Page 14 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 2, 2021 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records the votes of local representatives and senators from the week of June 21-25. $5.3 BILLION IN COVID FEDERAL AID FOR THE BAY STATE (H 3902) Last week was another chapter in the ongoing dispute over who controls the $5.3 billion in federal money the state received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The Baker administration argues that the governor doesn’t need legislative approval on how to spend the money. The Legislature disagrees, and a few weeks ago approved a measure that would segregate the money in a separate fund and give the Legislature control over when and how to spend it. Gov. Baker responded with a compromise that would allow him to unilaterally spend $2.8 billion of the funds in several areas including housing and homeownership, economic development, job training, workforce development, health care and infrastructure. It would give the Legislature the authority to spend the remainder. Last week, on a strictly party line vote, the House 30-130 and the Senate 3-36 rejected the governor’s amendment. Baker’s plan included $300 million for expanded homeownership opportunities, focused on first-time homebuyers who are residents of disproportionately impacted municipalities; $300 million for senior and veteran housing; $100 million for cultural facilities and tourism; $150 million for workforce credentials for entry and mid-level wages; $35 million for English for Speakers of Other Languages programs and Adult Basic Education; $50 million for financially stressed hospitals in disproportionately impacted municipalities; $175 million for addiction treatment and related behavioral health services; $300 million to improve culverts, dams and other environmental infrastructure; $100 million to enhance and modernize state park facilities; and $100 million to close the digital divide and increase broadband internet access. “The Legislature stands firm in its commitment to employing an open, transparent and thorough public process to best understand how we as a state can make smart investments with these one-time federal dollars to address pressing and longterm needs while promoting a just recovery for all areas of the state,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka in a joint statement. “Therefore, the Legislature will be holding a series of public hearings throughout the summer … with the goal of crafting spending plans directly informed by feedback from constituents and stakeholders, including those representing the areas identified by the governor in his proposal. We will continue to seek input from the governor and expect that he will file additional legislation so that his priorities can be part of that process. We invite the Baker administration to testify in these hearings.” “While the administration has proposed working with the Legislature to appropriate all of the funds, the administration also remains concerned about holding up these funds with a process that would take years while the communities that were hit hardest by the pandemic, including communities of color, wait,” said Baker Communications Director Terry MacCormack following the vote. The original bill now goes back to the governor who is likely to veto it. Both the House and Senate seem to have the number of votes necessary to override the veto. (A “Yes” vote is for the governor’s proposal allowing him to spend $2.8 billion of the funds. A “No” vote is against the proposal.) Rep. Paul DonatoNo Rep. Steven Ultrino No Sen. Jason LewisNo LEGISLATURE CONTROL $4.9 BILLION AND BAKER CONTROL $200 MILLION (H 382) House 160-0, approved a new version of the bill determining who controls the COVID federal aid. This version would segregate $4.9 billion in a separate fund and give the Legislature control over when and how to spend that amount while giving the governor control over $200 million. Supporters said that this will give the Legislature control over the vast majority of the funds but allow the governor to respond to any urgent public health and other needs that might require immediate use of the funds prior to the legislative hearings and action. Rep. Daniel Hunt (D-Dorchester), the co-sponsor of the measure, did not respond to numerous attempts by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his proposal. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Paul DonatoYes Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes $200 MILLION FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES (H 3903) House 160-0, approved a bill that includes authorizing $200 million in one-time funding for the maintenance and repair of local roads and bridges in cities and towns across the state. The package is a bond bill under which the funding would be borrowed by the state through the sale of bonds. “The … bill is an important one, as every member knows and our municipal partners know, because it is essentially our unrestricted commitment and assistance to municipalities for local road and bridge repair and maintenance projects that they identify at home and know best how to prioritize,” said Rep. William Straus (D-Mattapoisett), House chair of the Transportation Committee. “There's really no equivalent program without strings that’s provided in any other state in the country. It’s something we do. We’re not ahead of the pack; we’re the only one in the pack that provides this kind of assistance to our municipalities.” Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) Executive Director Geoff Beckwith said he is relieved that the bill is moving forward and called it a much needed first step. “Communities depend on these funds for critical road repair projects,” said Beckwith. “Ideally, the state will also use a portion of this year's large state surplus to supplement the $200 million bond bill and put more funding on the street, as it has done in past years to move above $200 million in total funding. MMA estimates that the annual cost of getting and maintaining 30,000 miles of municipal roads into a state of good repair is approximately $600 million, and communities don't have the resources to get there themselves.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. Paul DonatoYes Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes Rep. Donald WongYes DEATH BENEFIT FOR POLICE OFFICERS (S 2480) Senate 40-0, approved an amendment to a current law that gives a line of duty death benefit to a police officer only if he or she is killed in a vehicular accident or because of an assault by another person. The amendment would provide the benefit to any officer on duty who dies at the scene of an emergency regardless of whether the death is the result of a vehicular accident or an assault. The amendment is in response to the recent tragic death of Worcester Police Officer Manny Familia who drowned while heroically trying to save 14-year-old Troy Love who also drowned. If the House approves the bill and the governor signs it, Officer Familia’s family will receive an annual pension equal to the salary had he continued in the position he held at the time of his death. “I filed this legislation because I view it as a common-sense upBHRC | SEE PAGE 22
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