ACEC/MA Government Affairs Update: February 2017
Next ACEC/MA Government Affairs Committee Meeting: March 24, 2017, 10 AM at Aldrich Center at The Engineering Center.
For call-in information, contact [email protected]
New Legislative Session Started January 4
The Massachusetts House and Senate convened on January 4, 2017 to officially begin the new 2017-2018 legislative session. The full-time Legislature meets regularly over the two year period with formal sessions concluding on July 31, 2018.
With strong Democratic veto proof majorities in both the House and Senate behind them, Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst) were re-elected to their respective positions without opposition. In February, they appointed chairs, vice-chairs and members of the various joint legislative committees. With the committee structure in place, the House and Senate are beginning the process of referring bills to committees for consideration and starting public hearings on all non-budgetary bills.
Additionally, the debate over the Fiscal Year 2018 budget begins with Governor Baker's filing of his budget proposal on January 25, 2017. The House and Senate will file their respective versions of the budget in April and May, aiming to agree upon a consensus budget to send to the Governor before the start of FY18 on July 1, 2017.
Here's a look back at the last legislative session: ACEC/MA had an active legislative agenda and worked closely with Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications in 2016 to keep ACEC/MA's reputation as an active and involved engineering, land surveying and design community advocates on Beacon Hill. During the 2015-2016 legislative session, Massachusetts State Senators and State Representatives filed more than 6000 pieces of legislation. ACEC/MA focused on bills that would have had a direct impact on design professionals. Some of these bills would have had a negative impact, costing member firms and taxpayers millions of dollars. These bills range from preventing public agencies from contracting out for private sector design services to bills proposing to impose burdensome regulations. ACEC/MA and our lobbyists tracked these bills, developed briefing sheets and written testimony, met with legislators, testified at public hearings, and kept key legislators informed about the impact these bills would have on design professionals, on construction projects and on taxpayers. Thanks to the vigilance of ACEC/MA, none of the bills we opposed became law in 2016. We expect some of the bills we opposed to be refiled again in 2017, either by the January 20, 2017 filing deadline or later in the 2017-18 legislative session. ACEC/MA and Rasky Baerlein will again work to defend our member firms against harmful legislation and work for passage of legislation to help infrastructure.
Here for Reference
Legislative Leadership for 2017-2018 Legislative Session
In February, House and Senate leaders assigned members to committees and leadership positions. The process of scheduling public hearings on the more than 5,700 bills filed by House and Senate lawmakers can begin now that committees are constituted.
Below is a complete list of leadership positions in both branches, House standing committees, Senate standing committees, and joint committees.
Senate Leadership
Senate President — Stanley Rosenberg
Majority Leader — Harriette Chandler
President Pro Tempore — Marc Pacheco
Asst. Majority Leader — Cynthia Creem
Asst. Majority Leader — Mark Montigny
Majority Whip — Michael Rodrigues
Asst. Majority Whip — Linda Forry
Asst. Majority Whip — Joan Lovely
Senate Minority Leader — Bruce Tarr
Asst. Minority Leader — Donald Humason
Asst. Minority Leader — Richard Ross
Minority Whip — Ryan Fattman
Asst. Minority Whip — Patrick O'Connor
House Leadership
House Speaker — Robert DeLeo
Majority Leader — Ronald Mariano
Speaker Pro Tempore — Patricia Haddad
Asst. Majority Leader — Byron Rushing
Second Asst. Majority Leader — Paul Donato
Second Asst. Majority Leader — Michael Moran
First Division Chair — Ann-Margaret Ferrante
Second Division Chair — David Nangle
Third Division Chair — Sarah Peake
Fourth Division Chair — Louis Kafka
House Minority Leader — Bradley Jones
Asst. Minority Leader — Brad Hill
Second Asst. Minority Leader — Elizabeth Poirier
Third Asst. Minority Leader — Susan Williams Gifford
Third Asst. Minority Leader — Paul Frost
SENATE STANDING COMMITTEES
Ways and Means Committee
Sen. Karen Spilka — Chair
Sen. Sal DiDomenico — Vice Chair
Sen. Patricia Jehlen — Asst. Vice Chair
Sen. William Brownsberger
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sen. Eileen Donoghue
Sen. Jamie Eldridge
Sen. John Keenan
Sen. Joan Lovely
Sen. Thomas McGee
Sen. Michael Moore
Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives
Sen. Michael Rush
Sen. James Timilty
Sen. Vinny deMacedo — Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Richard Ross
Sen. Donald Humason
Rules Committee
Sen. Mark Montigny — Chair
Sen. Karen Spilka — Vice Chair
Sen. Eileen Donoghue
Sen. James Welch
Sen. Donald Humason — Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Ethics Committee
Sen. Michael Rodrigues — Chair
Sen. William Brownsberger — Vice Chair
Sen. Cynthia Creem
Sen. Sal DiDomenico
Sen. Richard Ross — Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Committee on Bills in Third Reading
Sen. Cynthia Creem — Chair
Sen. Barbara L'Italien — Vice Chair
Sen. Ken Donnelly
Sen. Anne Gobi
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Committee on Post Audit and Oversight
Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives — Chair
Sen. James Welch — Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Moore
Sen. Thomas McGee
Sen. Anne Gobi
Sen. Ryan Fattman — Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Committee on Steering and Policy
Sen. Eileen Donoghue — Chair
Sen. John Keenan — Vice Chair
Sen. Jamie Eldridge
Sen. Cynthia Creem
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets
Sen. John Keenan — Chair
Sen. Thomas McGee — Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Moore
Sen. Anne Gobi
Sen. Walter Timilty
Sen. Donald Humason — Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Committee on Personnel and Administration
Sen. Michael Rush — Chair
Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives — Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Rodrigues
Sen. Michael Barrett
Sen. Marc Pacheco
Sen. Patrick O'Connor — Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change
Sen. Marc Pacheco — Chair
Sen. Jamie Eldridge — Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Barrett
Sen. Joseph Boncore
Sen. Jason Lewis
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs
Sen. Sal DiDomenico — Chair
Sen. Linda Forry — Vice Chair
Sen. Eric Lesser
Sen. Jamie Eldridge
Sen. Adam Hinds
Sen. Donald Humason
Committee on Redistricting
Sen. Harriette Chandler — Chair
Sen. Michael Rodrigues — Vice Chair
Sen. Barbara L'Italien
Sen. James Timilty
Sen. James Welch
Sen. Bruce Tarr
HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEES
Ways and Means
Rep. Brian Dempsey — Chair
Rep. Stephen Kilik — Vice Chair
Rep. Elizabeth Malia — Asst. Vice Chair
Rep. James Miceli
Rep. Thomas Walsh
Rep. Robert Koczera
Rep. Thomas Stanley
Rep. Sean Garballey
Rep. James Arciero
Rep. Brian Ashe
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier
Rep. Russell Holmes
Rep. Josh Cutler
Rep. Mary Keefe
Rep. David Rogers
Rep. Alan Silvia
Rep. Daniel Cullinane
Rep. Carole Fiola
Rep. Daniel Hunt
Rep. RoseLee Vincent
Rep. Evandro Carvalho
Rep. Carmine Gentile
Rep. Carlos Gonzalez
Rep. Joseph McGonagle
Rep. Rady Mom
Rep. Paul Tucker
Rep. Adrian Madaro
Rep. Gerard Cassidy
Rep. Todd Smola — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Angelo D'Emilia — Asst. Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Donald Berthiaume
Rep. Nicholas Boldyga
Rep. Kate Campanale
Rep. Shawn Dooley
Rep. Timothy Whelan
Rep. Donald Wong
Rules Committee
Rep. William Galvin — Chair
Rep. Marjorie Decker — Vice Chair
Rep. Byron Rushing
Rep. Louis Kafka
Rep. Joseph Wagner
Rep. Ronald Mariano
Rep. David Nangle
Rep. Paul Donato
Rep. Patricia Haddad
Rep. Michael Moran
Rep. Sarah Peake
Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante
Rep. Kimberley Ferguson — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. David Vieira — Asst. Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Sheila Harrington
Committee on Bills in Third Reading
Rep. Ted Speliotis — Chair
Rep. Frank Moran — Vice Chair
Rep. Angelo D'Emilia
Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets
Rep. Antonio Cabral — Chair
Rep. Ruth Balser — Vice Chair
Rep. Angelo Scaccia
Rep. James Dwyer
Rep. Ken Gordon
Rep. Daniel Donahue
Rep. Michelle DuBois
Rep. Michael Connolly
Rep. William Driscoll
Rep. David Vieira — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Kevin Kuros
Ethics Committee
Rep. Chris Markey — Chair
Rep. Daniel Cullinane — Vice Chair
Rep. Byron Rushing
Rep. Paul Donato
Rep. Patricia Haddad
Rep. Peter Kocot
Rep. Sarah Peake
Rep. Elizabeth Poirier — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Jay Barrows — Asst. Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Marc Lombardo
Rep. Susannah Whipps
Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change
Rep. Frank Smizik — Chair
Rep. James Miceli — Vice Chair
Rep. Denise Provost
Rep. Thomas Calter
Rep. Jonathan Hecht
Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik
Rep. Carlos Gonzalez
Rep. Gerard Cassidy
Rep. Brian Murray
Rep. Geoff Diehl — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Kate Campanale
Committee on Personnel and Administration
Rep. Paul McMurtry — Chair
Rep. Carole Fiola — Vice Chair
Rep. James Miceli
Rep. Louis Kafka
Rep. John Rogers
Rep. Colleen Garry
Rep. David Nangle
Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose
Rep. Juana Matias
Rep. James Lyons — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Angelo D'Emilia — Asst. Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Kimberly Ferguson
Rep. Sheila Harrington
Committee on Post Audit and Oversight
Rep. David Linskey — Chair
Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli — Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Stanley
Rep. Linda Dean Campbell
Rep. Jay Livingstone
Rep. Michael Finn
Rep. Michael Day
Rep. Daniel Ryan
Rep. Joan Meschino
Rep. Peter Durant — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Shaunna O'Connell
Committee on Redistricting
Rep. Paul Mark — Chair
Rep. Daniel Donahue — Vice Chair
Rep. Angleo Scaccia
Rep. Colleen Garry
Rep. Sean Garballey
Rep. Frank Moran
Rep. David Rogers
Rep. Jose Tosado
Rep. Dylan Fernandes
Rep. Paul Frost — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Steven Howitt
Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling
Rep. James Murphy — Chair
Rep. Thomas Petrolati — Vice Chair
Rep. James Dwyer
Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante
Rep. Josh Cutler
Rep. Diana DiZoglio
Rep. Paul Heroux
Rep. Michelle DuBois
Rep. Michael Connolly
Rep. Brad Hill — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Susan Williams Gifford
Committee on Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs
Rep. Angelo Puppolo — Chair
Rep. Robert Koczera — Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Calter
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier
Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik
Rep. Evandro Carvalho
Rep. Carlos Gonzalez
Rep. Gerard Cassidy
Rep. Natalie Higgins
Rep. Marc Lombardo — Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Geoff Diehl
JOINT COMMITTEES
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
Rep. Kay Khan — House Chair
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan — Senate Chair
Rep. Aaron Vega — House Vice Chair
Sen. Joan Lovely — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. John Rogers
Rep. Carolyn Dykema
Rep. Jonathan Hecht
Rep. Paul Schmid
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier
Rep. Steven Ultrino
Rep. Jack Lewis
Sen. Linda Forry
Sen. Julian Cyr
Sen. Thomas McGee
Rep. Shaunna O'Connell — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. William Crocker
Sen. Donald Humason
Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business
Rep. Edward Coppinger — House Chair
Sen. Julian Cyr — Senate Chair
Rep. Josh Cutler — House Vice Chair
Sen. Jamie Eldrdige — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Calter
Rep. Kenneth Gordon
Rep. Daniel Cullinane
Rep. Brendan Crighton
Rep. Carlos Gonzalez
Rep. Natalie Higgins
Rep. Joan Meschino
Sen. Anne Gobi
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sen. Sal DiDomenico
Rep. Leonard Mirra — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Joseph McKenna
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Rep. Jennifer Benson — House Chair
Sen. Barbara L'Italien — Senate Chair
Rep. Daniel Hunt — House Vice Chair
Sen. James Timilty — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Ruth Balser
Rep. James Arciero
Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli
Rep. Jay Livingstone
Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik
Rep. Jose Tosado
Rep. Juana Matias
Sen. Michael Brady
Sen. Sal DiDomenico
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan
Rep. Steven Howitt — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Joseph McKenna
Sen. Ryan Fattman
Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies
Rep. Joseph Wagner — House Chair
Sen. Eric Lesser — Senate Chair
Rep. Nick Collins — House Vice Chair
Sen. Adam Hinds — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Sean Garballey
Rep. Chris Walsh
Rep. Frank Moran
Rep. Carole Fiola
Rep. Brendan Crighton
Rep. Stephan Hay
Rep. Brian Murray
Rep. Bud Williams
Sen. Thomas McGee
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sen. Marc Pacheco
Sen. Michael Barrett
Rep. Keiko Orrall — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Kevin Kuros — Asst. Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. James Kelcourse
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Joint Committee on Education
Rep. Alice Hanlon Peisch — House Chair
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz — Senate Chair
Rep. Chris Walsh — House Vice Chair
Sen. Patricia Jehlen — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. John Rogers
Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli
Rep. James Cantwell
Rep. Diana DiZoglio
Rep. Paul Tucker
Rep. Chynah Tyler
Rep. Bud Williams
Sen. Jason Lewis
Sen. Barbara L'Italien
Sen. Michael Barrett
Rep. Kimberly Ferguson — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. James Kelcourse
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Joint Committee on Elder Affairs
Rep. Danielle Gregoire — House Chair
Sen. Barbara L'Italien — Senate Chair
Rep. Brian Ashe — House Vice Chair
Sen. Julian Cyr — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Bruce Ayers
Rep. Marjorie Decker
Rep. Paul Heroux
Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik
Rep. Carmine Gentile
Rep. Joseph McGonagle
Rep. Steven Ultrino
Sen. Patricia Jehlen
Sen. Eric Lesser
Sen. Walter Timilty
Rep. Kate Campanale — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. David Muradian
Sen. Ryan Fattman
Joint Committee on Election Laws
Rep. John Mahoney — House Chair
Sen. Anne Gobi — Senate Chair
Rep. Kenneth Gordon — House Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Barrett — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Jonathan Hecht
Rep. Tackey Chan
Rep. Russell Holmes
Rep. Diana DiZoglio
Rep. Alan Silvia
Rep. Evandro Carvalho
Rep. Joseph McGonagle
Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives
Sen. Patricia Jehlen
Sen. Jason Lewis
Rep. Nicholas Boldyga — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Marc Lombardo
Sen. Ryan Fattman
Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture
Rep. Gailanne Cariddi — House Chair
Sen. Anne Gobi — Senate Chair
Rep. RoseLee Vincent — House Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Rush — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Petrolati
Rep. Robert Koczera
Rep. Mary Keefe
Rep. John Velis
Rep. Christine Barber
Rep. Dylan Fernandes
Rep. Jack Lewis
Sen. James Timilty
Sen. Jamies Eldridge
Sen. Thomas McGee
Rep. Donald Berthiaume — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. James Kelcourse
Sen. Ryan Fattman
Joint Committee on Export Development
Rep. Lori Ehrlich — House Chair
Sen. Eileen Donoghue — Senate Chair
Rep. James Arciero — House Vice Chair
Sen. Mark Montigny — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Bruce Ayers
Rep. Denise Provost
Rep. Thomas Calter
Rep. David Rogers
Rep. Jeffrey Roy
Rep. Daniel Cahill
Rep. William Driscoll
Sen. Michael Rodridgues
Sen. Linda Forry
Sen. Marc Pacheco
Rep. Donald Wong — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Keiko Orrall
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Rep. Aaron Michlewitz — House Chair
Rep. Jamie Eldridge — Senate Chair
Rep. Michael Finn — House Vice Chair
Sen. Eric Lesser — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Stanley
Rep. Chris Walsh
Rep. Marjorie Decker
Rep. Christine Barber
Rep. Michael Day
Rep. Jose Tosado
Rep. Daniel Cahill
Sen. Joseph Boncore
Sen. John Keenan
Sen. Sal DiDomenico
Rep. Jay Barrows — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Shawn Dooley
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Joint Committee on Health Care Financing
Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez — House Chair
Sen. James Welch — Senate Chair
Rep. Jeffrey Roy — House Vice Chair
Sen. Joseph Boncore — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. James Cantwell
Rep. Carolyn Dykema
Rep. Tackey Chan
Rep. Daniel Cullinane
Rep. Daniel Donahue
Rep. John Velis
Rep. Carmine Gentile
Rep. Steven Ultrino
Sen. Michael Barrett
Sen. Barbara L'Italien
Sen. Eric Lesser
Sen. Jason Lewis
Rep. Randy Hunt — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Mathew Muratore — Asst. Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Leonard Mirra
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Joint Committee on Higher Education
Rep. John Scibak — House Chair
Sen. Michael Moore — Senate Chair
Rep. Sean Garballey — House Vice Chair
Sen. Eileen Donoghue — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Petrolati
Rep. Denise Provost
Rep. Aaron Vega
Rep. Rady Mom
Rep. Stephan Hay
Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose
Rep. Natalie Higgins
Sen. Adams Hinds
Sen. Eric Lesser
Sen. O'Connor Ives
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Timothy Whelan
Sen. Richard Ross
Joint Committee on Housing
Rep. Kevin Honan — House Chair
Sen. Joseph Boncore — Senate Chair
Rep. Russell Holmes — House Vice Chair
Sen. Linda Forry — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Robert Koczera
Rep. Nick Collins
Rep. Christine Barber
Rep. Carmine Gentile
Rep. Michael Connolly
Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose
Rep. Chynah Tyler
Sen. Michael Barrett
Sen. Julian Cyr
Sen. Adam Hinds
Rep. Geoff Diehl — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. David DeCoste
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Rep. Claire Cronin — House Chair
Sen. William Brownsberger — Senate Chair
Rep. James Cantwell — House Vice Chair
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Colleen Garry
Rep. Carole Fiola
Rep. Daniel Hunt
Rep. Michael Day
Rep. Rady Mom
Rep. Paul Tucker
Rep. Bud Williams
Sen. John Keenan
Sen. Cynthia Creem
Sen. Patricia Jehlen
Rep. Sheila Harrington — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. James Lyons
Sen. Richard Ross
Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
Rep. Paul Brodeur — House Chair
Sen. Jason Lewis — Senate Chair
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier — House Vice Chair
Sen. Patricia Jehlen — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. John Rogers
Rep. Elizabeth Malia
Rep. Aaron Vega
Rep. Christine Barber
Rep. Steven Ultrino
Rep. Gerard Cassidy
Rep. Juana Matias
Sen. Sal DiDomenico
Sen. Ken Donnelly
Sen. John Keenan
Rep. Joseph McKenna — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Keiko Orrall
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy
Rep. Mark Cusack — House Chair
Sen. Patricia Jehlen — Senate Chair
Rep. David Rogers — House Vice Chair
Sen. Jason Lewis — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Tackey Chan
Rep. Michael Finn
Rep. Aaron Vega
Rep. John Velis
Rep. RoseLee Vincent
Rep. Adrian Madaro
Rep. Stephan Hay
Sen. Jamie Eldridge
Sen. Linda Forry
Sen. James Welch
Rep. Hannah Kane — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Nicholas Boldyga
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery
Rep. Denise Garlick — House Chair
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan — Senate Chair
Rep. Daniel Ryan — House Vice Chair
Sen. John Keenan — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Angelo Scaccia
Rep. Michael Finn
Rep. Diana DiZoglio
Rep. Jeffrey Roy
Rep. Michael Day
Rep. Jose Tosado
Rep. Dylan Fernandes
Rep. Natalie Higgins
Sen. Ken Donnelly
Sen. Jamie Eldridge
Sen. William Brownsberger
Sen. Adam Hinds
Rep. Susannah Whipps — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. William Crocker — Asst. Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Shaunna O'Connell
Sen. Richard Ross
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Rep. James O'Day — House Chair
Sen. Michael Moore — Senate Chair
Rep. Thomas Stanley — House Vice Chair
Sen. Walter Timilty — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Paul Heroux
Rep. Jeffrey Roy
Rep. Jay Livingstone
Rep. Michelle DuBois
Rep. Stephan Hay
Rep. Dylan Fernandes
Rep. Brian Murray
Sen. Julian Cyr
Sen. Eileen Donoghue
Sen. Adam Hinds
Rep. Donald Wong — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. David Muradian
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Joint Committee on Public Health
Rep. Kate Hogan — House Chair
Sen. Jason Lewis — Senate Chair
Rep. Evandro Carvalho — House Vice Chair
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Linda Dean Campbell
Rep. Jonathan Hecht
Rep. Paul Schmid
Rep. Mary Keefe
Rep. Brendan Crighton
Rep. Jack Lewis
Rep. Chynah Tyler
Sen. Julian Cyr
Sen. James Timilty
Sen. Joan Lovely
Rep. Hannah Kane — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. James Lyons
Sen. Richard Ross
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
Rep. Harold Naughton — House Chair
Sen. James Timilty — Senate Chair
Rep. Alan Silvia — House Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Moore — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Walsh
Rep. Bruce Ayers
Rep. James Dwyer
Rep. Rady Mom
Rep. Paul Tucker
Rep. Juana Matias
Rep. Chynah Tyler
Rep. Bud Williams
Sen. Michael Brady
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz
Sen. Michael Rush
Sen. William Brownsberger
Rep. David Vieira — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. David Muradian — Asst. Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Peter Durant
Sen. Richard Ross
Joint Committee on Public Service
Rep. Jerald Parisella — House Chair
Sen. James Timilty — Senate Chair
Rep. Jay Livingstone — House Vice Chair
Sen. Ken Donnelly — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Elizabeth Malia
Rep. Russell Holmes
Rep. Paul Schmid
Rep. Chris Walsh
Rep. Frank Moran
Rep. Daniel Cahill
Rep. Jack Lewis
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan
Sen. Michael Brady
Sen. William Brownsberger
Rep. Timothy Whelan — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. David DeCoste
Sen. Donald Humason
Joint Committee on Revenue
Rep. Jay Kaufman — House Chair
Sen. Michael Brady — Senate Chair
Rep. Linda Dean Campbell — House Vice Chair
Sen. Cynthia Creem — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Colleen Garry
Rep. Brian Ashe
Rep. James Dwyer
Rep. Alan Silvia
Rep. Daniel Hunt
Rep. Brendan Crighton
Rep. Brian Murray
Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives
Sen. Michael Rodrigues
Sen. Joseph Boncore
Rep. Shawn Dooley — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Peter Durant
Sen. Ryan Fattman
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Rep. Peter Kocot — House Chair
Sen. Walter Timilty — Senate Chair
Rep. Paul Schmid — House Vice Chair
Sen. Joan Lovely — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli
Rep. Denise Provost
Rep. Linda Dean Campbell
Rep. Brian Ashe
Rep. Marjorie Decker
Rep. RoseLee Vincent
Rep. William Driscoll
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan
Sen. Michael Moore
Sen. Ken Donnelly
Rep. Kevin Kuros — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Mathew Muratore
Sen. Patrick O'Connor
Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy
Rep. Thomas Golden — House Chair
Sen. Michael Barrett — Senate Chair
Rep. Tackey Chan — House Vice Chair
Sen. Michael Brady — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. James Cantwell
Rep. Carolyn Dykema
Rep. Nick Collins
Rep. Josh Cutler
Rep. Adrian Madaro
Rep. Daniel Cahill
Rep. Joan Meschino
Sen. Marc Pacheco
Sen. Anne Gobi
Sen. Joan Lovely
Rep. Leonard Mirra — Ranking Minority House Member
Rep. Randy Hunt
Sen. Bruce Tarr
Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development
Rep. Cory Atkins — House Chair
Sen. Adam Hinds — Senate Chair
Rep. Bruce Ayers — House Vice Chair
Sen. Julian Cyr — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. James Miceli
Rep. Thomas Petrolati
Rep. Thomas Walsh
Rep. Ruth Balser
Rep. Paul Heroux
Rep. Mary Keefe
Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose
Sen. Joan Lovely
Sen. Eileen Donoghue
Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz
Rep. Mathew Muratore — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. William Crocker
Sen. Vinny deMacedo
Joint Committee on Transportation
Rep. William Straus — House Chair
Sen. Thomas McGee — Senate Chair
Rep. Carolyn Dykema — House Vice Chair
Sen. Joseph Boncore — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Thomas Walsh
Rep. Kenneth Gordon
Rep. Daniel Donahue
Rep. Daniel Ryan
Rep. Joseph McGonagle
Rep. Adrian Madaro
Rep. William Driscoll
Rep. Joan Meschino
Sen. Eric Lesser
Sen. John Keenan
Sen. Linda Forry
Sen. Michael Rush
Rep. Steven Howitt — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Randy Hunt — Asst. Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Hannah Kane
Sen. Donald Humason
Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs
Rep. John Lawn — House Chair
Sen. Michael Rush — Senate Chair
Rep. John Velis — House Vice Chair
Sen. Anne Gobi — Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Angelo Scaccia
Rep. Ruth Balser
Rep. James Arciero
Rep. Nick Collins
Rep. Daniel Ryan
Rep. Michelle DuBois
Rep. Michael Connolly
Sen. Eric Lesser
Sen. Walter Timilty
Sen. Michael Brady
Rep. David DeCoste — Ranking House Minority Member
Rep. Donald Berthiaume
Sen. Donald Humason
End of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session
On January 3, 2017, the legislature concluded the 2015-2016 legislative session, passing a number of bills during the last day of informal session. These bills are being reviewed by Governor Baker. He will sign some into law, while others will receive a 'pocket veto' if he doesn't sign them. Any bills that he does not sign by January 14 will potentially be refiled by January 20, 2017 and will receive new bill numbers, starting the legislative process again. Among the bills that received final approval late on January 3, 2017:
- AUDIT SCHEDULES H 4720 reconciling inconsistent statutory audit schedules.
- MASSAGE ON SUNDAY: H 169 relative to massage therapy services on Sundays and holidays.
- ALCOHOL DONATIONS: H 248 relative to special alcohol licenses for nonprofit charitable corporations.
- CONTRACTS: H 1832 employment contracts for appointed municipal assessors, treasurers and collectors.
- RTA MEMBERSHIP: H 3028 relative to membership in regional transit authorities
- BICYCLISTS: H 3072 protecting bicyclists in bicycle lanes.
- DEEDS MODERNIZATION: H 3862 relative to modernizing the registries of deeds.
- CREDIT UNION RESERVES: H 4193 further regulating the reserve fund for credit unions.
- ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES: S 2505 promoting zero-emission vehicle adoption.
- MEDFORD LIQUOR LICENSES: H 4786 increasing certain liquor licenses in Medford from twenty-five to forty.
- NATUROPATHY: S 2335 establishing a board of registration in naturopathy.
- EYE DROPS: H 4195 relative to prescription eye drops.
- PULMONARY HYPERTENSION: H 4121 establishing a pulmonary hypertension task force.
- BEACH WARNINGS: S 1956 creating uniform beach warnings.
- WINE IN CLUBS: S 2244 relative to serving wine in private clubs.
- BOND TERMS: H 4715 recommending legislation relative to recommending terms for certain bonds.
- SELF-STORAGE INSURANCE: S 2233 relative to self-storage insurance.
- WOMEN'S COMMISSION: H 1867 establishing a Hampshire-Franklin Commission on the Status of Women.
- HIV/HEPATITS FUND: H 3960 renaming the Massachusetts AIDS Fund as the State Public Health HIV and Hepatitis Fund.
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Here are a few highlights of our advocacy work in 2016:
Water Infrastructure Funding – Advocating for Infrastructure
For several years, ACEC/MA's Executive Director Abbie Goodman has co-chaired the Water Infrastructure Alliance (WIA) along with Jennifer Pederson, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Water Works Association (MWWA). WIA is comprised of engineering associations and firms, construction associations and firms, environmental advocacy groups, and others that promote clean water investments in Massachusetts. Several years ago, the Massachusetts Water Infrastructure Finance Commission identified an estimated $21 Billion funding gap for water and sewer needs in Massachusetts over the next 20 years. It has been two years since the passage of Chapter 259 of the Acts of 2014, which introduced a range of provisions to assist municipalities with their water and sewer funding needs. The FY2017 state budget, however, did not appropriate the necessary funding to implement Chapter 259. ACEC/MA continues to lead WIA to address funding needs and increase public awareness about the importance of safe water infrastructure,
Infrastructure Funding Advisory Committee
Chapter 259 of the Acts of 2014 created a Water Infrastructure Advisory Committee. In late 2015, ACEC/MA was appointed one of 22 members to this advisory group tasked with developing a long-term funding mechanism that will address the significant gap between projected needs and currently available funds for water, sewer, and stormwater projects. ACEC/MA President-Elect Michael Scipione represents us on the Committee. The Water Infrastructure Advisory Committee convened for the first time in September 2016 under the chairmanship of Ned Bartlett from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Utility Coordination Commission
Chapter 259 of the Acts of 2014 also created a Utility Coordination Commission that was charged with developing some best management practices to assist municipalities and public utilties in improving the coordination between public and private underground infrastructure projects. ACEC/MA provided input to the commission, which issued its report to the legislature in December 2016. Report Link
Senate President and Speaker Reach Agreement on Rules
In early December, Senate President Rosenberg and House Speaker DeLeo announced that they had reached an agreement over the rules that will govern the next legislative session that starts in January 2017. The major changes include moving up the deadline for committees to report out bills from the third Wednesday in March to February 1 in the second year of the session and requiring that bills be referred to the branch where they originated as they are reported from committees. The changes are significant as debate over rules reform slowed legislative activity for the first several months of the 2015-2016 legislative session.