Page 20 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023 By Bob Katzen If you have any questions about this week’s report, e-mail us at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com or call us at (617) 720-1562 GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 25,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and infl uence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by MASSterlist’s editor, Erin Tiernan, with help from Matt Murphy. Both are pros, with a wealth of experience, who introduce each article in their own clever way. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription, go to: https://lp.constantcontactpages. com/su/aPTLucK THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on roll calls from the week of July 10-14. There were no roll calls in the Senate last week. $693 MILLION FISCAL 2023 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET (H 3982) House 154-0, approved and sent to the Senate a $693 million fiscal 2023 supplemental budget to help close out the books on fi scal year 2023 that ended on June 30. Provisions include $180 million for fi scally strained hospitals; $226 million for 33 collective bargaining agreements that have been ratifi ed by state public employee unions; $100 million for the state’s pension fund; $40 million for a settlement of a court case related to police promotion discrimination; and $226 million for special education; and raises the current yearly cap from $10 million to $30 million for housing projects under the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). “The package that is before you today covers a number of diff erent areas that require our immediate and timely attention,” said House Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Aaron MichleAmerican Exterior and Window Corporation witz (D-Boston). “As we work towards closing the books for fi scal year 2023, these items are some of the most pressing needs the commonwealth is facing today. By addressing these defi ciencies now, we’ll be able to start the fi scal year 2024 cycle in the strongest fi scal position possible.” (A “Yes” vote is for the $693 million supplemental budget.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes HOUSING DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM (H 3982) House 152-3, approved an amendment related to the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). The amendment raises the current yearly cap from $10 million to $30 million – and provides for a one-time increase to $57 million to address the growing backlog of projects waiting for HDIP credits. HDIP, according to its state website, “provides Gateway Cities with a tool to develop market rate housing while increasing residential growth, expanding diversity of housing stock, supporting economic development and promoting neighborhood stabilization in designated areas.” “I have been working with Contact us for all of your home improvement projects and necessities Telephone: 617-699-1782 Toll Free: 1-888-744-1756 Email: info@americanexteriorandwindow.com All estimates, consultations or inspections Insured and Registered Complete Financing MassINC, mayors and economic development directors from Gateway Cities, and housing advocates to support and improve the HDIP program since 2013,” said amendment sponsor Rep. Tony Cabral (D-New Bedford), Chair of the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus. “Expanding the benefi ts of HDIP has long been the top priority of our caucus. We all know that Massachusetts and our Gateway Cities are facing a housing crisis that involves rising rents and home prices, and a severe shortage in housing options across all income levels.” “HDIP addresses this critical lack of middle-income housing by using a tax incentive to make developing market-rate housing in New Bedford more fi nancially viable,” continued Cabral. “It is the only housing development program specifi cally targeted to meet the fi nancial needs of housing production in Gateway Cities.” “I was proud to support the consolidated amendment, which included an increase in funding for the HDIP … [which is] is an essential tool available to Gateway Cities to produce housing supply,” said Rep. Carole Fiola (D-Fall River). “At a time when the commonwealth faces a severe housing shortage, this program is vital to getting projects in the pipeline off the ground and provide a much needed increase in housing.” “I welcome all kinds of housing production, and I have the deepest respect for our Gateway Cities colleagues who are pushing to expand the HDIP program in their communities,” said Rep. Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge) who opposed the amendment. “However, HDIP doesn’t address the concerns of my Cambridge and Somerville constituents. The question raised by this amendment is ‘How much do we want to subsidize for-profi t, private development of market-rate housing?’ Of all the ways we could spend money on housing, this is perhaps the most questionable.” “I believe that focusing funding on local housing authorities is a far more eff ective means of providing for those most in need,” said Rep. David DeCoste (R-Norwell) who also opposed the amendment. “I shared the concerns of Rep. Connolly that too much of the HDIP spending ends up enriching developers. The commonwealth would be much better off spending those funds locally through improving and expanding local housing authority available units.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL PROHIBIT REVOCATION OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSES (S 1997) – The State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Committee held a hearing on a bill that would repeal a current state law which creates professional licensure consequences for anyone who defaults on their student loan. Under current law, a borrower’s state-issued professional or occupational certifi cate, registration or license can be suspended, revoked or canceled if the borrower is in default on an education loan. “This procedure is nonsensical, as it strips the individual of their ability to produce an income, making it even more diffi cult to pay off those loans,” said sponsor Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “Forced closures due to COVID-19 have highlighted the economic hardships faced by many professionally licensed individuals such as hairdressers, massage therapists and physical therapists. These professions require close contact and have seen many restrictions since the start of the pandemic. While the Department of Education has extended grace to borrowers through forbearance temporarily, the protection is not permanent. When forbearance is not in place, these individuals do not need the threat of losing their professional license and their income source because of signifi cant economical challenges they face while trying to pay back their loan.” The House and Senate both approved a similar bill in the 20212022 session on November 21, 2022 and sent it to then-Gov. Baker who proposed an amendment to the bill on December 1. Baker’s amendment would allow the Division of Banks to consider student loan defaults in order to ensure that the division will retain the discretion it has always applied when assessing an applicant’s fi tness to provide consumer fi nancial services to prospective borrowers. “Precluding the Division of Banks from reviewing credit reports as part of its evaluation of an individual’s fi nancial responsibility for a fi nancial services license could ultimately result in harm to consumers,” said Baker in his veto message. The House and Senate had more than a month to act on the governor’s amendment but did not do so. As a result, the entire bill died on January 3, 2023, the fi nal day of the 2021-2022 session. ONLINE DRIVER’S ED (S 2261)- A proposal heard by the Transportation Committee would provide an online driver education program as an alternative to the current inperson classroom instruction for young drivers under 18. The bill would also remove the requirement to observe another student driver for six hours. “Obtaining a license is a milestone achievement but for many young people the inability to attend in-person classes due to family obligations, lack of transportation or after-school jobs, hinders their opportunity to succeed,” said sponsor Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “I fi led [the bill], so students who face barriers like these have access to online classes that allow them to meet their driver’s ed requirements.” BEACON | SEE Page 22
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