others participated virtually via the Zoom webinar set up.

Senator Becca Rausch, and State Representative Jeffrey Roy participated in this 5th annual Forum

Links to the meeting agenda and my notes are included in the show notes. The recording runs about an hour and forty-five minutes, so let’s listen to the Legislative Forum held April 10, 2023.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-970-fps-legislative-forum-04-10-23

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Agenda doc  https://franklinps.net/district/events/93796

My notes  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oUmnGWn3v7UrVk-2xU1aXisoca6aB07x/view?usp=share_link 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Legislative Forum hears of limited help from state funding for school budget issue (audio)

School Committee: 2 key events this week - Legislative Forum Monday, School Budget vote on Tuesday

#1 - The Franklin School Committee's 5th Annual Legislative Forum is set for April 10th at 6:30 PM!  @BeccaRauschMA  &  @jeffroy  will address the challenges facing districts across the state, with a focus on Franklin. 

Learn more here:  https://franklinps.net/district/events/93796

#2 - The regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 11 includes the vote on the proposed FY 2024 budget. Full agenda content can be found online (link below).

The budget as proposed and voted by the committee will be scheduled for review by the Finance Committee during May (budget hearings scheduled for May 8, 10, 11) and then the Town Council (budget hearings scheduled for May 24 & 25).

Agenda document -> https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_4-11-23.pdf

Packet folder contains the documents released for this meeting (some will be posted AFTER the meeting - per School Committee policy)

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/april-11-2023-school-committee-meeting-packet

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled for April 10, 2023 at 6:30 PM

"The site operates as 'a nonpartisan, open source, and nonprofit project;”

"ONE OF THE most well-worn complaints among political watchers in Massachusetts is that the government can be, well, hard to watch. The state Legislature is one of the least transparent lawmaking bodies in the country – exempt from public records laws, with decisions often made in closed committee sessions with little revelation about who voted for or against a given piece of legislation.

Being generally outraged about local government on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites may be cathartic, but is perhaps not the most efficient way to push for change. Now a team of volunteers is taking a swing at making online engagement with the Legislature feel a bit more civil, structured, and achievable for individuals and organizations.

The website MAPLE (the Massachusetts Platform for Legislative Engagement) launched this month, focused on encouraging and facilitating public testimony on legislation. The Legislature does collect and post some public testimony already, but the MAPLE group is trying to improve what they see as an imperfect system. A motivating question for the co-creators was whether the online spaces where the public gathers to express views online could “be designed better to allow us to channel our energy for productive improvements for the communities that we touch?”

Continue reading the article online at Commonwealth Magazine ->

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/a-digital-push-for-more-legislative-participation-2/

Check out the MAPLE site yourself here ->  https://www.mapletestimony.org/

 

"The site operates as 'a nonpartisan, open source, and nonprofit project;” 

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled for April 10, 2023 at 6:30 PM

The Franklin School Committee's 5th Annual Legislative Forum is set for April 10th at 6:30pm!  @BeccaRauschMA  &  @jeffroy  will address the challenges facing districts across the state, with a focus on Franklin. 

Learn more here:  https://franklinps.net/district/events/93796

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled for April 10, 2023 at 6:30 PM

School Budget hearing Tuesday, March 28 at 7 PM - what we know, what we don't know

What we know: The Superintendent's recommended budget is asking for $2.8M more than last year. The Town only has about $3.2M in new growth forecasted. If the schools got their increase, then the remaining $.4M would be spread among the remaining Town functions: police, fire, DPW, Library, Senior Center, etc. So the $2,8M ask is not likely to be fully funded. 

What we don't know: How will the School budget be funded? Where will the funds come from? There is a Legislative Forum scheduled for April 10 but respectfully, we can't count on additional help from the State. 

The revised school funding formula, the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) already did that by keeping Franklin (and a few other communities) as 'held harmless.' What that means is that the old formula provided more funds to Franklin than the new one would. We benefited greatly during our growth periods of the 90's and 00's under the old formula. Now that our enrollment is in decline, rather than take away the excess of what the formula should give us (currently $11M) they are holding us harmless. 

We can thank our legislative delegation Senate President Karen Spilka, Senator Becca Rausch and State Representative Jeff Roy for this action. In addition to keeping us 'harmless' they did see that we could still benefit from state funding for our two biggest drivers of cost; Special Education Circuit breaker and transportation. 

For additional information on the complexity of transportation, Worcester School Committee member Tracy Novick writes:

"This piece about Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan discussing a home rule petition on transportation led me to tweet out this thread this morning, as it appears that two things are being confused. 

First, student transportation doesn't count towards net school spending in any district. Net school spending is specifically defined in 603 CMR 10.06, and it's standard: there isn't a difference between a regional and a municipal school district. There's a handful of things it doesn't include--crossing guards and building rentals are two others--and that's the case for every district.

What is different between municipal and regional district transportation is state reimbursement. Regional districts, under MGL Ch. 71, sec. 16C, have a requirement as to whom they furnish transportation and it is state reimbursed:

...the commonwealth shall reimburse such district to the full extent of the amounts expended for such transportation, subject to appropriation; provided, however, that no reimbursement for transportation between school and home shall be made on account of any pupil who resides less than one and one-half miles from the school of attendance, measured by a commonly traveled route.

The required transportation is reimbursed by the state, generally at about 75%, though this year it is projected to be 90%. "

Continue reading Tracy's piece here -> 

http://who-cester.blogspot.com/2023/03/a-note-on-transportation-reimbursements.html

The agenda doc contains remote participation info ->  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_3-28-23docx.pdf

The FY 2024 budget documents arranged in sections ->

https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget/pages/1-fy2024-budget

School Budget hearing Tuesday, March 28 at 7 PM

Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting - March 29 (virtual only)

Franklin Public Schools - Franklin School Committee

Community Relations Subcommittee

March 29, 2023 - 5:30 PM

Virtual Only

A G E N D A

"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be

discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."

●  Legislative Forum

The agenda doc contains remote participation info -> 

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/community_relations_sub_comm_agenda_3_29_23.pdf

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled - Monday, April 10, 2023

MMA: "Legislature passes supplemental budget with pandemic-era extensions, key investments"

The House and Senate both passed a compromise supplemental 2023 budget bill today that includes a majority of the governor’s proposed “immediate needs” bond bill as well as extensions of pandemic-related authorizations related to public meetings and outdoor dining.

The bill was originally filed by Gov. Maura Healey in January, and both chambers had passed slightly different versions earlier this month.

The final bill (H. 47) includes extensions to pandemic-related authorizations that were set to expire next week.

The bill would:

• Allow remote and hybrid meeting options for public bodies through March 31, 2025

• Allow remote and hybrid participation options for representative town meetings through March 31, 2025

• Permit reduced quorums for open town meetings through March 31, 2025

• Extend the expedited outdoor dining permit process through April 1, 2024

Continue reading the MMA article online ->
https://www.mma.org/legislature-passes-supplemental-budget-with-pandemic-era-extensions-key-investments/

The legislation started as H.47 and ended up on the Governor's desk as  H.58 ->  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H58

MMA: "Legislature passes supplemental budget with pandemic-era extensions, key investments"

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled - Monday, April 10, 2023

You're invited to join us for our 5th Annual Legislative Forum on Monday, April 10 at 6:30 PM in the Franklin High School Lecture Hall and via Zoom.

Our state legislators will be updating the Franklin community on important issues specifically related to education. Topics will include:

• The growing need for school-provided social services
• FY24 State budget
• The Student Opportunity Act
• Unfunded and underfunded state and federal education mandates
• Educator wellness and workforce elasticity amid the national teacher shortage
• Special Education funding

An opportunity for Q & A will be available for participants. We hope you will join us. 

For remote participation info ->   https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/legislative_forum_4_10_23.pdf

or visit the event page -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/events/93796

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled - Monday, April 10, 2023

Economic Development Subcommittee Plus Meeting - March 22, 2023 - 6 PM

Economic Development Subcommittee + Steering Committee Meeting

Agenda & Meeting Packet

March 22, 2023 - 6:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building

2nd floor, Council Chambers

355 East Central Street

Agenda:

1. Accessory Dwelling Units legislation

The agenda doc also includes remote participation info ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/edc_agenda_-_march_22_2023.pdf

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting - March 22, 2023

Franklin Public Schools hosts "Legislative Forum" on April 10, 2023

Franklin Public Schools - Franklin School Committee

Legislative Forum

Monday, April 10, 2023 from 6:00 - 8:30 PM

Franklin High School - Lecture Hall

A G E N D A

"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."

 

● Legislative Forum

Agenda doc also contains remote participation info -> 

https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/agenda/legislative-forum

Franklin Public Schools hosts "Legislative Forum" on April 10, 2023

The Codcast: "Lawmakers walk tightrope on wind power contracts" (audio)

"The Legislature’s energy experts say it makes sense to penalize CommonWealth Wind and Mayflower Wind if they default on their recently approved power purchase contracts, but the lawmakers don’t want the penalties to include a ban on participation in an upcoming offshore wind procurement.

The House and Senate chairs of the Legislature’s Utilities, Telecommunications, and Energy Committee say the state needs to walk a fine line between penalizing the companies but not penalizing itself. "

Continue reading the article at CommonWealth Magazine 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/podcast/lawmakers-walk-tightrope-on-wind-power-contracts/

Listen to the podcast episode here -> https://on.soundcloud.com/qsmnM

CommonWealth Magazine · Lawmakers walk tightrope on wind power contracts

Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington (left) and Rep. Jeffrey Roy of Franklin, the chairs of Legislature's Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee.

Senate President Karen Spilka: Happy Holidays! The 192nd Legislative Session in Review

Plus news from the district & around the state

Updates from Beacon Hill & MetroWest Happy Holidays! The hustle and bustle of the holiday season are finally upon us and with it comes an opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and plan for the year ahead. We have so much to be thankful for: our family, friends, neighbors, and community. This season, I am thankful for your support and what we've accomplished together. As we begin 2023—and a new two-year legislative session—I am looking forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the Senate and all of you to build a strong, inclusive, innovative and compassionate Commonwealth. From my family to yours, I wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.   As always, my office is available if you need assistance or wish to share your opinion. You can email me at karen.spilka@masenate.gov or call 617-722-1500. Warm regards, Reflecting on the last two years As 2022 comes to a close, so too does the 192nd Legislative Session of the Massachusetts General Court, our state's legislature. The 2021-2022 Legislative Session proved to be a historic and exciting time as the Massachusetts State Senate works to address the challenges affecting every one of us. As our state continues to recover from the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to deliver relief to workers, families, and small businesses, centering them in our strategy to promote an equitable recovery for all. In response to worrying trends at the national level, we expanded Massachusetts residents' access to voting, protected our right to receive reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare, and be safe from gun violence. We also passed two major bills, now law, aimed at combatting climate change, positioning Massachusetts as a leader in this fight. Of course, no reflection on the last two years would be complete without celebrating passage of my priority issue, bringing long overdue reform to our mental and behavioral health care delivery system and ensuring that everyone can get the mental health care they need, when they need it. With the signing of the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 into law in August 2022, all residents will soon be guaranteed a free mental health assessment, we will have tools to enforce parity for mental health coverage and we will take significant steps toward addressing the emergency room boarding crisis. And having spoken with representatives from the White House who believe that our mental health care reform bill can and will serve as model legislation for the United States, I am grateful to know that we will be providing hope for the entire nation. Our state has an important role to play as a national leader and a beacon of hope to so many. I look forward to tackling the challenges that the new session will bring. Highlights of the 192nd Legislative Session Below, are just a few of the most prominent issues which my colleagues and I in the Massachusetts State Senate addressed in the 2021-2022 Legislative Session. You can read more about all of these in the Senate's Session Report. READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

The newsletter was shortened for publication here. To review the full set of contents, please visit this link ->    https://drive.google.com/file/d/17F28czHEgzLmIfRs6TGfYg-8gWmma5KZ/view?usp=share_link

Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Open Spaces

The Massachusetts Legislature on Thursday passed legislation that protects open and public spaces throughout the Commonwealth and ensures their conservation for future generations. This legislation, known as the Public Land Preservation Act, permanently preserves and protects the amount of land designated as open spaces and prevents it from being used for other purposes. 

 

“As we work to mitigate the effects of climate change we see and feel every day, it’s important that we do not allow the quality and acreage of open lands in Massachusetts to decrease,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Open lands protect against floods, reduce heat from man-made roads and cities, increase carbon capture from plants and soils, protect our clean drinking water, and provide residents with wonderful outdoor recreational opportunities. I want to thank all the conferees, especially Senator DiDomenico for his leadership and Senator Eldridge for his years of attention and perseverance in seeing this legislation passed, as well as Senator Rodrigues for his review and support.” 

  

“I am thrilled that we have reached an agreement on this bill which will protect our public land so our communities can have parks, green spaces, and clean water to enjoy throughout the Commonwealth,” said Senator Sal N. DiDomenico (D-Everett), Chair of the Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. “Protecting our public lands is so critically important in our state because they also help protect our residents from the effects of climate change; our forests keep our air clean, our trees cool down our streets and communities, and our wetlands mitigate the effects of flooding and storms. I am grateful for Senate President Spilka’s dedication to getting this important bill passed, Senator Eldridge and Representative Balser for their years of work on this issue, and all the conference committee members for their help getting this bill over the finish line.” 

 

“I am extremely proud that an agreement has been reached between the House and Senate on the landmark Public Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which will strengthen the state’s commitment to ensuring that there is no net loss of open space in the Commonwealth," said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and the bill’s original sponsor. "I'm grateful to Senate President Spilka's commitment to passing this environmental legislation, the work of the conferees, and the persistent advocacy by conservation groups. I also want to acknowledge the godfather of PLPA, Phil Saunders, who dedicated his professional life to passing this bill.” 

 

“With the passage of the Public Lands Preservation Act today, our public lands and open spaces will be preserved and protected for current and future generations to come,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Thank you to Senate President Spilka for her leadership and thank you to Senator Eldridge, Senator DiDomenico, and others for their leadership on this vital issue as well. Ensuring the preservation of our most important public lands, farms, recreational areas, drinking water supply lands, sensitive wildlife habitats, forests, and other conservation and open space lands is critical in our collective efforts to adapt to and confront climate change, while protecting the public health of our communities, and passage of this legislation is a testament to the Senate’s steadfast commitment to protecting our environment at all costs.” 

  

Since its passage as a ballot initiative in 1972, Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution has recognized the importance of public lands. Lands acquired for conservation purposes under Article 97 have protected status, and such lands’ sale or conversion to other use must be approved by a two-thirds vote of each branch of the Legislature. Recognizing the importance of maintaining public lands, the Legislature, working with the Administration, has for many years ensured ‘no net loss’ of open spaces by requiring equivalent replacement land into open space when disposing of Article 97 land.  

 

The conference report passed by the Legislature today codifies a ‘no net loss’ policy into law, making it legally binding. It ensures a public process takes place when a public entity considers disposing of Article 97 land and that replacement land is located nearby and of comparable acreage, fair market value, and natural resource value. The legislation includes a provision that allows for a cash payment in lieu of replacement land, provided that the payment amount is no less than 110 per cent of the value of the land and the money is used to purchase replacement land within three years.  

 

Having passed the Senate and the House of Representatives, the bill now goes before the Governor for his consideration.

Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Open Spaces

Representative Roy step therapy bill signed into law (video)

Patients in Massachusetts will have better access to a wider array of medications after Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy’s step therapy bill was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker last week. Roy filed the bill in the House with Rep. Marjorie Decker (D- Cambridge). The bill will curtail the policy of insurance providers insisting on lower-cost treatments before approving coverage of more expensive medications.

"We've heard countless stories of patients being forced to take drugs that their health insurers want as opposed to what their doctors think is best," said Rep. Roy. "This is a great, common-sense measure to help patients get the care that their physician believes they need. It removes needless insurance protocols that delay necessary treatment and access to medication and removes the barriers that interfere with sound medical judgments made within the confines of the physician-patient relationship.”

The new law requires insurance providers to approve or deny step therapy exemption requests within three business days, or 24 hours in an emergency, meaning faster access to the more expensive drugs. It is a win for patients who would otherwise have to go through a lengthy authorization or review process.

Roy further noted the old "Fail First" practice was untenable for obvious reasons. “Adding to patient stress by delaying access to the medicine they need is unacceptable,” he added. “We live in a state that has some of the best healthcare in the world and this legislation restores access to that great system for all patients. I thank the many volunteers and advocacy groups who shared stories and pushed for this bill.”

Patients will be eligible for an exemption from the step therapy process if the cheaper drugs would harm them, if they have already tried and failed to improve on the drugs, if the treatment would be ineffective or if they're already stable using their preferred medication.

Advocates opposed to step therapy had been working for years to convince Beacon Hill leaders to limit or ban the practice.

Rep. Roy’s floor remarks on the bill are available at https://youtu.be/6zYy_HgR8Ag

For more information on Jeffrey Roy, please visit http://jeffreyroy.com/.

Representative Roy step therapy bill signed into law (video)

Community Relations Subcommittee starts planning for Legislative Forum & discusses other communication efforts (audio)

FM #871 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 871 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee meeting held on Tuesday, Nov 1, 2022. The meeting was conducted in the 3rd floor training room. No remote participation was enabled for this session per their agenda.

Chair Denise Spencer opened the meeting. School Committee members Al Charles and Camile Bernstein, Superintendent Lucas Giguere, and Marketing Communications Specialist Lily Rivera were also present with me recording the session.

The show notes contain a link to the agenda and to my notes.

The recording runs about 63 minutes, so let’s listen to the Community Relations Subcommittee meeting of Nov 1, 2022.

Audio file ->  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-871-school-cmte-community-relations-subcmte-mtg-11-01-22

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Subcommittee agenda

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/community_relations_sub_comm_agenda_11.1.2022.pdf 

My notes in this ThreadReader PDF -> 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ux6z6Z1tM9LZxSbULqzurSMSZXPLPHvd/view?usp=share_link 

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

 

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Community Relations Subcommittee starts planning for Legislative Forum