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Page 18 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022 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 22,000 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 widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Keith Regan and Matt Murphy who introduce each article in their own clever and inimitable 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: Despite there being no roll calls in the House or Senate last week, there was major action on passage of a $3.8 billion supplemental budget and economic development bill. $3.8 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE (H 5374) – The House and Senate approved different versions of a $3 billion plus economic development bill in July. The funds are from the state’s surplus of money. The two versions went to a conference committee to hammer out a compromise version. Finally last week, the House and Senate crafted the compromise version and sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a $3.8 billion spending bill to fund an economic development package and a supplemental budget to close out the state’s books on fi scal 2022. There was no roll call on the bill because it was approved at informal sessions of each branch at which roll calls are not allowed. Under legislative rules, each one of the state’s 192 legislators had the power to stall the bill indefinitely but no one did. Absent from the package is millions of dollars in tax relief that was part of the original confl icting versions approved by each branch including $500 million one-time tax rebates to an estimated 2 million eligible people. A $250 rebate would go to individual taxpayers and a $500 rebate to married taxpayers. Eligibility would be determined by annual income reported in 2021, with the minimum income required to be $38,000, and the maximum $100,000 for individual fi lers and $150,000 for joint fi lers. Beginning in 2023, several permanent tax reductions would take eff ect including increasing the Child and Dependent Care Credit from $180 per child to $310 per child, as well as eliminating the current cap of $360 for two or more children; increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit from 30 Your Hometown News Delivered! EVERETT ADVOCATE MALDEN ADVOCATE REVERE ADVOCATE SAUGUS ADVOCATE MALDEN ADV REVERE ADV SAUGUS ADV One year subscription to The Advocate of your choice: $150 per paper in-town per year or $200 per paper out-of-town per year. Name_________________________________________ Address_______________________________________ City_______________ State_______ Zip ____________ CC# _______________________________ Exp. _____ Sec. code____ Advocate (City):___________________ Clip & Mail Coupon with Credit Card, Check or Money Order to: Advocate Newspapers Inc. PO Box 490407, Everett, MA 02149 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit; increasing the senior circuit breaker tax credit cap from $1,170 to $2,340; increasing the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000; and increasing the estate tax threshold from $1 million to $2 million. “With many economic experts predicting fi nancial uncertainty in the year ahead, our agreed upon package is limited to one-time investments,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz and Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues in a joint statement. “House and Senate leaders are committed to revisiting the issue of broader, more permanent tax relief next session. This will help to ensure that our discussion of permanent tax relief can and will be informed by the views of a newly elected Legislature and governor, while considering the looming challenges facing the commonwealth.” Senate Minority Leader Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) explained why the GOP decided not to hold up the bill despite the fact that it did not include the tax cuts. “At this important point, when one member could stop this process from moving forward, we will not jeopardize those important priorities,” said Tarr. “Too often, we see sometimes obstruction of someone else’s agenda because someone isn’t able to get all of their agenda. This is a time that requires statespersonship on behalf of all of us, so we will not stand in the way of helping all of those that need our help that will be the benefi ciaries of some of the important appropriations in this bill. But what we will do is insist on a commitment to this IOU.” Former representative and current GOP Party chair Jim Lyons disagreed with Tarr and criticized the Democratic leadership. “They removed the tax cuts from the original package, and the reason they did that, according to their own words, is that they’re uncertain about economic conditions moving forward,” Lyons said. “Yet somehow that isn’t stopping them from spending a whopping $3.7 billion of the taxpayers’ money. This is exactly why Massachusetts taxpayers are absolutely fed up with the status quo on Beacon Hill,” continued Lyons. “The Democrats are using an informal session to pass this progressive grab bag stuff ed with handouts because they’re afraid of having to go on the record and actually vote for it.” ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL WHEELCHAIR WARRANTY AND REPAIRS (S 3136) – The Senate approved and sent to the House a bill that would strengthen consumer protections for wheelchair users. Current state law does not set any timeline for assessing repairs and does not require dealers to off er wheelchairs on loan within a fi xed time period. Provisions of the bill include requiring that wheelchair manufacturers, lessors and dealers provide customers with written notifi cation of the warranty for their wheelchairs; increasing the minimum duration for an any warranty from one year to two years; mandating that if an in-warranty wheelchair stops functioning, manufacturers, lessors and dealers must assess the wheelchair within three days, provide a temporary wheelchair on loan within four days and cover any other costs to the user; and authorizing the attorney general and consumers to bring legal actions against any violation of provisions protecting wheelchair users from unfair and deceptive business practices relating to warranty-fulfi llment. Supporters said wheelchair repairs pose substantial problems for people with physical disabilities. The noted that it is not uncommon for those who use wheelchairs to wait for weeks for repairs. This leaves these individuals stranded at home and unable to go to work, school, medical appointments, grocery shopping or elsewhere. This creates a crisis for individuals and families and often exacerbates other health conditions. Existing state law does not set any timeline for assessing repairs or require dealers to offer wheelchairs on loan within a fi xed time period. “This bill’s passage is an important step forward to protect wheelchair users and their families,” said the bill’s sponsor Sen. John Cronin (D-Lunenberg). “The bill implements critical protections in the law to prevent wheelchair users from being stranded in their homes for prolonged periods when their wheelchair or mobility device becomes inoperable.” “I have fought my entire career to make Massachusetts a more inclusive place for people of all abilities to live, work and play,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (DAshland). “It is especially fitting that the Senate has passed these bills on the same day that we adjourn in memory of Paul Spooner, a committed and tireless disability rights and inclusion activist working in MetroWest and a dear friend of mine. By helping us move closer to our goal of ensuring that all people have opportunities to live independently, we honor Paul’s legacy and make the Massachusetts a more compassionate and accessible commonwealth.” SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING (S 2848) – The Senate approved and sent to the House a bill creating the option for individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability, dementia or mental health diagnosis to enter into an agreement of “supported decision-making” as an alternative to traditional guardianship. In a guardianship, the guardian makes medical, fi nancial and other major life decisions for the person. Under a supported decisionmaking agreement, an individual actually makes his or her own decisions with the support of a designated person or team and his or her decision cannot be overridden by the supporters. “I am incredibly proud that this life-changing legislation has advanced through the Senate,” said Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem), the sponsor of the measure. “Supported decision-making agreements maximize the dignity, freedom and independence of persons with disabilities and provide a proven, cost-eff ective and less restrictive alternative to guardianship … Everyone should have the opportunity to be the decision-maker of their own lives, and this legislation will empower many for whom that was not previously possible.” “People with disabilities deserve the freedom to maintain their independence and dignity,” said Sen. Susan Moran (D-Falmouth), chair of the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. “I’m proud to vote for this bill to enable supported decision making for people with disabilities and take another strong step in supporting residents with disabilities in the commonwealth.” “I have had the opportunity, as BEACON | SEE Page 20

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