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MA Primary Election Day is 9/8
MA Secretary of State William Galvin's Elections Division website offers comprehensive information on this year's state and federal elections. Primary Day in Massachusetts will take place on Thursday, September 8th. Learn more.
Rep. Stanley & Waltham Delegation Vote to Override Critical Budget Vetoes
Rep. Stanley, Rep. Lawn and Senator Barrett led the charge to restore appropriations for vital initiatives serving the people of Waltham that were vetoed in the Fiscal Year 2017 state budget by Governor Baker. In late June, the Legislature enacted a budget which balanced the many competing needs of the Commonwealth with the fiscal discipline necessary to ensure the long-term wellbeing of the state. After carefully considering a number of Governor Baker's vetoes and amendments, the Legislature voted on Saturday (7/30/16) and Sunday (7/31/16) to restore funding to several items, including:
- $75,000 to the Waltham Tourism Council that will be used to help promote and advertise special events in Waltham year-round such as the Riverfest and the Steam Punk Festival.
- $156,000 for Traffic Signal Upgrades intended for the installation a wireless coordination system for 39 identified traffic signals in the business district of Waltham
- $50,000 for Public Safety Improvements, which WPD will put towards a special police drug task force to pursue various, complicated and time consuming investigations including the sales of narcotics and associated criminal activities.
- $46,790 for the WATCH Community Development Corporation's Housing Clinic that will strengthen and streamline the Clinic's support services as well as provide additional time for follow-up on critical cases.
- 38,000 for a full-time dual-diagnosis clinician at the Waltham Community Day Center to provide short-term clinical and support services, maximizing the potential for successful recovery.
The FY17 budget allocates $10,865,166 in Chapter 70 Education funds to Waltham to support the public school system as well as $9,233,209 in Unrestricted General Government Aid for other city services. The legislation also contains a section designating the Winter Street Bridge as the Arthur H. Nelson Memorial Bridge.
Rep. Stanley Fights to Restore Funding to Community Colleges
Rep. Stanley sent a letter to Speaker DeLeo and Chairman Dempsey asking them to override Governor Baker's community college vetoes. Thanks to Rep. Stanley's efforts, funding was restored to the Community College Funding Formula which provides a crucial funding source that gives campuses financial incentives to improve metrics of college completion and alignment;
Community College Workforce Grant Program which provides funding to community colleges to design customized workforce training initiatives for local business and industry in MA; the Performance Incentive Fund which is allocated by the Department of Higher Education to public instructions of higher education through a competitive grant process based on priorities in pursuit of operation efficiency and goal; and the Dual Enrollment Program which provides opportunities to high school students in Massachusetts to take college-level courses for free or at a minimal cost.
Rep. Stanley Helps Pass Economic Development Bill
Representative Stanley, Representative Lawn and Senator Barrett joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass an economic development bill that will enhance the state's position as a global economic competitor and support residents through education programs.
For the first time, this legislation creates an education tax incentive program (529 plan) which will allow single filers to take a $1,000 tax deduction on contributions to college savings accounts. Gov. Baker signed the legislation on August 10th.
Recognizing the unique role that early-growth companies and emerging sectors have in revitalizing the economy, this bill includes numerous provisions to support the innovation ecosystem including:
* Creates the Angel Investor Tax Credit to incentivize investment and foster growth in newly formed start-ups in Massachusetts. Investors are eligible for a 20 percent credit of the qualifying angel investment and 30 percent if the recipient business is located in a Gateway City.
* Allows for $500 Million in bonding authorization for the MassWorks Infrastructure program.
* Establishes the Digital eHealth Institute, which will be run by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative in coordination with the Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, to enhance the state's rapidly emerging e-health cluster.
* Authorizes $4.5 Million to launch the Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Technology Department & Training Center. This organization will bring together universities, government and private industry participants to bolster the Commonwealth's data analytics and cybersecurity sectors.
The legislation takes multiple steps to further develop talent, support students and keep graduates in Massachusetts. It authorizes:
* $45 million for Workforce Skills Capital Grants;
* $71 million the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation Funding;
* $30 million for the Advanced Manufacturing, Technology and Hospitality Training Trust Fund;
* $2.4 million for the Early College High School Initiative, a program that encourages partnerships between regional school districts and institutions of public higher education.
This bill also authorizes:
* $15 million for the Innovation Infrastructure Fund, a new grant and loan program aimed at spurring entrepreneurship across the state, particularly through the use of co-working spaces and innovation centers;
* $45 million for the Brownsfields Redevelopment Fund;
* $45 million for the Transformative Development Fund, a program that makes equity investments in major development programs in Gateway Cities.
* $250,000 to provide major job centers of the Commonwealth, municipalities seeing more than 30,000 daily visitors, with assistance to address downtown parking challenges.
Rep. Stanley Writes Letter to Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs on Waltham Phase II redevelopment of 1265 Main Street
In a letter to Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Rep. Stanley asked for support for the developer's Phase II Waiver of 1265 Main Street. The Phase II improvements are critical in order to reduce the gridlock that occurs on a daily basis.
Phase I of the project entailed the redevelopment of the Polaroid campus into a 1.28 million square foot mixed-use complex that would include Class A office space and retail uses and delivered construction, retail, restaurant and office jobs as well as significant tax revenue for Waltham and the state.
Now that Phase I is near completion, focus is now on implementing Phase II. The Developer has been working with MassDOT and a host of other local and regional stakeholders (MAPC, the City of Waltham, Boston Properties, etc.) to advance Phase II of the project that would include an additional 200,000 square feet of retail space, 850,000 square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of health/fitness space, and 3,000 hotel rooms. Phase II improvements include the reconstruction of the Route 117 Bridge over I-95, the construction of a Green Street Connector, and potential modifications to the I-95/Route 20 Interchange.
Rep. Stanley Helps Pass Bill that Highlights Offshore Wind and Hydropower
Rep. Stanley, Rep. Lawn and Senator Barrett joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass energy legislation that seeks to protect the Commonwealth's ratepayers and support clean energy. The bill requires distribution companies to conduct solicitations for 1,600 megawatts (MWs) of offshore wind and supports a total of 2,800 MWs of clean energy, the largest amount the Legislature has included in any single bill. Governor Baker signed the bill on Monday, August 8th at a ceremony on the State House's Kennedy Statue Lawn.
To spur the timely infusion of reliable clean energy projects in Massachusetts, the bill will also require distribution companies to conduct solicitations for up to 9,450,000 MWhs of energy from either hydropower, or hydropower and Class I renewable resources.
Related provisions include: All contract proposals must go through a competitive bidding process; Contracts must be determined to be cost-effective for ratepayers to be approved;
Stipulates that eligible offshore wind developers must build projects in federally leased waters;
Solicitations may be coordinated with other states or state-designated entities, and may staggered over time; and the length of the contracts shall be for 15 - 20 years.
By creating a framework that includes both offshore wind and hydropower this legislation promotes a diverse energy portfolio that will replace some of the power the Commonwealth is losing from older, dirtier sources scheduled to shut down. With a similarly forward-looking perspective, the focus on offshore wind will cultivate a new industry and create jobs here in Massachusetts.
The legislation includes a series of ratepayer protections including a requirement that the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Attorney General jointly-select an independent evaluator to assist the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to determine whether the procurement process is open, fair, and transparent.
Rep. Stanley asks House Leaders for Home Care Funding
Rep. Stanley wrote a letter and gathered signatures from his colleagues asking support for the prevention of elderly waiting lists for state home care. He sent the letter to Speaker DeLeo and Chairman Dempsey.
Governor Baker included language in his supplemental budget, adding federal dollars to the account, but not changing the bottom line. As a result, there are will be waiting lists for home care in the Commonwealth in FY17. Rep. Stanley supported an amendment adding $3m in federal CF Trust Funds to the home care purchased services account to prevent any waiting lists in the home care account. He also supported language reducing the percentage of state funds needed from 98.5% to 95.7% and increasing the federal percentage from 1.5% in the FY17 conference committee report to 4.3%. In this scenario, federal funding is used to raise the basic home care account to avoid waiting lists at no new cost to the state.
Rep. Stanley and Rep. Lawn vote to Override Critical Budget Vetoes
Rep. Stanley and Rep. Lawn announced that the House of Representatives restored appropriations for vital initiatives serving the people of Waltham that were vetoed in the Fiscal Year 2017 state budget by Governor Baker.
In late June, the Legislature enacted a budget which balanced the many competing needs of the Commonwealth with the fiscal discipline necessary to ensure the long-term wellbeing of the state. After carefully considering a number of Governor Baker's vetoes and amendments, the House voted to restore funding to several items, including: $102,993 to Public Libraries for program opportunities, computer access as well as maintaining and expanding collections and technology for inter-library resource sharing; $113,103 to Regional Libraries for continuing education classes, pre-school learning, homework tutoring, senior programing and services for residents who rely heavily on their local library; $2,695,864 to Community Colleges' performance-based funding formula, providing each of the 15 community college campuses with incentives to improve metrics of college completion and alignment; $750,000 to Community College Workforce Incentive program for customized workforce training initiative for local businesses and industry in MA; and $150,000 for Early Intervention Services, helping eligible children between birth and three years of age experiencing developmental difficulties due to identified disabilities or if their development is at risk due to certain birth or environmental circumstances.
Rep. Stanley Fought for Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Rep. Stanley cosigned a letter to Conference Committee Members supporting the Senate's inclusion of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act i(PWFA) n An Act relative to job creation, workforce development and infrastructure investment, and asking that this language be included in the final conference committee report.
The PWFA aims to rectify workplace injustice against pregnant women by amending the Massachusetts anti-discrimination statute, M.G.L. Chapter 151B, section 4, to include pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, including the need to express breast milk for a nursing child. The PWFA protects pregnant workers against discrimination in the workplace by: 1) prohibiting employers from not hiring or firing a worker from her job based on pregnancy; 2) requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, including such accommodations as a stool to sit on, more frequent bathroom breaks, allowing the worker to carry a bottle of water, or providing a private non-bathroom space for lactation; and 3) prohibiting an employer from requiring an employee to take paid or unpaid leave because of pregnancy. Overall, this legislation will promote women's economic security, save taxpayers money in the form of unemployment insurance and other public benefits, and benefit employers in the form of reduced turnover and increased productivity.
Rep. Stanley supports youth tobacco prevention bill
Rep. Stanley supported a letter to House leadership asking that the youth tobacco prevention bill be brought to the House floor for a vote before the end of the current formal legislative session.
The bill raises the age of sale for tobacco from 18 to 21, aligns E-cigarettes with the Commonwealth's smoke free workplace law and prohibits the sale of tobacco in healthcare facilities such as pharmacies. These initiatives will improve health, reduce health care costs and save lives.
Rep. Stanley Supported Request to Override Governor Baker's Early Intervention Veto
In a letter to Chairman Dempsey, Rep. Stanley asked for his support in overriding Governor Baker's $150,000 veto in Early Intervention DPH line item. The full $28.5 million in funding for Early Intervention approved by the Conference Committee is essential to respond to an increase in children enrolled in the program and referrals due to two main factors: a significant increase in DCF referrals to EI services and an increase in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) referrals of newborn babies exposed to prescription and illegal opiates.
Early Intervention is a statewide, integrated, developmental service available to families of children between birth and three years of age. Eligible children include those who may be experiencing developmental difficulties due to identified disabilities or if their development is at risk due to certain birth or environmental circumstances. Early Intervention provides family-centered services that facilitate the developmental progress of eligible children along with helping them acquire the skills they will need to continue to grow into happy and healthy members of the community.
Rep. Stanley Helps Pass Landmark Bill to Dismantle the Gender Wage Gap
Rep. Stanley helped pass legislation to ensure that men and women receive equitable compensation for comparable work. The legislation will take effect of July 1, 2018.
The new law will prevent pay discrimination for comparable work based on gender. The bill allows employees to freely discuss their salaries with coworkers, prohibits employers from requiring applicants to provide their salary history before receiving a formal job offer and authorizes the Attorney General to issue regulations interpreting and applying the expanded law.
Under the new law, employers are permitted to take certain attributes of an employee or applicant into account when determining variation in pay, like: their work experience, education, job training, or measurements of production, sales, or revenue.
The statute of limitations laid out currently under the Equal Pay statute will be expanded from one to three years and employees will no longer be required to pursue a general claim of intentional discrimination at the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination before filing a separate equal pay claim in court.
Baker Administration Announces Affordable Housing Development Awards
The Baker Administration announced awards to fund the development, renovation and preservation of affordable rental housing across the Commonwealth. This award round builds on the Administration's commitment to expanding affordable housing options for Massachusetts families.
The 26 projects awarded will create or preserve 1,420 rental units, including 1,334 affordable units, across 16 Massachusetts communities. The Department of Housing and Community Development is awarding over $31 million in state and federal low-income housing tax credits, which will generate over $218 million in equity for these projects. Additionally, the administration is awarding over $59 million in housing subsidy funds, including federal HOME funds and state capital funds, across the 26 projects.
Projects will serve a wide variety of constituents, including individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. Four projects are focused on senior housing, five will provide supportive services to residents and all 26 will include deeply affordable units. Reflecting the Baker-Polito Administration's commitment to creating more housing units for homeless residents, the administration prioritized applications that included a 10 percent allotment for individuals and families who are, or are at risk of becoming, homeless.
Governor Baker Signs REAL ID Compliance Legislation
Governor Baker has signed bipartisan legislation to ensure Massachusetts' compliance with the federal REAL ID Act, while adopting public safety standards so the Commonwealth's citizens can continue to enter federal buildings and board domestic flights and ensuring that state credentials are issued to residents and those who are lawfully present in the United States. The RMV will continue to update customers throughout its compliance efforts and anticipates REAL ID compliant cards will begin to be issued in the fall of 2017.
Governor Baker first filed REAL ID compliance legislation in October of 2015, with the Legislature ultimately adopting the Governor's bipartisan amendment to make explicit that both a REAL ID-compliant license and a Massachusetts license will only be issued to individuals with proof of lawful presence, ensuring undocumented immigrants do not obtain either type of license under the new system. The REAL ID Act, the result of work by the 9/11 Commission, sets minimum standards that states must meet during the issuance and manufacture of driver's licenses and Massachusetts resident identification cards. Only a REAL ID carries certain benefits such as serving as a valid form of identification to enter federal facilities and, once enforcement begins, the ability to board domestic flights.
Massachusetts credential holders currently are not subject to enforcement rules set by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) because the Commonwealth has a valid compliance extension, as do approximately half of the states in the country. At least 23 other states are already issuing REAL ID compliant credentials.
Gov. Baker signs Legislation supported by Rep. Stanley and legislative colleagues benefiting Veterans and Gold Star Families
Governor Baker signed "The HOME Act," into law. The omnibus legislation provides additional support for members of the Armed Services, veterans, gold star families, and the Commonwealth's two Soldiers' Homes.
The legislation designates the Fall River Gold Star monument the official gold star monument of the Commonwealth; expands the Public Service Scholarship to extend support to benefit children of service members held as prisoners of war or missing in action in any conflict; extends pay and benefits protections for employees of the Commonwealth who serve in the National Guard units or in reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces when they are called to service; extends total municipal real estate tax exemption to cover surviving spouses of any service member killed during active duty service and veterans with service-connected blindness that results in a 100% disability rating from the Federal Veterans Administration; allows for municipalities to establish a way for individuals to voluntarily check off, donate, or pledge an amount of money which shall go to the Municipal Veterans Assistance Fund. The Fund provides support for vets and their dependents in need of immediate assistance with food, transportation, heat and oil expenses; expands provisions establishing preferences for veterans in publicly-supported housing units; and adds veteran status as protected class under the law prohibiting discrimination in employment.
Governor Baker Signs Transgender Anti-Discrimination Legislation
Governor Baker signed compromise legislation, An Act relative to transgender anti-discrimination (S. 2407), to extend protections against discrimination for gender identity to any place of public accommodation, with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) adopting regulations or policies to enforce its provisions. The bill, passed by the House and Senate, further directs the Massachusetts attorney general's office to issue regulations or guidance for referring to law enforcement any person whose assertion of a gender identity is for an improper purpose.
The legislation provides for the MCAD and attorney general's office to report their recommendations, regulations or guidance by September 1st, with full implementation of the law taking effect on October 1, 2016.
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