House Reflects on Session Accomplishments as New Year Approaches

State Representative Cory Atkins joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in reviewing recent session accomplishments as the Legislature prepares for 2014.

 In 2013 the House passed major legislation pertaining to economic development, transportation, education, welfare, compounding pharmacies, and election laws.

 This session the House passed two major finance bills, the FY14 budget and the transportation finance bill, both of which are designed to stimulate economic growth. The FY14 budget, a $34 billion plan, allocates essential funds that advance the growth of the local economy and support the Commonwealth’s essential services and programs, including local aid, education, housing, and health and human services.

 In addition to funding essential services, the budget prioritizes education-related items, including increased Chapter 70 education funding for local school districts.  It takes decisive action to bolster funding for the University of Massachusetts, state universities and community colleges, including a $478.9 million allocation for UMass that prevented tuition and fee increases this school year.  The House is committed to working toward this goal again in fiscal year 2015.  This focus underscores Massachusetts’ ongoing commitment to strengthen our education system as a means to create jobs and provide residents with a competitive edge.

 This year’s budget also provided new funding and resources for various programs enacted through the 2012 economic development legislation, including the Manufacturing Futures Program and the Mass Works Infrastructure Program, to foster job creation for employees of all skill levels across numerous industries.

 The transportation finance bill, passed in August, is designed to solve long-standing financial problems in the state’s transportation system through continued reforms and a stable funding source without placing too great a burden on working families. The bill continues on the promise of the 2009 transportation reform law by enhancing efficiency and accountability, providing revenue to initiate economic growth, and supporting necessary infrastructure projects.

 Following the 2012 meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated drugs, Massachusetts became the first state to pass comprehensive legislation relative to compounding pharmacies. In October the House voted unanimously for a bill that will help the Commonwealth better regulate the industry. This legislation addresses a previous lack of consistent standards governing the operations of specialty pharmacies engaged in sterile compounding by improving oversight, licensing, and quality standards.

 This year the House also passed a reform to the state’s welfare system.  The Economic Independence Act enhances the efficacy of the welfare system through new initiatives and reforms, including the Pathways to Self-Sufficiency program, which provides numerous resources designed to help welfare recipients achieve financial independence. The bill also builds on the House’s unyielding commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Massachusetts’ welfare system through new reform measures, including an expanded scope of prohibited actions to include foreign transmittal agencies, and increased resources for the Department of Transitional Assistance.

 These measures follow electronic benefit card reforms made in the FY14 budget and two subsequent supplementary budgets.  In the midst of the federal government shutdown the October supplemental budget allocated additional and immediate funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, an indication of our government’s ongoing commitment to helping people in need.

 Aware of the difficult circumstance some families face, the House passed legislation and enacted numerous provisions to help residents secure safe and stable housing, including a $1.4 billion housing bond bill which modernizes public housing and allows for home modification for elderly or disabled homeowners.

 This fall the House passed two bills related to the military and veterans.  Veterans affairs are a major priority for the House and because of this, Massachusetts is consistently ranked among the top state for veterans.  The 2013 VALOR Act builds on existing legislation to provide increased property tax relief and enhance employment, education, and healthcare support services. The House also passed a military bond bill which funds projects at military installations around the state.

 In 2013 the House also:

•  ·         Approved of election legislation that establishes early voting for presidential elections and provides resources to local officials and residents to make the voting process more efficient. This bill is expected to significantly decrease wait times on Election Day and allow greater access to voting;
• Increased the maximum penalty for corporate manslaughter from $1,000 to $250,000;
• Passed legislation to ensure that students with disabilities have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that includes short-term objectives and benchmarks.  The inclusion of short-term goals in a student’s IEP is important in order to measure the impact of special education instruction and services;
• Expanded efforts to require national background checks through fingerprinting of teachers, daycare providers, and persons living or working on facility premises. The new law, which stemmed from Federal Bureau of Investigation recommendations, also requires address-based sex offender checks of early education and care facilities.