Information on bills filed by Representative Peisch -
2019-2020 legislative session
Dear Residents of the 14th Norfolk District:
My office received a high volume of calls and emails pertaining to the June 12th vote on the “Fair Share Amendment” (House Bill 86). Many of these calls were prompted by a postcard mailed to residents of Weston and Wellesley by the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance claiming that the state legislature was considering an 80% tax increase. I would like to take this opportunity to correct the false and misleading information contained in that mailing.
The House and Senate met in what is known as a constitutional convention; a joint session of both chambers to consider an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution. The amendment under consideration would impose a 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million, the revenue from which would address funding issues in public education and transportation. The vote I took does not itself impose any tax increase. Under our constitution, a majority of state legislators in two consecutive legislative sessions must vote to advance the amendment, after which it is placed on a statewide ballot. At that point, the citizens of the Commonwealth can vote to support or oppose it. I voted to advance the amendment so it can be placed on the ballot.
Very truly yours,
Alice
ALICE HANLON PEISCH
State Representative
14th Norfolk District
My office received a high volume of calls and emails pertaining to the June 12th vote on the “Fair Share Amendment” (House Bill 86). Many of these calls were prompted by a postcard mailed to residents of Weston and Wellesley by the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance claiming that the state legislature was considering an 80% tax increase. I would like to take this opportunity to correct the false and misleading information contained in that mailing.
The House and Senate met in what is known as a constitutional convention; a joint session of both chambers to consider an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution. The amendment under consideration would impose a 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million, the revenue from which would address funding issues in public education and transportation. The vote I took does not itself impose any tax increase. Under our constitution, a majority of state legislators in two consecutive legislative sessions must vote to advance the amendment, after which it is placed on a statewide ballot. At that point, the citizens of the Commonwealth can vote to support or oppose it. I voted to advance the amendment so it can be placed on the ballot.
Very truly yours,
Alice
ALICE HANLON PEISCH
State Representative
14th Norfolk District
2019-2020 Passed Legislation
Safeguarding Fall 2020 Elections
On August 7th, 2020, Governor Baker signed legislation expanding voter access and ensuring voters have safe voting options for all remaining 2020 elections. For the first time in state history, this bill established vote-by-mail option and early voting periods for the fall primary and general elections. Additionally, the legislation addressed polling place safety for those who choose to vote in-person. Finally, the bill provided tools to assist city and town clerks, and tasks the Secretary of the Commonwealth with creating an online portal and promoting the various voting options.
Accountability for Vulnerable Children & Families
Engrossed by the House in early July, this bill strengthens the laws ensuring the safety and well-being of the Commonwealth’s youngest and most at-risk residents. Building on the House of Representative’s steadfast commitment to those served by the Department of Children and Families (DCF), this legislation addresses the needs of vulnerable children and families that have also been amplified by the COVID-19 public health crisis and further illuminated through the lens of racial equity. Specifically, this legislation strengthens DCF policies and operations, develops a tool to retain and recruit foster families, holds DCF accountable for timely, accurate and relevant reports, and clarifies communication by the Child Advocate to the Legislature and state officeholders. The legislation compels data to analyze the impacts of remote learning on all children during the COVID-19 crisis with a focus on understanding the disparate educational impacts on children served by DCF. Additionally, the bill calls for a public service campaign to increase awareness of child abuse and neglect. The bill was then sent to the Senate for further action.
Information Technology & Physical Infrastructure Bond Bill
The House engrossed legislation authorizing up to $1.8 billion in spending for the improvement of information technology equipment and other capital projects across the Commonwealth. In addition, the bill authorizes funding for food security, law enforcement body cameras, and investments in educational technologies in Massachusetts schools. The capital plan, which includes $794 million for state and local general technology and physical infrastructure, features the following targeted investments:
$110 million in public safety infrastructure and equipment
$134 million in statewide economic development grants and reinvestment in disproportionately impacted communities
$80 million in educational IT and infrastructure grants, including $50 million to assist public schools in facilitating remote learning environments
$10 million to fund technology investments at community health centers
$37 million in food security grants
$25 million in capital improvements for licensed early education and care providers and after school programs to ensure safe reopening during COVID-19
$30 million in public safety accountability technologies including body cameras and a race and ethnicity data sharing system
The bill was enacted by both legislative chambers and signed into law by Governor Baker.
Addressing Racial Inequities in Maternal Health
This legislation creates a special legislative commission to make recommendations that reduce or remove the kind of racial inequities that result in women of color dying of pregnancy-related causes at more than twice the rate of white women. The commission will gather information and raise awareness of this systemic societal problem, in addition to reporting on barriers to equitable maternal care and best practices for remedying inequities. This bill was passed unanimously by the House and was sent to the Senate for further action.
House Bill 4210, An Act Relative to Children’s Health and Wellness
Legislation supporting the complex health and wellness needs specific to the Commonwealths children was signed by Governor Baker on November 26, 2019. (An act relative to children’s health and wellness. This bill seeks to provide better access to services and more data to inform future public policy. It will address child wellness in a variety of ways including health care benefits for foster children until the age of 26, and maintaining and updating accurate and accessible online directories. There will be three regional clearinghouses to connect families, providers, and educators to important resources regarding childhood behavioral health, as well as the creation of a special commission chaired by the Child Advocate to review and make recommendations on mandated reporting to improve responses to child abuse and neglect.
House Bill 2367, An Act to Protect Persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disability from Abuse
Nicky’s Law will help to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities by requiring employers to check “The Abuse Registry” prior to hiring or retaining any person as a care provider, and prevents employers from hiring or retaining any provider who appear on the registry. The registry will only be accessible to potential employers, the Department of Developmental Services and any state-licensed care provider. The legislation will protect our most vulnerable individuals as well as care providers who continue to provide remarkable services for them. This bill will hold any employer who fails to comply with this registry accountable by monetary fines or other penalties. Massachusetts would become the 27th state to have an abuse registry in place.
House Bill 4203, An Act Requiring the Hands Free Use of Mobile Telephones while Driving
In the United States, about 9 people are killed every day due to car crashes involving a distracted driver. The new Massachusetts law bans drivers from using hand-held electronic devices in vehicles unless they are in hands-free mode. The bill defines hands-free mode as one that engages in voice communication with and receiving audio without touching, holding or otherwise manually manipulating a mobile electronic device. Law enforcement officials will penalize drivers with a $100 fine for the first offense, a $250 fine and safety course for the second offense, and a $500 fine and surcharge for third and subsequent offense. Exemptions for this law allow drivers to use mapping or navigation devices if they are mounted to the windshield, dashboard or central console or integrated into the vehicle and only involve a tap or a swipe, as well as for emergencies and for first responders if they are using the devices as part of their duties. This hands free law will save lives and ensure for safer roads.
House Bill 3638, Title X Legislation
This bill overwhelmingly passed both the Senate and House to protect women’s access to healthcare. Replacing federal funds with state funds to ensure that Massachusetts remains a national leader in women’s healthcare. The legislation provides $8 million for women’s reproductive health organizations in Massachusetts to offset the loss of federal funding due to the Trump Administration’s changes to the Title X program. It will also provide state funding to eligible entities so they can continue to provide essential health services, as well as preventive services.
House Bill H140, An Act Relative to Abusive Practices to Change Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities in Minors
This legislation bans licensed health care professionals in Massachusetts from providing conversion therapy to anyone under the age of 18. Conversion therapy is a type of therapy that seeks to alter an individual’s sexual orientation. According to the American Psychological Association, conversion therapy “may pose serious risk of harm,” such as confusion, depression, guilt, shame, and suicidality amongst other risks. Violation of this law could result in suspension or revocation of the healthcare provider’s license. This bill will help protect the LGBTQ youth in the Commonwealth.
Representative Peisch's 2019-2020 Legislative Priorities
House Bill 1080, An Act to Add a Compulsory Death Benefit to Automobile Liability Insurance
This bill adds an additional “death benefit” to compulsory motor vehicle insurance, providing for coverage of not less than $100,000 for the state of any person killed by the negligent operation of a motor vehicle (regardless of the relationship of the deceased to the owner/driver of the vehicle) in cases where the decedent had minor children, a spouse, or dependent parents at the time of death. It is important to note that this benefit would not be subject to health insurance liens and is not intended for that purpose. Rather, this bill simply serves to better support surviving family members by providing them with appropriately valued benefits to address their immediate needs in tragic circumstances.
House Bill 327, An Act Relative to Craft Brewers
This bill will help level the playing field for craft brewers, an ever-expanding sector of small business in Massachusetts, by eliminating an outdated statute and replacing it with language making it easier for craft breweries to end or change their relationships with distributors. Under current law, it is practically impossible for a small brewery to change from one wholesaler to another, even in cases of non-performance. The bill I filed this session is revised from previous iterations by creating a tiered approach to notice and restitution requirements based on the size of the brewery (based on barrels produced per year).
House Bill 326, An Act Relative to the Filing of Annual Returns by Small Public Charities
Under current Massachusetts law, the Director of the Public Charities Division of the MA Attorney General’s office has the sole authority to decide what forms are required to be filed by public charities for taxes and general financial information. Some of these tax forms are quite onerous, and require hours of complex work that is best done by an expensive account, something small nonprofits cannot afford. This bill brings Massachusetts in line with the federal policy related to public charities filing requirements, allowing small nonprofits to fill out and file a much simpler Form 990-N and Form 990-series returns.
House Bill 2117, An Act Establishing a Smart Gun Technology Task Force
The term “smart gun” is a broad term referring to many different types of firearms equipped with a safety mechanism, with the purpose of ensuring that the weapon’s user is also its owner. By including a method of identification required to use the weapon, the hope is that accidental gun deaths and the use of law enforcement weapons that are stolen during a physical struggle will decline. There have been many different types of “smart guns” with various methods used to add this extra layer of safety. Many advocacy groups working to combat gun violence have started to push for wide acceptance and usage of smart gun technology by law enforcement agencies. There have been many tragic stories of police officers injured or killed by their own weapons during violent struggles with suspects. There have also been many stories of children finding guns in their homes and accidentally killing themselves or others nearby. This technology makes it harder for either of those tragedies to occur.
House Bill 2588, An Act Making Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief More Equitable
Current Massachusetts law MGL Ch.62, §.6 states that’s those with a property assessed of $600,000 or more do not qualify for a senior citizen property tax relief. This proposal would allow senior citizens to apply for property tax relief as long as the assessed valuation of the residence is at or below the median value of residential property in the city or town where the residence is located. This would ensure greater fairness for senior citizens as their eligibility would be more equitably determined.
Please click on this link for a full list of the bills filed by Representative Peisch for the 2019-2020 Legislative Session.
Safeguarding Fall 2020 Elections
On August 7th, 2020, Governor Baker signed legislation expanding voter access and ensuring voters have safe voting options for all remaining 2020 elections. For the first time in state history, this bill established vote-by-mail option and early voting periods for the fall primary and general elections. Additionally, the legislation addressed polling place safety for those who choose to vote in-person. Finally, the bill provided tools to assist city and town clerks, and tasks the Secretary of the Commonwealth with creating an online portal and promoting the various voting options.
Accountability for Vulnerable Children & Families
Engrossed by the House in early July, this bill strengthens the laws ensuring the safety and well-being of the Commonwealth’s youngest and most at-risk residents. Building on the House of Representative’s steadfast commitment to those served by the Department of Children and Families (DCF), this legislation addresses the needs of vulnerable children and families that have also been amplified by the COVID-19 public health crisis and further illuminated through the lens of racial equity. Specifically, this legislation strengthens DCF policies and operations, develops a tool to retain and recruit foster families, holds DCF accountable for timely, accurate and relevant reports, and clarifies communication by the Child Advocate to the Legislature and state officeholders. The legislation compels data to analyze the impacts of remote learning on all children during the COVID-19 crisis with a focus on understanding the disparate educational impacts on children served by DCF. Additionally, the bill calls for a public service campaign to increase awareness of child abuse and neglect. The bill was then sent to the Senate for further action.
Information Technology & Physical Infrastructure Bond Bill
The House engrossed legislation authorizing up to $1.8 billion in spending for the improvement of information technology equipment and other capital projects across the Commonwealth. In addition, the bill authorizes funding for food security, law enforcement body cameras, and investments in educational technologies in Massachusetts schools. The capital plan, which includes $794 million for state and local general technology and physical infrastructure, features the following targeted investments:
$110 million in public safety infrastructure and equipment
$134 million in statewide economic development grants and reinvestment in disproportionately impacted communities
$80 million in educational IT and infrastructure grants, including $50 million to assist public schools in facilitating remote learning environments
$10 million to fund technology investments at community health centers
$37 million in food security grants
$25 million in capital improvements for licensed early education and care providers and after school programs to ensure safe reopening during COVID-19
$30 million in public safety accountability technologies including body cameras and a race and ethnicity data sharing system
The bill was enacted by both legislative chambers and signed into law by Governor Baker.
Addressing Racial Inequities in Maternal Health
This legislation creates a special legislative commission to make recommendations that reduce or remove the kind of racial inequities that result in women of color dying of pregnancy-related causes at more than twice the rate of white women. The commission will gather information and raise awareness of this systemic societal problem, in addition to reporting on barriers to equitable maternal care and best practices for remedying inequities. This bill was passed unanimously by the House and was sent to the Senate for further action.
House Bill 4210, An Act Relative to Children’s Health and Wellness
Legislation supporting the complex health and wellness needs specific to the Commonwealths children was signed by Governor Baker on November 26, 2019. (An act relative to children’s health and wellness. This bill seeks to provide better access to services and more data to inform future public policy. It will address child wellness in a variety of ways including health care benefits for foster children until the age of 26, and maintaining and updating accurate and accessible online directories. There will be three regional clearinghouses to connect families, providers, and educators to important resources regarding childhood behavioral health, as well as the creation of a special commission chaired by the Child Advocate to review and make recommendations on mandated reporting to improve responses to child abuse and neglect.
House Bill 2367, An Act to Protect Persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disability from Abuse
Nicky’s Law will help to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities by requiring employers to check “The Abuse Registry” prior to hiring or retaining any person as a care provider, and prevents employers from hiring or retaining any provider who appear on the registry. The registry will only be accessible to potential employers, the Department of Developmental Services and any state-licensed care provider. The legislation will protect our most vulnerable individuals as well as care providers who continue to provide remarkable services for them. This bill will hold any employer who fails to comply with this registry accountable by monetary fines or other penalties. Massachusetts would become the 27th state to have an abuse registry in place.
House Bill 4203, An Act Requiring the Hands Free Use of Mobile Telephones while Driving
In the United States, about 9 people are killed every day due to car crashes involving a distracted driver. The new Massachusetts law bans drivers from using hand-held electronic devices in vehicles unless they are in hands-free mode. The bill defines hands-free mode as one that engages in voice communication with and receiving audio without touching, holding or otherwise manually manipulating a mobile electronic device. Law enforcement officials will penalize drivers with a $100 fine for the first offense, a $250 fine and safety course for the second offense, and a $500 fine and surcharge for third and subsequent offense. Exemptions for this law allow drivers to use mapping or navigation devices if they are mounted to the windshield, dashboard or central console or integrated into the vehicle and only involve a tap or a swipe, as well as for emergencies and for first responders if they are using the devices as part of their duties. This hands free law will save lives and ensure for safer roads.
House Bill 3638, Title X Legislation
This bill overwhelmingly passed both the Senate and House to protect women’s access to healthcare. Replacing federal funds with state funds to ensure that Massachusetts remains a national leader in women’s healthcare. The legislation provides $8 million for women’s reproductive health organizations in Massachusetts to offset the loss of federal funding due to the Trump Administration’s changes to the Title X program. It will also provide state funding to eligible entities so they can continue to provide essential health services, as well as preventive services.
House Bill H140, An Act Relative to Abusive Practices to Change Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities in Minors
This legislation bans licensed health care professionals in Massachusetts from providing conversion therapy to anyone under the age of 18. Conversion therapy is a type of therapy that seeks to alter an individual’s sexual orientation. According to the American Psychological Association, conversion therapy “may pose serious risk of harm,” such as confusion, depression, guilt, shame, and suicidality amongst other risks. Violation of this law could result in suspension or revocation of the healthcare provider’s license. This bill will help protect the LGBTQ youth in the Commonwealth.
Representative Peisch's 2019-2020 Legislative Priorities
House Bill 1080, An Act to Add a Compulsory Death Benefit to Automobile Liability Insurance
This bill adds an additional “death benefit” to compulsory motor vehicle insurance, providing for coverage of not less than $100,000 for the state of any person killed by the negligent operation of a motor vehicle (regardless of the relationship of the deceased to the owner/driver of the vehicle) in cases where the decedent had minor children, a spouse, or dependent parents at the time of death. It is important to note that this benefit would not be subject to health insurance liens and is not intended for that purpose. Rather, this bill simply serves to better support surviving family members by providing them with appropriately valued benefits to address their immediate needs in tragic circumstances.
House Bill 327, An Act Relative to Craft Brewers
This bill will help level the playing field for craft brewers, an ever-expanding sector of small business in Massachusetts, by eliminating an outdated statute and replacing it with language making it easier for craft breweries to end or change their relationships with distributors. Under current law, it is practically impossible for a small brewery to change from one wholesaler to another, even in cases of non-performance. The bill I filed this session is revised from previous iterations by creating a tiered approach to notice and restitution requirements based on the size of the brewery (based on barrels produced per year).
House Bill 326, An Act Relative to the Filing of Annual Returns by Small Public Charities
Under current Massachusetts law, the Director of the Public Charities Division of the MA Attorney General’s office has the sole authority to decide what forms are required to be filed by public charities for taxes and general financial information. Some of these tax forms are quite onerous, and require hours of complex work that is best done by an expensive account, something small nonprofits cannot afford. This bill brings Massachusetts in line with the federal policy related to public charities filing requirements, allowing small nonprofits to fill out and file a much simpler Form 990-N and Form 990-series returns.
House Bill 2117, An Act Establishing a Smart Gun Technology Task Force
The term “smart gun” is a broad term referring to many different types of firearms equipped with a safety mechanism, with the purpose of ensuring that the weapon’s user is also its owner. By including a method of identification required to use the weapon, the hope is that accidental gun deaths and the use of law enforcement weapons that are stolen during a physical struggle will decline. There have been many different types of “smart guns” with various methods used to add this extra layer of safety. Many advocacy groups working to combat gun violence have started to push for wide acceptance and usage of smart gun technology by law enforcement agencies. There have been many tragic stories of police officers injured or killed by their own weapons during violent struggles with suspects. There have also been many stories of children finding guns in their homes and accidentally killing themselves or others nearby. This technology makes it harder for either of those tragedies to occur.
House Bill 2588, An Act Making Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief More Equitable
Current Massachusetts law MGL Ch.62, §.6 states that’s those with a property assessed of $600,000 or more do not qualify for a senior citizen property tax relief. This proposal would allow senior citizens to apply for property tax relief as long as the assessed valuation of the residence is at or below the median value of residential property in the city or town where the residence is located. This would ensure greater fairness for senior citizens as their eligibility would be more equitably determined.
Please click on this link for a full list of the bills filed by Representative Peisch for the 2019-2020 Legislative Session.