Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 BEACON | FROM PAGE 17 to the state’s transportation system. None of the hikes are included in the Senate version. Hikes include a 5 cents-per-gallon increase in the motor vehicle gas excise tax; a 9 cents-per-gallon increase in the diesel fuel tax; an increase in the aviation fuel tax from 5 percent of the average price per gallon to 7.5 percent of the average price per gallon; elimination of the sales tax exemption on vehicle purchases for traditional rental car companies; replacing the current flat $456 minimum corporate excise tax with a ninetiered sliding scale ranging from $456 if the corporation’s total sales are less than $1 million to $150,000 if the corporation’s sales total $1 billion; and increasing the 20 cents-per-trip flat fee to $1.20 for each non-shared Uber and Lyft ride and $2.20 for every luxury ride. The bill includes language aimed at preventing Uber and Lyft from passing those hikes directly onto riders. Both packages include earmarks for hundreds of millions of dollars for hundreds of projects in legislators’ districts across the state—many of which will never be funded. The Baker administration is required to adhere to the state’s annual bond borrowing cap and ultimately decides which projects are affordable and actually get funded. Sometimes a legislator will immediately tout the inclusion of local projects in these types of bond bills, especially in an election year to show he or she “brought home the bacon.” But be warned that none of the projects in this package have yet been funded and most will end up never being funded because of the borrowing cap and the power of the governor’s office to pick which projects actually get the green light. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. RoseLee Vincent Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes HEALTH CARE (H 4916 and S 2769) IN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SINCE JULY 31, 2020 HOUSE CONFEREES: Co - chair Ron Mariano (D-Quincy), John Mahoney (D-Worcester) and Randy Hunt (R-Sandwich). SENATE CONFEREES: Cochair Cindy Friedman (D- Arlington), Julian Cyr (D-Truro) and Dean Tran (R-Fitchburg). House 158-0, Senate 38-0, approved different versions of a bill that sponsors say will increase access to health care, protect patients and enhance quality care. The measure requires insurance carriers, including MassHealth, to cover telehealth services in any case where the same in-person service would be covered and requires reimbursement rates to match in-person services over the next two years. It also eliminates “surprise billing,” the much-criticized practice of charging unsuspecting patients who received health care services outside of their insurance plan’s network for costs that insurers refuse to pay. Other provisions would allow registered nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and psychiatric nurse mental health specialists who meet specific education and training standards to practice independently; recognize pharmacists as health care providers, enabling them to integrate more fully into coordinated care teams; and create a new professional license for “dental therapists,” who will be authorized to provide dental hygiene and other oral health services. Supporters note that this will help expand access to dental care in underserved communities. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Rep. RoseLee Vincent Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes 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 filed. 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 October 19-23, the House met for a total of 29 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 34 minutes. Mon. Oct. 19 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:22 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:19 a.m. No Senate session No Senate session Tues. Oct. 20 No House session Wed. Oct. 21 No House session Thurs. Oct. 22 House 11:03 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:31 a.m. No Senate session Fri. Oct. 23 No House session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com
19 Publizr Home