An Act relative to work and family mobility (H.4461) passed the House of Representatives 120-36
Last New England state to legalize sports betting
*Currently in a Conference Committee to work out the differences with the Senate
Taxpayer Energy & Economic Relief Fund
PASSED IN THE HOUSE/PENDING IN THE SENATE:
An Act relative to electric bicycles (H5105) subjects class 1 and 2 e-bike users to the same rights, privileges, and duties as non-electric bike users as long as they are not operated on sidewalks. Under this law, municipalities would have the final say by being able to adopt ordinances on the use of e-bikes on bike paths, bikeways, or trails with a natural surface tread. E-bikes will be required to comply with federal consumer product safety requirements and have a label containing their classification number, top assisted speed, and the motor wattage of the e-bike. The Secretary of Transportation may promulgate additional regulations regarding the use of e-bikes.
An Act Concerning Genocide EducationWhile racial, ethnic, national, and religious violence has existed throughout the past and continues in the present, recent events suggest our collective knowledge of some of history’s worst atrocities is waning. This law will ensure we are knowledgable about the past so that history does not repeat itself.
It accomplishes this in two ways. The first is through the creation of a Genocide Education Trust Fund, which will provide funds through a competitive grant program to help middle and high schools across the Commonwealth implement genocide education programs. Some of the funding will come from fines imposed for hate crimes or civil rights violations. Importantly, priority will be given to districts with the most need, as well as programs that partner with community-based organizations.
The second is by requiring that middle and high schools each provide at least one unit of age-appropriate instruction on the history of genocide that is consistent with our existing History and Social Science curriculum framework, which already includes multiple discussions of genocide.
I was very proud to be part of the passing of such a significant piece of legislation. I've worked with my colleagues over the years on this language and I've always believed that it's passage was unfortunately necessary to ensure that past atrocities are not repeated.
The VOTES ActThe VOTES Act, was enacted by the House of Representatives overwhelmingly on January 27th, 2022. As a co-sponsor, I was happy to vote in favor of this important legislation that codifies many important COVID-era emergency voting provisions permanently into law.
This bill as passed by the House includes many reforms that increase access to the electoral process for all residents of the Commonwealth including the following:
The Senate passed its own versions of this legislation i the fall and the two versions are now being considered by a Conference Committee which will resolve the differences.
- RMV will not inquire about immigration status when processing an application for a Massachusetts driver’s license or registration, solely limiting the issuance of driver’s licenses to residents who provide required documents to prove their identity, pass the corresponding driver tests, and meet all other eligibility criteria
- To apply for a standard driver’s license, applicants will need to provide at least two documents to prove their identity and date of birth. All documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified translation to English:
- Document #1: valid unexpired foreign passport or valid unexpired consular ID
- Document #2: valid US driver's license, birth certificate, valid foreign national ID card, valid foreign driver’s license, or a marriage certificate or divorce decree
- To apply for a standard driver’s license, applicants will need to provide at least two documents to prove their identity and date of birth. All documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified translation to English:
- The Legislature overrode the Governor’s veto
- Permanently codifies mail-in voting and early voting, as well as moves the voter registration deadline from 20 to 10 days before a preliminary, primary or general election.
- Signed by the Governor on June 22, 2022
- $95 million will allow courts to go digital along with the features required to securely store information
- $35 million will be allocated to ensuring the safety of the Court
- Additionally, this bill responds to the controversial U.S. Supreme Court New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen decision by tightening Massachusetts standards to comply with the decision while ensuring that local police chiefs personally interview each applicant for a license to carry
- Signed in part by the Governor on August 10, 2022
- Increases access to immediate behavioral health care through the implementation of the nationwide 988 hotline to access 24/7 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis services. This legislation also expands 911 to bridge the gap until 988 is implemented by increasing training, funding, and capacity for regional emergency responses to behavioral health crises.
- Seeks to level the playing field for reimbursement to mental health providers by requiring an equitable rate floor for evaluation and management services that are consistent with primary care.
- Mandates coverage and eliminates prior authorization for mental health acute treatment and stabilization services for adults and children.
- Enhances school-based behavioral health supports and increases access points for effective behavioral health treatment
- Signed by the Governor on August 10, 2022
Last New England state to legalize sports betting
- Authorizes the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to grant in-person licenses at gaming establishments.
- Will generate an estimated $60 million in annual tax revenue for Massachusetts
- The revenue will be distributed to municipalities, and for economic, workforce, education, and public health priorities.
- Includes a 15% tax on in-person wagering and a 20% tax on mobile wagering.
- Creates the Workforce Investment Trust Fund:
- The funds in the Workforce Investment Trust Fund will be used to develop and strengthen workforce opportunities for low-income communities and vulnerable youth and young adults, promoting stable employment and wage growth. And provide financial assistance to students enrolled in and pursuing a program of higher education, and for after-school and out-of-school activities.
- Allows betting on college sports, except for Massachusetts schools, unless they are participating in a tournament. People must be 21 years old or older to bet.
- Signed by the Governor on August 10, 2022
- Encourages and facilitates participation in the cannabis industry from communities disproportionally harmed by marijuana criminalization by creating a Social Equity Trust Fund. The bill also strengthens the host community agreement process and clarifies procedures for permitting social consumption sites.
- Creates a trust fund to make grants and loans to social equity program participants and economic empowerment priority applicants, which will give entrepreneurs from communities that have been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement better access to grants and loans to get their businesses off the ground.
- 15% of the revenue collected from the sale of marijuana and marijuana products must be transferred to the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund, which will be administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED), in consultation with a newly created Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board.
- For individuals seeking to expunge a record for previous offenses that are now decriminalized, this legislation requires the court to order the expungement of the record within 30 days of the request and expunge records for possession of marijuana or distribution of marijuana based on the now legal amount.
- Signed by the Governor on August 11, 2022
- Authorizes over $11.3 billion for transportation and infrastructure projects, including $400 million for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to address ongoing safety concerns identified by the Federal Transit Administration’s Safety Management Inspection and $275 million for the East-West passenger rail project.
- Mandates the MBTA to establish and maintain a three-year safety improvement plan with measurable safety objectives for the agency, and to contract with an independent third-party auditor to conduct annual safety audits.
- Directs the MBTA to submit a monthly, publicly available report containing all the incidents, accidents, casualties, and hazards affecting any of its modes of transit.
- In addition, the MBTA is required to develop and implement short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for how each line of the commuter rail system can be fully integrated into the Commonwealth’s transportation system and contribute to the productivity, equity, and decarbonization efforts of the MBTA.
- Includes $175 million for the development and implementation of programs to promote, establish or expand public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the development, and implementation of incentive programs promoting e-bikes and public transportation, replacement of high-emissions vehicles, electric vehicles for hire and carsharing, electric school buses, electric short-haul freight and delivery trucks, and for other pilot projects that focus on equity and inclusion while reducing emission
- Signed in part by the Governor on August 10, 2022
*Currently in a Conference Committee to work out the differences with the Senate
Taxpayer Energy & Economic Relief Fund
- Includes one-time rebates of $250 for a taxpayer who files an individual return, and $500 for married taxpayers who file joint returns that will be issued before September 30, 2022
- Increases the Child and Dependent Care Credit from $180 per child to $310 per child, as well as eliminating the current cap of $360 for two or more children. This is expected to impact over 700,000 families
- Increases the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 30 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit. This is expected to impact about 396,000 taxpayers with incomes under $57,000
- Increases the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit from $750 to $1,755.Increases the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000. This is expected to impact about 881,000 taxpayers
- Increases the estate tax threshold from $1 million to $2 million and eliminates the “cliff” effect which would tax just the value of the estate that exceeds $2 million, not the entire estate
- Would allow the Massachusetts Lottery to sell some of its products online
- Revenue would be allocated to prizes for winners, for the administration and operations of the lottery, and to fund an Early Education and Care Fund. Open Space Preservation
PASSED IN THE HOUSE/PENDING IN THE SENATE:
An Act relative to electric bicycles (H5105) subjects class 1 and 2 e-bike users to the same rights, privileges, and duties as non-electric bike users as long as they are not operated on sidewalks. Under this law, municipalities would have the final say by being able to adopt ordinances on the use of e-bikes on bike paths, bikeways, or trails with a natural surface tread. E-bikes will be required to comply with federal consumer product safety requirements and have a label containing their classification number, top assisted speed, and the motor wattage of the e-bike. The Secretary of Transportation may promulgate additional regulations regarding the use of e-bikes.
An Act Concerning Genocide EducationWhile racial, ethnic, national, and religious violence has existed throughout the past and continues in the present, recent events suggest our collective knowledge of some of history’s worst atrocities is waning. This law will ensure we are knowledgable about the past so that history does not repeat itself.
It accomplishes this in two ways. The first is through the creation of a Genocide Education Trust Fund, which will provide funds through a competitive grant program to help middle and high schools across the Commonwealth implement genocide education programs. Some of the funding will come from fines imposed for hate crimes or civil rights violations. Importantly, priority will be given to districts with the most need, as well as programs that partner with community-based organizations.
The second is by requiring that middle and high schools each provide at least one unit of age-appropriate instruction on the history of genocide that is consistent with our existing History and Social Science curriculum framework, which already includes multiple discussions of genocide.
I was very proud to be part of the passing of such a significant piece of legislation. I've worked with my colleagues over the years on this language and I've always believed that it's passage was unfortunately necessary to ensure that past atrocities are not repeated.
The VOTES ActThe VOTES Act, was enacted by the House of Representatives overwhelmingly on January 27th, 2022. As a co-sponsor, I was happy to vote in favor of this important legislation that codifies many important COVID-era emergency voting provisions permanently into law.
This bill as passed by the House includes many reforms that increase access to the electoral process for all residents of the Commonwealth including the following:
- Voter Registration: Reduces the deadline for voter registration from 20 to 10 days before an election.
- Automatic Voter Registration: Includes automatic registration for those receiving certain public services unless they decline to be registered
- Early Voting: Permanently permits early voting in any presidential or state primary, state special election or biennial state election, or any election held to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Congress.
- Vote-by-Mail: Permanently permits vote-by-mail in any presidential or state primary, state special election or biennial state election, or any election held to fill a vacancy in the US Congress
- Incarcerated Voting: Requires correctional facilities to assist incarcerated persons in registering to vote 45 days prior to an election and receive an application to vote-by-mail 30 days before an election. Strengthens jail-based voting provisions to restore ballot access and ensure meaningful participation of 8,000-10,000 incarcerated constituents from across the Commonwealth, individuals who largely come from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color) communities that have systematically been disenfranchised in the electoral process.
- Online Access: Requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to implement a system for individuals to request an early or absentee ballot on the Secretary’s website that will be mailed to their preferred address.
- Notice: Requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to run a public awareness informational campaign, including all of the newly permanent provisions contained in the legislation. Further requires the campaign to focus outreach on minority communities, including multilingual and technological accommodations.
The Senate passed its own versions of this legislation i the fall and the two versions are now being considered by a Conference Committee which will resolve the differences.