Page 16 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2022 BEACON | FROM Page 14 back to the taxpayers,” said Paul Craney, spokesperson for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “There is also a very strong argument to be made that since the speaker and Senate president failed to pass their tax relief package, taxpayers need this money as soon as possible to help with the rising cost of infl ation. Back to school shopping is well underway and soon enough families across the state will be thinking about rising home heating costs. They need this money more than ever.” “In 1986, Citizens for Limited Taxation (CLT) put forth this ballot question with the expectation that Massachusetts taxpayers would one day need this law,” said Chip Ford, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. “Any required credit should not be delayed as a refund next year, as the original intent when CLT drafted it was to get the money back to the taxpayers expeditiously. With infl ation still surging, delay will only HOME FOR SALE REVERE/SAUGUS Line 1st Open House AMAZING New 8 room Center Entrance Colonial boasting designer kitchen with quartz counters, oversized island, dining room with sliders to pavers patio, with double sink vanity and stand-up, custom you won’t be disappointed! $879,900 133 Breedens Lane, Revere MA Saturday, Sept. 10th 11:00 - 1:00 and Sunday, Sept. 11th 11:00 - 1:00 devalue the amount returned to the taxpayers.” AUTO INSURANCE BILLS SENT TO A STUDY COMMITTEE – Last week, several bills aff ecting auto insurance rates, surcharges and premiums were sent to a study committee where bills are rarely actually studied and are essentially defeated. It is a way to kill a proposal without holding a vote on the bill itself. Here are some of the bills that were sent off to a study committee. FEES FOR PAYING AUTO PREMIUMS IN INSTALLMENTS (H 1127) – Would prohibit auto insurance companies from charging a fee for processing an electronic payment by a customer without fi rst giving written notifi cation. “I fi led this legislation on behalf of a constituent who was charged a processing fee for paying his automobile insurance bill electronically but was never notifi ed by the insurer that such a fee existed,” said sponsor Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “[The bill] will add an extra layer of consumer protection and promote greater transparency by requiring insurance providers to notify consumers in writing if they charge a fee for processing an electronic payment. I’m disappointed this bill was placed in a study order, but I plan to re-fi le it for the upcoming session so consumers will be able to make a more informed decision on how they choose to pay their bills.” PROHIBIT EXPIRED INSPECTION STICKER FROM BEING A SURCHARGEABLE OFFENSE (H 1128) – Would prohibit driving with an expired inspection sticker from being counted as a surchargeable off ense. Under Bay State law, surchargeable off enses can lead to temporary higher insurance premiums. In additional the state will immediately suspend or revoke a learner’s permit or driver’s license for 60 days if a driver has accumulated seven surchargeable off enses or moving violations within a 3-year period. A driver with three surchargeable off enses within a 2-year period will have their license or learner’s permit revoked in 90 days unless he or she completes a mandatory Massachusetts Driver Retraining Program before the revocation takes effect. “Auto insurance premiums should refl ect an individual’s actual driving experience and safe vehicle operating habits and should not be adversely impacted by simple errors such as failing to get an inspection sticker on time,” said sponsor Rep. Brad Jones. “Operating without a valid inspection sticker should not be treated on the same level as speeding or failure to stop, which represent much more serious and potentially dangerous moving violations. Driving with an expired sticker is a relatively minor off ense and should be treated as such.” Jones has refi led the bill for consideration in the 2023-2024 session. ALLOW INSURANCE DISCOUNTS FOR DRIVERS WHO TAKE A COURSE IN MARIJUANA IMPAIRMENT (H 1130) – Would ~ Home of the Week ~ SAUGUS...Much sought-after 6+ room Townhouse ceiling, private bath, walk-in closet and bright and sunny slider, eat-in kitchen with granite counters, dining area bedrooms, full bath and spacious loft area. Deck with no stairs for added security, NEW central air/heat (2022), provides tons of storage and room for future living space, one car attached garage with direct access to unit and guest parking. Perfectly located at end of cul-de-sac. View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. allow insurance companies to offer discounts to drivers who complete a marijuana impairment education course off ered by driving schools and insurance companies. “This legislation provides a critical fi nancial incentive for drivers to educate themselves on the dangers of operating a motor vehicle under the infl uence of marijuana,” said sponsor Rep. Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury). “It will not only benefi t those who complete the course and receive the discount, but in educating drivers, make every resident of the commonwealth safer. I am disappointed this bill has been sent to study and will plan to refi le it next session.” RAISE THRESHOLD FROM $1,000 TO $2,500 (H 1117) – Under current law, in order for an accident to trigger a surcharge, there must be at least $1,000 worth of damage. This bill would raise the minimum to $2,500. “This exemption is outdated at $1,000,” said sponsor Rep. Steve Howitt (R-Seekonk) who plans to refi le the bill next year. “Cars are now costing tens of thousands of dollars [and] no longer have bumpers, but integrated facias that are part of the car’s body. A scratch can cost well over $1,000 to repair and paint. Paint body shop supplies and replacement automotive parts have outpaced inflation. By raising the points threshold to $2,500, it better conforms to these costs and does not cause additional financial burdens to our Massachusetts drivers with additional insurance premiums. This legislation is fair not only to the insurance industry, but to our consumers as well.” REBATES (H 1033) – Would allow auto insurance companies to give rebates to any policy holder who is considered a safe driver under state regulations and who was not involved in any surchargeable incidents during the period the policy was in eff ect. “I believe people should be rewarded for safe driving,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “This is a bill I plan on re-fi ling next legislative session.” QUOTABLE QUOTES “The industry has grown rapidly since the voters legalized recreational cannabis in 2016, topping $3 billion in sales this past spring. While the law was intended to create new economic opportunities for diverse communities and those previously harmed by harsh drug laws, this promise has not been fully achieved, leaving many aspiring equity entrepreneurs with a very challenging pathway to achieve the success that larger corporate interests have enjoyed.” ---Former State Treasurer Shannon O’Brien on her appointment as chairperson of the Cannabis Control Commission. “It is shameful for the fi rst public transportation system in our country to have reached this entirely preventable point, where deep service cuts and wholesale shutdowns of subway lines are deemed necessary to get the T back on track. It is unacceptable that the MBTA has forced riders to carry the burden of the Baker administration’s failures.” ---U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Liz Warren in a joint statement. “Obviously the most shocking being our instant ticket numbers being down $22.2 million. And that is a trend that we have seen both nationwide and into this current month of August as well that we’ll be discussing at the next commission meeting, as well as our Keno sales being down $5.5 million which is also a trend nationwide. Plus, we did happen to have a very warm August which, generally speaking, keeps people outside and less in restaurants and liquor establishments. So that’s contributing to somewhat of that decrease.” --- Interim Lottery Executive Director Mark William Bracken. HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been fi led. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of August 29-September 2, the House met for a total of 45 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 26 minutes. Mon. Aug. 29 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:06 a.m. Senate 11:15 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. Tues. Aug. 30 No House session No Senate session Wed. Aug. 31 No House session No Senate session Thurs. Sept. 1 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:41 a.m. Senate 11:21 a.m. to 11:42 a.m. Fri. Sept. 2 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019.
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