Page 16 BHRC | FROM PAGE 15 share explicit images of themselves or other minors can be charged with violating Massachusetts child pornography laws and are required to register with the Sex Offender Registry. The bill allows minors to be diverted to an educational program that would provide them with information about the consequences of posting or transmitting indecent visual depictions of minors. Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), the Senate chair of the Judiciary Committee, said the bill addresses the highly charged subjects of juvenile sexting and revenge porn. “I'm pleased that the Senate is taking action on a unified bill this week,” said Eldridge. “I commend the victims for their passionate advocacy and applaud their courage in coming forward to tell their stories.” “Under current law, when faced with an incident of sexting among teenagers, the police are forced with either charging them with a felony or doing nothing,” said sponsor Rep. Jeff Roy (D-Franklin). “The bill … provides law enforcement officers with a middle ground that will allow them to educate kids about the consequences of their actions without ruining their lives. It will have a tremendous impact on people who have become entangled in the web and transmittal of images that can cause traumatic and lifetime harm through a diversion program that will educate them about the legal and personal consequences of ‘sexting.’” The House approved a different version of the measure in May. The Senate version now goes to the House for consideration. THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (S 3169) – The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would create a “chain of custody” for used catalytic converter sales. A catalytic converter is a device that converts the environmentally hazardous exhaust emitted by a vehicle’s engine into less harmful gasses. The measure requires the buyer to keep records of each converter purchased, from which vehicle it was removed from and who the seller was. These records would be made available upon request to law enforcement. Supporters explained that several communities have seen a rise in catalytic converter thefts because the converters use platinum, palladium or rhodium to operate. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the values of these precious THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 6, 2023 metals contained inside catalytic converters have skyrocketed and is staggering. As of March 2022, rhodium is valued at $20,000 per ounce; palladium at $2,938 per ounce; and platinum at $1,128 per ounce. For thieves, this means a catalytic converter might be a better score than the average wedding band or gold watch. “Many scrapyards and black-market buyers have an open call out for catalytic converters, which they turn around and sell to metal recyclers,” says the Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance Agency in Massachusetts. “Ten years ago, a thief could earn between $20 and $200 per stolen converter. Today, thanks to the spike in the value of these metals, that range is more like $300 to $850, for just a few minutes of work." “Catalytic theft is an epidemic,” said House sponsor Rep. Steve Howitt (R-Seekonk). “It is not only very costly to the vehicle owner, if they do not have comprehensive insurance, it creates an inconvenience to have repairs done. This bill would try to tighten up the market in Massachusetts for these thieves to pawn their stolen goods.” The House approved a different version of the measure in October. The Senate version now goes to the House for consideration. MINIMUM WAGE HIKE FROM $14.25 TO $15 PER HOUR EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1 – Effective January 1, 2023 the state’s minimum wage rises from $14.25 per hour to $15 per hour. This hike is the final one of five annual increases mandated by a law passed in 2018 that has brough the minimum wage from $11 per hour in 2018 to the current $15 per hour. In addition, the minimum wage for tipped workers will increase from $6.15 per hour to $6.75 per hour—provided that their tips bring them up to at least $15 per hour. If the total hourly rate for the employee including tips does not equal $15 at the end of a shift, the employer is required to make up the difference. “I’m pleased to see this scheduled increase to our minimum wage go into effect,” said Rep. Josh Cutler (D-Duxbury), House chair of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. “It is welcome news for many workers, though clearly more help is needed to support hardworking families struggling with rising costs.” “With high inflation, worker shortages and supply chain disruptions, the upcoming minimum wage increase is just the latest challenge for Massachusetts small business owners," said Christopher Carlozzi, the Massachusetts state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “With the cost of labor rising, the price tag of products and services will also rise, and those costs will likely be passed to consumers. Main Street and consumers need relief but unfortunately this wage hike will only create more uncertainty.” “It's time for a truly universal minimum wage that keeps up with rising costs and supports working families,” said Chrissy Lynch, Chief of Staff of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. “Our coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups and labor unions is looking at how to get us closer to that goal. And we won’t stop until working people across the state have true living wages.” “While it’s important to help those who are most vulnerable, an increase to the state minimum wage rate actually does the opposite,” said Paul Craney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “Massachusetts will have the highest minimum wage rate of all the states in New England. This will further incentivize retail chains to continue to automate BHRC| SEE PAGE 20
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