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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, NOVEmbEr 18, 2022 Page 15 cal in our collective efforts to adapt to and confront climate change, while protecting the public health of our communities.Passage of this legislation is a testament to the Senate’s steadfast commitment to protecting our environment at all costs.” $3.76 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE (H 5374) – Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a $3.76 billion spending bill to fund an economic development package and a supplemental budget to close out the state’s books on fiscal 2022. Absent from the package is millions of dollars in tax relief that was part of the original conflicting version 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 filers and $150,000 for joint filers. Beginning in 2023, several permanent tax reductions would take effect 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 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. “The bill I am signing today authorizes $3.76 billion in gross spending, including certain transfers, funded from a combination of state and federal sources,” said Baker. “I am signing nearly all of the spending, which supports many of the critical needs proposed by our Administration across multiple supplemental budget proposals.” “I was disappointed that permanent tax relief reforms were not included in this bill,” continued Baker. “The measures that I proposed in January and that were supported by the Legislature in earlier versions of this bill are affordable and sorely needed by Massachusetts taxpayers.” SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS (H 5094) – The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Baker a bill that would allow fully licensed speech pathologists to be granted a provisional license to practice in Massachusetts during their 36-month fellowship. Currently, Massachusetts is one of only eight states that does not provide a provisional license that allows their students to begin practicing during their fellowship. Supporters said that by forbidding the right to practice during their 36-month fellowship, the state runs the risk of losing professionals educated in the Bay State to other states where they become valuable members of their community and welcome additions to the economy. “There needed to be a regulatory fix to the commonwealth’s issue of losing new speech pathologists to other states as they begin their careers,” said sponsor Rep. Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham). “This legislation assures that there will be opportunities here when they leave their graduate programs and enter the workforce.” BAN CHILD MARRIAGE (H 1709) – The House sent to a study committee a bill that that would ban the marriage of anyone under the age of 18. Current law allows minors to get married if they have parental consent. Bills that are sent to a study committee 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. Supporters of the bill were not concerned because a provision banning child marriage was already approved by the House and Senate in July as part of the fiscal 2023 state budget. “[The bill] is a great step forward that now protects young women and girls from entering into a marriage contract before the age of 18, the age of majority,” said sponsor Rep. Kay Khan (D-Newton).“Children have limited legal capacity, and early marriage undermines a child’s health, education and future economic opportunities. Minors who marry in their teens experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence.” RAISE THE AGE OF JUVENILE JURISDICTION FOR SOME CRIMES (H 1826) – The House sent to a study committee a bill that would gradually, over a 5-year period, raise the age that some defendants could be charged as juveniles. Currently, only youths who are under 18 can be charged as a juvenile. The bill would raise the age so that a defendant can be charged as a juvenile to include 18- 19- and 20-year-olds. The most serious offenses, including first- and second-degree murder, would be exempt and 1819- and 20-year-olds charged with those offenses would still be charged as adults. “[The bill] would decrease crime and recidivism, continue to hold young adults accountable and benefit the state’s economy,” said sponsor Rep. Jim O’ Day (D-West Boylston). “Young men of color bear the harshest brunt of the current policies and this racial disparity impacts their economic potential. It is the Legislature’s responsibility to ensure that policies governing the commonwealth are equitable and promote the advancement of young people.” O’Day added that he looks forward to working with advocates and young people on this issue again next session when he refiles the bill. MISREPRESENTATION OF A SERVICE ANIMAL (H 5364) – The House gave initial approval to and sent to the Senate a bill that would create a special commission to review current federal, state and local laws and procedures governing the use and misuse of service animals by individuals with disabilities in the Bay State. The commission would recommend possible introduction of legislation prohibiting and civilly penalizing service animal fraud and determining the feasibility of certification, registration or licensing of service animals. “I am pleased that this bill is moving forward,” said sponsor Rep. Kim Ferguson (R-Holden) who noted that some 28 states have already created laws regarding misuse of service animals. “Due to some minor issues and unresolved language with my other service animal bill … which I have filed for a few terms now, we decided to also file a bill this session creating this commission to delve into the issues and questions a little deeper first in order to resolve those matters. At this time there are no penalties for those who intentionally misrepresent (aka “fake” service dogs) which does harm to the true service dogs… Business owners have also been grappling with a range of issues when one of these dogs are brought into their business, restaurant etc.” QUOTABLE QUOTES – With 95 percent of the votes counted, voters, by a narrow 52 percent to 48 percent margin (Yes – 1,229,630 votes. No - 1,134,238 votes) approved Question 1 - a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and impose an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the current flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. Language in the amendment requires that “subject to appropriation” the revenue will go to fund quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation. Here’s what each side said following the election: “On Tuesday, Massachusetts voters seized a once-in-a-generation opportunity that was years in the making. “We’ve done what some thought was impossible: passed the Fair Share Amendment to create a permanently fairer tax system and deliver billions of dollars in new revenue for our public schools, colleges, roads, bridges and transit systems.” --- Fair Share for Massachusetts Campaign Manager Jeron Mariani. “The commonwealth has voiced its approval for tax justice and it couldn’t have come a moment too soon. The historic passage of Question 1, also known as the Fair Share Amendment, will unlock billions of new dollars each year for schools and transportation across the state. --- Marie-Frances Rivera, MassBudget President. “I hope none of those who voted to end the century-old flat income tax ever becomes successful enough to regret their decision. Citizens for Limited Taxation was founded in 1975 to oppose and defeat the fourth graduated income tax assault on the 1976 ballot and subsequently defeated the fifth attempt in 1994. ---Chip Ford, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. “Governor-Elect Maura Healey made several promises to cut taxes, and we will hold her to her word. Question 1, which raises taxes 80 percent on the top earners, passed narrowly with her express support. Over the next four years, we look forward to supporting her measures to counteract the negative consequences this will have on the commonwealth, including the plummeting of Massachusetts’ ranking by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation to 4th worst business climate in the country and a return to our former reputation as ’Taxachusetts.’” ---Paul Craney, spokesperson for the Mass Fiscal Alliance. 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 brieflength 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 November 7-11, the House met for a total of one hour and 26 minutes and the Senate met for a total of one hour and 35 minutes. Mon. Nov. 7House11:05 a.m. to11:18 a.m. Senate 11:12 a.m. to11:26 a.m. Tues.Nov. 8No House session No Senate session Wed. Nov. 9No House session No Senate session Thurs. Nov. 10 House11:04 a.m. to12:17 p.m. Senate 11:27 a.m. to12:48 p.m. Fri. Nov. 11 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. THIS WEEK ON SAUGUS TV Sunday, Nov. 20 from 9–11 p.m. on Channel 8 – “Sunday Night Stooges” (The Three Stooges). Monday, Nov. 21 all day on Channel 8 – “Movie Monday” (classic movies). Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – School Committee Meeting from Nov. 17. Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Board of Appeals Meeting from Nov. 17. Thursday, Nov. 24 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Finance Committee Meeting from Nov. 16. Friday, Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Planning Board Meeting from Nov. 17. Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. on Channel 8 – Community School Building Forum from Nov. 14. Saugus TV can be seen on Comcast Channels 8, 9 & 22. For complete schedules, please visit www.saugustv.org. ***programming may be subject to change without notice***

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