Category: Legislative Update
GALVIN SENDS SEVEN PETITIONS TO CLERK FOR CONSIDERATION IN 2014
When the Legislature returns to formal sessions in January, lawmakers will have four months to consider seven initiative petitions certified by Secretary of State William Galvin and referred to the House clerk on Monday. Galvin forwarded to the clerk the seven petitions whose backers gathered in excess of the 68,911 signatures required to initially qualify…
House Committee Readies $1.4 Billion Housing and Local Roads Bills
A House committee voted to advance bills making $1.4 billion in housing investments over five years and facilitating $300 million in local road projects over the next year. With the House planning a Wednesday formal session, the House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets voted unanimously to recommend a $1.4 billion housing bond…
Governor Signs $300 Million Road Bill, Then Files Terms Bill
Governor Deval Patrick and the Legislature have been making headway toward achieving official letters that cities and towns can use for short-term borrowing or to sign contracts, finally after weeks of uncertainty over the fate of $300 million in local road funding. Patrick signed a borrowing bill and he also filed a terms bill, which…
Senate Votes for Bottle Bill Expansion, Again
The Senate voted to expand the bottle redemption law to cover more beverages, including water and energy drinks. Last session, the House declined to agree to a bottle bill expansion plan added by the Senate to an economic development bill. The expanded “bottle bill” has been a mainstay of State House debates for years, with…
Senate Approves $34 Billion Budget After Two-Day Debate
The Senate approved a $34 billion annual state budget that makes investments in early education, elder care, local aid and other areas in part by drawing from the state’s reserves and relying on revenues from a developing package of tax increases linked to the transportation system. The budget, approved on a 36-3 vote, mirrors the…
State Chamber Policy Center Weekly Update
Call for Kiawah Issue Ideas: The Policy Center is shaping the list of policy issues to discuss at the Kiawah meeting in September and would appreciate your input. If there are any trending issues your chamber would like to see featured as part of an in-depth panel discussion, please let us know. Taxation & Budgets…
Budget Conferees Named, Deliberations in Progress
The Massachusetts House and Senate appointed their respective conferees to negotiate how the state spends about $32.4 billion over the next 12 months has been fully assembled. The House named Representatives Brian Dempsey (D-Haverhill), Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington) and Viriato DeMacedo (R-Plymouth) as its budget negotiators. The Senate appointed Senators Stephen Brewer (D-Barre), Jennifer Flanagan (D-Leominster)…
Committee Issues Bottle Bill to a Study Order
The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy voted to study the expanded bottle bill, which will likely stop the proposal until next January, when the next legislative session begins. The expanded bottle bill seeks to cover more types of beverages than just beer and soda so that it also includes iced tea, fruit juice…
House Passes Transportation Financing Bill
The House of Representatives passed legislation that closes the MBTA’s gap for the upcoming fiscal year and provides vital assistance to the regional transit authorities. This legislation transfers $1.5 million of excess snow and ice removal funds to the regional transit authorities as supplemental assistance. The legislation further authorizes a one-time transfer of $51 million…
2012 Annual Meeting
Presenting Sponsor
