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Issues
Bills Filed
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
An Act to Preserve Historic Stone Walls (H. 4908)
This bill seeks to amend the existing General laws regarding theft and destruction of stone walls. Whoever willfully and without consent of the owner pulls down or removes any portion of a stone wall or fence of another shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 6 months or by a fine of not more than $500 or not more than 3 times the value of the property so pulled down or removed, whichever is greater, and shall also be required to pay for the replacement or reconstruction of such stone wall or fence
EDUCATION
An Act to Remove Conflict of Interest in Public Education (S.2277)
This bill restores the Board of Education to its original intent: to provide the Department of Education and the Governor with impartial and knowledgeable direction about improving education in the Commonwealth. In past years concerns have been raised that some members of the Board of Education were employed by or affiliated with organizations that could have profited from decisions made by the board. This bill prohibits any conflict of interest, including financial interest, for members of the Board of Education. In current statute employees in public schools and school committee members are barred from serving on the Board of Education. This legislation extends that prohibition to members who sit on boards of any public schools including charter schools.
An Act to further define tuition calculations and capital allocations for Commonwealth charter schools (H.1525)
This bill would strike MGL 71:89 (nn) and insert a new section (nn) which would exclude, "at a minimum", capital costs from the calculation of tuitions paid to charter schools by districts. The exclusion would establish a per pupil tuition amount that reflects what would be expended on the child only for "operational purposes", if the child was educated in the district. The petition would authorize the department of education to pay the excluded capital costs directly to charter schools, subject to appropriation, as opposed to the current practice of reimbursing districts for the capital costs, which are paid to charters by districts as part of the tuition payment.
An Act to further standardize accounting methods for charter schools (H.1532)
This bill would add a new language to the end of MGL 71:89 to mandate that in any year that tuition payments received by a commonwealth charter school exceed "operating costs" at the school by more than 5%, the excess amount up to 5% "shall be spent for education in the following year." The bill would further provide that tuitions received in excess of 5% be "restore(d) and distribute(d)" by the state treasurer to the "Chapter 70 education aid to school districts where the students reside."
The bill would amend MGL 71:89 (hh) to require charter schools to "keep an End of Year Pupil and Financial Report with substantially the same format and content as is required for public school districts and shall file the report with the department of education and with the auditor by September 30 of each year."
An Act to provide parity for local public school tuition payments for Commonwealth charter schools (H.1540)
This bill would strike MGL 71:89 (nn) and insert a new section (nn) which would exclude, "at a minimum", capital costs from the calculation of tuitions paid to charter schools by districts. The exclusion would establish a per pupil tuition amount that reflects what would be expended on the child only for "operational purposes", if the child was educated in the district. The petition would authorize the department of education to pay the excluded capital costs directly to charter schools, subject to appropriation, as opposed to the current practice of reimbursing districts for the capital costs, which are paid to charters by districts as part of the tuition payment.
An Act relative to the operation of charter schools (H.1544)
This bill would amend MGL 71:89 by "adding a section to investigate and report on the effectiveness and governance of charter schools.
An Act relative to school finance reform (H.1552)
This bill amends Chapter 70 of the General Laws to provide for adequacy, equity and predictability and to provide for a phase-in of full funding.
An Act to the further promotion of racial balance (H.1562)
Section 37C of Chapter 71 states that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage all school committees to promote racial balance and to correct existing racial imbalance in public schools.
This bill adds reference to boards of trustees of commonwealth charter schools in addition to the existing reference to school committees.
An Act relative to third party payments (H.1565)
Current law establishes a system where districts can be reimbursed certain costs for Medicaid eligible students. Currently reimbursements are returned to cities and towns. Some municipalities revert all or part of these funds to the schools, others keep all funds for the municipal side of local government. This bill would place funds given to school committees in a separate account for educational purposes. Funds could be expended by the school committee without further appropriation.
An Act relative to adequate and equitable education finance (H.1576)
This bill would strike section 1 of Chapter 70 of the M.G.L. and replace it with a new section 1. New section would add to the declaration of intent by adding an intent to supplement local funding to ensure equitable distribution of state funds and also an intent to establish a multi-year financial plan. The new section 1 would also add a definition of adequate education that includes 15 specific components such as class size ratios and weighting for specific student groups. The new section also declares that the legislation itself would change the distribution formula to "weight median income as well as….. property values per student". It also declares that the legislation would phase in a minimum (10%) and maximum (90%) aid level over a five year period and prioritize the restoration of aid cut in the FY2002-04 period.
An Act establishing a student athlete sports injury commission (H.1681)
TAXATION
An Act to Reimburse Cities and Towns for Non-Profit Tax Exemptions (H. 4756)
This bill seeks an annual appropriation from the State in the amount fully necessary to reimburse cities and towns for taxes exempted because of ownership by non-profit corporations. Subject to such appropriation, the commissioner of revenue shall distribute to each city and town the full amount of taxes that would otherwise have been paid.
An Act to provide a limited exemption from the state income tax for individuals caring for the elderly (H.1590)
This bill provides an additional exemption to taxpayers who provide care (more than ½ of total support) for elderly relative(s) at least 70 years of age who lived with taxpayer for more than 6 months of the taxable year.
An Act to provide an income tax exemption for certain individuals caring for elderly relatives (H.1601)
This bill provides an additional exemption to taxpayers who provide care (more than ½ of total support) for elderly relative(s) at least 70 years of age who lived with taxpayer for more than 6 months of the taxable year.
An Act relative to property tax deferral for certain disabled and elderly property owners (H.1608)
This bill allows taxpayers to defer payment of property taxes until the home is sold. To qualify, taxpayer must be age 65 and older and have an income under $20,000. Amount deferred cannot exceed 50% of taxpayer's interest in home. City/ town may adopt a higher qualifying amount so long as the gross receipts amount does not exceed $40,000. The statute imposes interest on deferred tax at a rate of 8% per year.
An Act relative to corporations that offer day care benefits (H.1615)
Currently there is no specific deduction from the corporate excise for expenses incurred in providing dependent care. This bill seeks to grant an additional specific deduction against gross income, for corporations that provide employees with a dependent care assistance program. The deduction is equal to 25% of the total expenditures for said program.
PUBLIC SERVICE
An Act regulating the contracting of state service as it affects public employees (H.1619)
This bill would amend c.29 s. 29A by adding a provision at the end of subdivision 1 that would limit contract services to work not of a kind currently provided by state employees or that would result in replacement or displacement of current state employees.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
An Act relative to protect homeowner's insurance from unfair cancellation (H.1623)
This bill would add a new clause to Section 3, of Chapter 175D, of the MGLs, stipulating that nonrenewal of a homeowner's insurance policy, in place for less than five years with two or fewer claims, or in place not less than ten years with three or fewer claims, is an unfair or deceptive act.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
An Act to identify innovative ways to enhance community preservation (H.1636)
This bill would establish a special commission to conduct a review of the Community Preservation Act and submit a report of its findings to the House and Senate by December 1, 2007.
LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
An Act relative to unemployment insurance (H.1638)
This bill would allow a person employed at a corporation which made contributions to the unemployment compensation fund, and who worked for a period of time for which they elected to receive no salary, wages, or bonuses, their base period shall be the 4 completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of working without compensation. Current law call for the last 4 completed quarters to be used in benefit calculations.
An Act establishing a task force on the underground economy (H.3936)
This bill establishes a study and enforcement Task Force on the Underground Economy. There is a need to develop a strategy for agencies to cooperatively prosecute violators of the current laws including but not limited to misclassification of employees as independent contractors, the so called "under the table employment" and other means of employment that result in the underpayment or nonpayment of taxes and required insurance premiums within the Commonwealth
ENVIRONMENT
An Act implementing the Greater Callahan open Space and Greenway Plan in the towns of Framingham, Sudbury, and Southborough and the city of Marlborough (H.1648)
This bill authorizes the Department of Environmental Management to acquire, in whole or in part, or to enter into agreements that protect from development, the lands defined in the Greater Callahan Open Space and greenway Plan located in the towns of Framingham, Sudbury and Southborough and in the city of Marlborough. These properties shall be added to the existing Callahan State park and administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
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