Wednesday, June 16, 2021

State Rep Roy: What's happening in the district - June 2021 newsletter


Offshore wind announcement

Last month, we celebrated the approval of Vineyard Wind, the first large-scale offshore wind project in the United States. Rep. Roy was honored to join with state officials and the Vineyard Wind team for the announcement at the Wind Technology Test Center in Charlestown. The is the first step in a major effort to fight climate change and create jobs in the process. Speaker Ron Mariano has made offshore wind a priority for Massachusetts, part of the goal to make Massachusetts a regional hub of the industry.

This project enables Massachusetts to realize the ambitious offshore wind energy goals the Legislature set in 2016 and 2021 and brings us closer to our vision of a thriving offshore wind sector here in Massachusetts. It will power hundreds of thousands of homes while helping us attain our emissions reduction goals. It will also boost our economy, reduce electricity rates, and create thousands of local clean energy jobs that will be here to stay.


Copyright (C) 2021 State Rep Jeff Roy. All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you either contacted our office or indicated you wanted to keep updated on the 10th Norfolk District and things going on at the State House.

State Rep Jeff Roy
State House Room 43
Boston, MA 02133

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Strive Ninja Fitness offers drop in Summer Camp

Strive offers a daily drop in program Mon - Fri starting June 28! It runs daily from 9 - 12:30 PM and it is for kids of all experience levels, ages 6 - 12 yrs. 
The program includes ninja skill building, course runs, games and challenges, crafts, and so much more! There are also special themed weeks such as Tie Dye Week and Nerf Week! Kids can sign up for a day, a week, or the whole summer! 
More information can be found on our website: https://striveninja.com/summer-programs-1
Strive Ninja Fitness offers drop in Summer Camp
Strive Ninja Fitness offers drop in Summer Camp

 

In MA News: earliest COVID-19 cases, solid waste management hearing scheduled

"When did the coronavirus arrive in the United States?

The first infection was confirmed on Jan. 21, 2020, in a resident of Washington State who had recently returned from Wuhan, China. Soon after, experts concluded that the virus had been in the country for weeks.

A study published on Tuesday offers new evidence: Based on an analysis of blood tests, scientists identified seven people in five states who may have been infected well before the first confirmed cases in those states. The results suggest that the virus may have been circulating in Illinois, for example, as early as Dec. 24, 2019, although the first case in that state was confirmed a month later.

But the new study is flawed, some experts said: It did not adequately address the possibility that the antibodies were to coronaviruses that cause common colds, and the results could be a quirk of the tests used. In addition, the researchers also did not have travel information for any of the patients, which might have helped explain the test results."
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/15/health/coronavirus-usa-cases.html

"Next week, I'll be chairing the #ENRA hearing on #plastics, #recycling, and waste management. ♻️

More info and forthcoming livestream: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3695

Honored to lead the #ENRA Committee w/ House Chair 
@CarolynDykema"
.
#MApoli #TodayInTheDome #GettingItDone

solid waste management hearing scheduled
solid waste management hearing scheduled



Policy Sub Committee Meeting - June 17, 2021 - 6 PM

School Committee - Policy Subcommittee Meeting

Municipal Building


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.”

 

I.             Electronic Distribution of Approved Policies

  1. IJNDB - Acceptable Use Policy
  2. IJNDB-E1 - Acceptable Use Student Agreement 6-12
  3. IJNDB-E2 - Acceptable Use Student Agreement K-5
  4. GBAD - Criminal Record Information Policy
  5. GBAD-E1 - Criminal Record Information Procedures
  6. GBADA - Fingerprint-based Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Checks Made for Non=Criminal Justice Purposes
  7. GBADA-E - Fingerprint-based Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Checks Made for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes
  8. CORI Form
  9. GBEC - Drug-Free Workplace Policy
  10. Policy Distribution Folder

II.             Discussion of Policies sent to School Committee

A. none

III.             Policy Revisions & New Policies - New Discussion Item

A. Continued Review of Policy Sections G and J


Policy Sub Committee Meeting - June 17, 2021 - 6 PM
Policy Sub Committee Meeting - June 17, 2021 - 6 PM


Joint Statement on Conference Report Filing

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka, House Speaker Ronald Mariano,  Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues and House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz 

"Today (6/15/21), the House and Senate agreed to report out a conference committee bill, in-part, that temporarily extends and reinstates a slate of measures instituted in Massachusetts during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. 

This partial report addresses issues common to both the Senate and House bills and is necessary to ensure that critical policies - including those relating to municipalities' meetings, restaurants, tenants facing eviction, health care and child care - are available as expeditiously as possible.

These temporary provisions have been helpful to businesses, municipalities, health care providers, residents and communities during this extraordinary time. We will continue working together to resolve items in the near-term that were not included in today's Conference report, which deserve further consideration.

We look forward to the Governor's prompt review of this report."

Conference Committee Report: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2475

From the Boston Globe:

State lawmakers on Tuesday night struck a deal and shipped Governor Charlie Baker legislation to restore the lapsed authorization for remote public meetings, to-go cocktail sales, and town meeting flexibilities, while leaving the future of other pandemic-era policy adaptations for later negotiations.

Baker’s COVID-19 state of emergency ended at 12:01 a.m., Tuesday, without a law passed to prevent the expiration of certain orders and legislation linked to the declaration.

After the Senate passed a post-emergency bill last week, the House approved an amended version on a 146-14 vote Tuesday afternoon, and both branches held their sessions open for the rest of the day to work out a deal.

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)
 

So the COVID-19 emergency order expired, what do we do for public meetings in the interim?

"The State of Emergency has ended, and the March 12, 2020, Executive Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, which has allowed public bodies to meet remotely and to provide the public with “adequate alternative access” to meetings, terminated at 12:01 this morning. 
The Legislature is actively considering bills that would extend most or all of the provisions from the Executive Order regarding remote meetings. Unless and until such legislation is enacted, public bodies must hold meetings with at least a quorum of the public body members physically present at a meeting location which is open and accessible to the public. 
The Attorney General encourages public bodies to also provide the public with an option to view meetings remotely. Public bodies are reminded that notice of all meetings must be posted at least 48 hours in advance, not including weekends and holidays, and the meeting notice must clearly specify the location where the public may access the meeting."
For more on the open meeting law and updates:  https://www.mass.gov/the-open-meeting-law

Gov Baker announces "Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway"

Charlie Baker (@MassGovernor) tweeted on Tue, Jun 15, 2021:
Glad to today announce the launch of the Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway for residents that have been fully vaccinated against #COVID19MA to support the Commonwealth's continued vaccination awareness and availability efforts.

#MassVaxMillions

Register no earlier than July 1 ->  https://t.co/s96LQGmvsv 

 
"State officials on Tuesday said residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will have the chance to win $1 million starting next month in a special Lottery sweepstakes that all Massachusetts residents aged 18 and up can enter, provided they’ve received either two Pfizer or Moderna shots or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson jab.

Governor Charlie Baker’s office unveiled the Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway program aimed at convincing as many people as possible to get the shots. The number of state residents fully vaccinated rose to 4,003,540 on Tuesday, state public health officials reported."
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)