BOSTON – Financial literacy legislation sponsored by State Senator Jamie Eldridge was heard by the Joint Committee on Education earlier today. Senate Bill 204, “An Act Relative to Financial Literacy in Schools,” would require that personal financial literacy be taught at all schools in the Commonwealth.
“Today’s youth are bombarded with a multitude of financial options and responsibilities at an increasingly young age, yet many are ill-equipped to make informed decisions about financial matters. By teaching children the financial education basics in school, we will help them make educated financial decisions in the future, preventing future bankruptcies, foreclosures, and unmanageable debt,” said Eldridge.
“This is a result that’s good for society as well as for individuals,” Eldridge added. “Over the long term, the investment we make in teaching children financial literacy now will help strengthen our economy and prevent future economic crises. “
The bill would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to develop standards and objectives for personal financial literacy for grades K-12 in the mathematics curriculum. The curriculum would include information on loans, borrowing money, interest, credit card debt, online commerce, rights and responsibilities of renting or buying a home, saving, investing and planning for retirement, and banking and financial services.
Treasurer Steve Grossman also testified today in support of financial literacy legislation. “Students who do not know how to balance a checkbook, understand the principles of compound interest, and are uninformed about the dangers of credit debt are at a significant disadvantage in society and the workplace,” said Grossman. “Moreover, this need takes on even greater urgency for those who are about to attend college or are already enrolled. College loans will be one of the greatest debt burdens they will assume in the course of their lives, and sadly too few students are properly equipped to cope with the challenge.”
Also lending support to the bill was the Massachusetts Financial Education Collaborative (MFEC). “Every day we see the fallout from financial choices made by adults without financial savvy. Kids should not leave school without the tools to manage in this sophisticated marketplace,” noted Margaret Miley from MFEC.
The legislation was given unanimous approval by the Senate last session, but unfortunately was not taken up in time by the House of Representatives. At least thirteen states now require students to take a personal finance course or personal finance included in an economics course as a high school graduation requirement.
In June 2009, the Asset Development Commission released a report recommending that the Legislature implement financial education in schools to better prepare youth for the financial decisions of the future. The Commission, which Eldridge chaired, was charged with studying what it mean to be low-to-moderate income in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, what help the state provides in moving families up the economic ladder, and what barriers are standing in their way.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 10, 2011
BOSTON – Senator Jamie Eldridge on Thursday approved significant, fundamental changes in how state government operates, voting with a unanimous Senate in passing legislation that updates the Commonwealth’s finance laws and implements performance measurement requirements for government agencies and programs to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability.
“By instituting ongoing, data-driven evaluations on how state agencies are performing, this legislation will help us ensure that the government is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible for the citizens of the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge. “Increasing transparency and accountability in our government, as this bill does, has been one of my top priorities, and I’m proud to support it.”
The legislation requires government to use data to regularly evaluate the productivity, successes and failures of agencies and programs, and it establishes a special commission to make decisions about the ongoing need for existing state agencies and boards based on their core missions and performance.
The bill pushes government agencies toward more efficient electronic accounting and reporting with the elimination of outdated paper-based systems, and it moves the Commonwealth away from traditional “maintenance”-based budgeting with a requirement for “zero”-based budgeting.
In zero-based budgeting, instead of relying on the previous year’s budget as a starting point, a budget starts from zero and builds to a number that reflects the input from performance measures and an evaluation of current needs and functions.
Some states, including Washington, Utah and Virginia, are finding great success in moving toward a process of building their budgets from zero, rather than basing each year’s budget on the preceding year’s figures.
Other provisions in the bill include:
The finance reform legislation, when filed by Murray on April 28, received high praise from business groups, including the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which called the plan “a significant and constructive contribution toward reshaping state government to meet the challenges of our times,” and the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, which applauded the Senate President for bringing “this level of accountability” and said the legislation “will help make our Commonwealth much more effective and efficient in the future.”
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2011
BOSTON – State Senator Jamie Eldridge voted with a unanimous Senate on Thursday to pass legislation reorganizing the state judicial system with a focus on finding efficiencies and cost-savings in the Trial Court and establishing performance measures and a transparent hiring process in the courts and the probation department.
“I’m proud to have voted for much-needed reforms to the way our Judicial system – and in particular, our probation system – is administered. The bill we passed today will create a clearer, more effective, and more transparent hiring process, one that ensures that only the most qualified candidates are hired,” said Senator Eldridge.
The bill separates administrative and judicial functions in the courts, currently overseen by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management, by installing a professional civilian administrator to manage finances, contracts and hiring, while keeping a chief justice of the Trial Court to handle judicial issues, such as assigning judges, education and discipline.
The new court administrator is required to identify redundant and wasteful administrative functions within all departments of the Trial Court and implement a transparent, merit-based hiring model.
The Senate bill keeps the probation department under the Judiciary, but all hiring, firing and promotions within the department are subject to the approval of the court administrator.
The hiring and promotion of all court and probation officers will be contingent upon an applicant’s performance on a new objective entrance exam. The court administrator then reviews the applications of those who pass the exam at a certain cut-off score and makes sure those candidates have the proper qualifications for the job.
Those applicants are then forwarded to the Commissioner of Probation, where they go through a complete background review and a thorough interview process. Only those candidates who advance through the exam, background check and interview are placed on an eligibility list for consideration by the court administrator, and only at that time are letters of recommendation from any source available to the hiring authority
Additionally, all applicants for employment must disclose the names of all immediate family members who are state employees, and all letters of recommendation are considered public record for successful candidates.
The Senate bill also requires the Commissioner of Probation to be hired by the court administrator and chief justice. And, with performance management as a key component of the Senate bill, it requires the Commissioner of Probation to track performance measures in the department, including recidivism rates, overall compliance with court orders, and how effectively the department is sharing information with the courts.
This data will be presented in annual reports by the Commissioner for scrutiny by the legislature and the public.
The Senate bill establishes an advisory board consisting of experts on criminal justice, public policy, management and human resources to develop ongoing reforms within the probation department.
It also sets up a special task force to study the best ways to improve information-sharing between all departments. The task force will be made up of the secretary of public safety, the commissioner of probation, chairman of the parole board, president of the sheriffs’ association, and the commissioners of the corrections department and the youth services department.
The bill also calls for a special commission to study the evaluation of judicial candidates, both prior to and after their nomination by the governor, and examine the nominating and confirming practices of other states.
The Senate bill and the House bill, which passed May 11, will go to a conference committee to produce a compromise bill for final passage and consideration of the governor.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/18/2011
BOSTON – Comprehensive legislation designed to overhaul the state’s decades-old zoning laws filed by State Senator Jamie Eldridge was heard today by the Joint Committee on Municipalities.
The Comprehensive Land Use Reform and Partnership Act (CLURPA – S1019) would be the first major update of the Commonwealth’s zoning laws in over 35 years. The bill encourages communities to adopt or update their local master plans and provides them the tools necessary to implement zoning regulations to reach their planning goals.
These goals might include:
“This bill will make it easier for cities and towns to plan and build the kind of communities they want to have,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton). “By updating our zoning laws, we can make it easier for cities and towns to proactively invigorate our downtowns and residential areas, promote sustainable and responsible development, create diverse and affordable housing, protect open space and agricultural land, and create healthier, more pedestrian- and bike-friendly communities.”
Our state’s current planning and zoning laws are among the most out of date in the nation. As currently written, our zoning laws are unclear and restrictive, laying down a series of impediments that make local planning ineffective, and even discourage it.
Rather than put another band-aid on an already outdated, much amended set of statues, Eldridge’s zoning reform bill completely reframes our existing laws into clear, understandable language based on smart growth principles that are widely accepted and used across the America.
“Our communities’ goals and needs have changed dramatically over the past few decades, as have planning best practices – and yet none of this is reflected in our current zoning laws, which haven’t been updated in over 35 years,” added Eldridge.
CLURPA, which was given a favorable report by the Joint Committee on Municipalities at the end of last session, is based on the work of many stakeholders whose ideas and contributions have informed the effort to update Massachusetts’ zoning laws for over a decade, including regional planning agencies, municipalities, advocates for the environment, affordable housing and smart growth, and public health organizations.
Organizations testifying in support of CLURPA today include the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Mass Audubon Society, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, CHAPA, the Smart Growth Alliance, and American Planning Association (MA Chapter) and the Massachusetts Public Health Association.
The bill offers a balanced, two-tiered approach to zoning reform – offering benefits to every community while reserving even more benefits to the communities willing to “step up” and embrace the Commonwealth’s Smart Growth objectives. This dual approach was first suggested by Secretary Bialecki in the Land Use Planning Act (LUPA) but has been fine-tuned in CLURPA. The bill also blends in aspects of the Community Planning Act (CPA) and other zoning reform legislative proposals from over the years.
Key provisions of CLURPA include:
Bill Would Increase Transparency, Clawbacks in Economic Development Spending
BOSTON – Long-overdue legislation to reform the way Massachusetts manages its economic development subsidy programs will be heard today by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Revenue.
The bill, “An Act to Promote Transparency and Efficiency in Economic Development Spending” (H2565/S153) is sponsored by Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and Representative Carl Sciortino (D-Medford), along with 49 other legislators from both chambers and both political parties.
“Massachusetts spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on economic development subsidies – and yet legislators, the administration, and the general public often don’t know where that money is going, how many jobs are actually being created, and whether the Commonwealth is getting a good return on its investment,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge. “That’s unacceptable. It’s time to make all this information public, and start holding companies accountable for creating the jobs they promise to create.”
“This is an opportunity for legislators to stand on the side of our taxpaying constituents and put pressure on companies to follow through on their promises,” said Representative Carl Sciortino. “If a company agrees to create a certain number of jobs in exchange for a subsidy, and they fail, we should get our money back. This money can be used to subsidize more effective job creation elsewhere or be put towards crucial human services in our communities.”
The issue of transparency and, in particular, clawbacks for economic development spending has been getting more attention in recent months, following the layoff of 800 workers with the closure of the Evergreen Solar plant at Devens. The company, which received $58 million in state aid, including $21 million in direct cash grants, has said it is only contractually obligated to return $3 million to the state.
The Eldridge-Sciortino bill would:
Testifying today in support of the bill will be numerous good-government watchdogs and advocates for community groups across the state. Notably, State Auditor Suzanne Bump will be testifying in person, and State Treasurer Steve Grossman will be submitting written testimony.
Also testifying (in person or in writing) will be Greg LeRoy, Executive Director of Good Jobs First, a Washington-DC based policy resource center that has studied the issue of economic development subsidies for many years; representatives from the Campaign for Our Communities, a coalition of community groups across the Commonwealth, including Harris Gruman, SEIU State Council, and Julie Johnson, Massachusetts Teachers’ Association; Robert Haynes, Massachusetts AFL-CIO; Deirdre Cummings, Mass PIRG; Reide Everett , Common Cause; Sondra Peskoe, One Massachusetts; Deborah Fastino, Coalition for Social Justice; and Jennifer Weiner, Senior Policy Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
“Given the Evergreen Solar and Fidelity Investments setbacks, Massachusetts needs safeguards to protect taxpayer investments. The proposed accountability legislation is based on best practices from many other states and would help ensure that good jobs are created or else subsidies get refunded,” said Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First.
“The best way to grow our state economy is to invest our tax revenues in good schools, affordable higher education, and our infrastructure,” said Harris Gruman, Co-Chair of the Campaign for Our Communities, a coalition of community groups across the Commonwealth. “If we are going to give corporations tax breaks, despite these other needs coming up short, there must be a reasonable level of certainty that they will be held accountable to the taxpayers for creating jobs. That’s why the Campaign for Our Communities is supporting these bills by Senator Eldridge and Representative Sciortino.”
“Massachusetts taxpayers deserve to know if the nearly two billion dollars we spend on tax breaks for big businesses are actually worthwhile. Businesses want us all to just take their word for it. This legislation will allow the state to demand that executives and companies answer for the millions we hand them. This legislation strengthens clawbacks, strengthens reporting, and allows us to get the data that will finally let us answer the questions: Is the $1.7 billion that we spend on economic development worth it? Is it really a good investment to spend $628 million more on these business tax giveaways than on higher education? We support economic development tax incentives so long as there is proof they kept up their end of the bargain,” said Robert J. Haynes, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO.
“State and municipal investments of public dollars in private enterprises must be held to highest level of transparency and accountability in order to ensure the most efficient use of our limited and valuable tax dollars,” added Deirdre Cummings, Legislative Director for MASSPIRG.
The Revenue Committee hearing will begin at 10:30am in Hearing Room A-2. Auditor Bump is scheduled to testify at 11:00am; Senator Eldridge, Representative Sciortino and other legislators will testify at 11:30.
A summary of the bill can be found at: http://www.senatoreldridge.com/legislation/jamies-2011-2012-legislation/increasing-government-transparency-efficiency/s153h2565-an-act-to-promote-efficiency-and-transparency-in-economic-development.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2011
BOSTON – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and Representative Antonio Cabral (D – New Bedford) announced today that they have filed three bills to reform our public records laws, making public records easily accessible to the public and modernizing our public records system to take advantage the opportunities of the digital age. Massachusetts Public Records Laws have not been substantially updated since 1973.
The legislators are highlighting the three bills this week in recognition of National Sunshine Week, a national initiative to promote dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.
“Open, transparent government is essential for a healthy democracy, and our public records law is one of the most important tools citizens have for holding government accountable,” said Senator Eldridge. “Over the years, however, it’s become more and more difficult for the public to obtain records – the costs are often high and the responses to requests untimely. These bills would help ensure that records that are legally supposed to be public truly are.”
“Today, people expect information at the touch of a button, 24/7, wherever they are,” Representative Cabral said. “They have a right to public information without jumping through hoops. These bills move us closer to that goal.”
The legislation filed by Senator Eldridge and Representative Cabral include:
Senator Eldridge and Representative Cabral worked closely with the ACLU of Massachusetts in developing this legislation.
“A lot has changed since 1973, such as the replacement of microfilm and paper-based record-keeping with electronic data storage, but laws governing access to information that the public has every right to see haven’t kept pace with the evolution of technology since then. We need to update our laws to help, not hinder, the public’s access to information about what our government is doing,” said Gavi Wolfe, Legislative Counsel for the ACLU of Massachusetts.
“A lot has changed since 1973, such as the replacement of microfilm and paper-based record-keeping with electronic data storage, but laws governing access to information that the public has every right to see hasn’t kept pace with the evolution of technology since then. We need to update our laws to help, not hinder, the public’s access to information about what our government is doing,” said Gavi Wolfe, Legislative Counsel for the ACLU of Massachusetts.
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 01206 FILED ON: 01/20/2011
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. xxxxx
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
James B. Eldridge
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing a public health insurance option.
PETITION OF:
In the Year Two Thousand Eleven
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 176Q the following chapter:-
CHAPTER 176R
PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION
Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—
“Commonwealth Connector Board”, the board of the commonwealth health insurance connector, established by subsection (b) of section 2 of chapter 176Q.
“Commonwealth Connector”, the commonwealth health insurance connector authority, established by subsection (a) of section 2 of chapter 176Q.
“Connector seal of approval”, the approval given by the board of the connector to indicate that a health benefit plan meets certain standards regarding quality and value, as established by section 10 of Chapter 176Q.
“Carrier”, an insurer licensed or otherwise authorized to transact accident and health insurance under chapter 175; a nonprofit hospital service corporation organized under chapter 176A; a nonprofit medical service corporation organized under chapter 176B; a health maintenance organization organized under chapter 176G.
“Health benefit plan”, any individual, general, blanket or group policy of health, accident and sickness insurance issued by an insurer licensed under chapter 175; a group hospital service plan issued by a non-profit hospital service corporation under chapter 176A; a group medical service plan issued by a non-profit medical service corporation under chapter 176B; a group health maintenance contract issued by a health maintenance organization under chapter 176G; a coverage for young adults health insurance plan under section 10 of chapter 176J. The words “health benefit plan” shall not include accident only, credit-only, limited scope vision or dental benefits if offered separately, hospital indemnity insurance policies if offered as independent, non-coordinated benefits which for the purposes of this chapter shall mean policies issued under chapter 175 which provide a benefit not to exceed $500 per day, as adjusted on an annual basis by the amount of increase in the average weekly wages in the commonwealth as defined in section 1 of chapter 152, to be paid to an insured or a dependent, including the spouse of an insured, on the basis of a hospitalization of the insured or a dependent, disability income insurance, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, specified disease insurance that is purchased as a supplement and not as a substitute for a health plan and meets any requirements the commissioner by regulation may set, insurance arising out of a workers’ compensation law or similar law, automobile medical payment insurance, insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and which is statutorily required to be contained in a liability insurance policy or equivalent self insurance, long-term care if offered separately, coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under 10 U.S.C. section 55 if offered as a separate insurance policy, or any policy subject to chapter 176K or any similar policies issued on a group basis, Medicare Advantage plans or Medicare Prescription drug plans. A health plan issued, renewed or delivered within or without the commonwealth to an individual who is enrolled in a qualifying student health insurance program under section 18 of chapter 15A shall not be considered a health plan for the purposes of this chapter and shall be governed by said chapter 15A. The commissioner of insurance may by regulation define other health coverage as a health benefit plan for the purposes of this chapter.
“Eligible individuals”, an individual who is a resident of the commonwealth; provided however, that the individual is not offered subsidized health insurance by an employer with more than 50 employees.
“Eligible small groups”, groups, any sole proprietorship, labor union, educational, professional, civic, trade, church, not-for-profit or social organization or firms, corporations, partnerships or associations actively engaged in business that on at least 50 per cent of its working days during the preceding year employed at least one but not more than 50 employees.
“Eligible large groups”, groups, any labor union, educational, professional, civic, trade, church, not-for-profit or social organization or firms, corporations, partnerships or associations actively engaged in business that on at least 50 per cent of its working days during the preceding year employed at least 51 employees.
“Public Option”, the public health benefits plan offered through the Commonwealth Connector, established by section 2.
“Trust Fund”, the Public Health Insurance Trust Fund, established by section 7.
Section 2. The Commonwealth Connector Authority shall provide for the offering a public health benefits plan – the public health insurance option – to eligible individuals and groups, to ensure choice, competition, and stability of affordable, high quality coverage throughout Massachusetts. The public option shall:-
(a) be made available exclusively through the Commonwealth Connector, alongside health benefit plans receiving the Connector seal of approval;
(b) meet all the requirements established for health benefit plans to receive the Commonwealth Connector seal of approval;
(c) meet the Connector’s standards for minimum creditable coverage; and
(d) comply with subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 5 of Chapter 176Q.
Section 3. The public option shall be made available to eligible individuals and eligible small groups through the Connector no later than January 1, 2011. In addition the public option shall be made available to eligible large groups no later than July 1, 2011.
Section 4. The executive director of the commonwealth connector may contract with managed care organizations or other such health benefits administrators to administer aspects of plans offered under the public health insurance option. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive director shall collaborate with the secretary of health and human services and the commissioner of insurance to ensure that only Medicaid managed care organizations, that have contracted with the commonwealth as of January 1, 2011, to deliver such managed care services, are so contracted with to administer aspects of the public option. The executive director may accept applications from non-Medicaid managed care organizations for the provision of such services after January 1, 2013.
Section 5. A report on the activities, receipts, expenditures, and enrollments of the public option shall be included in the Commonwealth Connector’s annual reports and shall be subject to the prescription and oversight of the Commonwealth Connector Board and State Auditor as per section 14 and section 15 of Chapter 176Q.
Section 6. The Commonwealth Connector shall establish premium rates for the public health insurance option at a level sufficient to fully finance the costs of:-
(a) health benefits provided by the public option; and
(b) administrative costs related to operating the public option.
Section 7. The Connector Board shall establish payment rates for the Public Health Insurance Option for services and providers based on parts A and B of Medicare. The Commonwealth Connector Board may determine the extent to which adjustments to base Medicare payment rates shall be made in order to fairly reimburse providers and medical goods and device makers, as well as to maintain a a strong provider network.
Section 8. Health care providers (including physicians and hospitals) participating in Medicare are participating providers in the public option unless they opt out through a process to be established by the Commonwealth Connector. This opt-out process must ensure that:
(a) no provider shall be subject to a penalty for not participating in the public health insurance option;
(b) the connector shall include information on how providers participating in Medicare who chose to opt out of participating in the public health insurance option may opt back in; and
(c) there shall be an annual enrollment period in which providers may decide whether to participate in the public health insurance option.
Section 9. The Commonwealth Connector may adopt regulations to implement this chapter.
SECTION 2. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after Section 8J of Chapter 26 the following Section:-
Section 8K. Risk Adjustment
(a) The commissioner of insurance is hereby authorized to make an assessment against all health plans, health insurers, and health maintenance organizations in the Commonwealth, as well as the public health insurance option established by section 2 of Chapter 176R of the General Laws (which shall be referred to herein as “risk-adjusted health plans”) , if the actuarial risk of the enrollees of such plans or coverage for a year is less than the average actuarial risk of all enrollees in all risk-adjusted health plans for such year. Self-insured group health plans (which are subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), shall be exempted from such risk adjustment.
(b) Using the criteria and methods developed under subsection (c), the commissioner of insurance shall provide a payment to risk-adjusted health plans (with respect to health insurance coverage) if the actuarial risk of the enrollees of such plans or coverage for a year is greater than the average actuarial risk of all enrollees in all risk-adjusted health plans for such year that are not self-insured group health plans (which are subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974).
(c) The commissioner shall establish criteria and methods to be used in carrying out the risk adjustment activities under this section. In calculating the actuarial risk of risk-adjusted health plans, the commissioner may utilize data including but not limited to enrollee demographics, inpatient and outpatient diagnoses (in similar fashion as such data are used under parts C and D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act), and such other information as the commissioner determines may be necessary such as the actual medical costs of enrollees during the previous year. Upon request, such risk-adjusted health plans shall make information available to the division of insurance for the purposes of risk adjustment under this section. Such information shall be limited to the minimum amount of personal information necessary, shall be confidential, and shall not constitute a public record.
(d) SECTION 123 of Chapter 58 of the Session Laws of 2006 is hereby amended by striking out the last two sentences of the section, beginning with “The director shall collaborate with the secretary…”
SECTION 3. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2XXX the following section:-
Section 2YYY. There is hereby established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Public Health Insurance Option Trust Fund, in this section called the trust fund. Amounts credited to the trust fund shall be expended without further appropriation for operation of the public health insurance option. Not later than January 1, the comptroller shall report an update of revenues for the current fiscal year. The comptroller shall file this report with the secretary of administration and finance, the office of Medicaid, the joint committee on health care financing, and the house and senate committees on ways and means.
SECTION 4. Subsection (a) of section 5 of Chapter 176Q is hereby amended by inserting, after the words “underwritten by a carrier,” the following words:- , as well as the public health insurance option,
SECTION 5. Section 1 of Chapter 176Q is hereby amended by inserting, after the definition of “Eligible Small Groups”, the following definition:-
‘”Eligible large groups”, groups, any labor union, educational, professional, civic, trade, church, not-for-profit or social organization or firms, corporations, partnerships or associations actively engaged in business that on at least 50 per cent of its working days during the preceding year employed at least 51 employees.’
SECTION 6. Section 4(a) of Chapter 176Q is hereby amended by inserting prior to the words “groups as defined,” the following words:- eligible small and large
SECTION 7. Section 4(b) of Chapter 176Q is hereby amended by striking out the phrase “or small group” and inserting in its place the following words:- , small group, or large group
SECTION 8. Effective no later than July 1, 2011, the board of the Commonwealth Connector shall, consistent with the Board’s powers and duties as enumerated in Section 3 of Chapter 176J, extend its seal of approval to large group plans and offer such plans, alongside a public health insurance option for large groups, through the Connector.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2011
BOSTON – State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) announced today that he has filed his legislation for the 2011-12 legislative session. Eldridge filed a total of 92 bills, on topics ranging from health care and economic development to the environment, government transparency, elections reform, housing, anti-poverty reforms, consumer protection, regionalization, and land use and planning.
“It’s time for Massachusetts to take bold steps forward to create good-paying, permanent jobs responsibly, rein in out-of-control health care costs, reduce the influence of corporations on our government and our elections, protect our public lands and drinking water supplies and increase transparency in our government,” said Senator Eldridge. “I’m proposing a range of bills that would create substantive, progressive change to move our Commonwealth forward.”
Some of the more significant bills Eldridge is filing this session include:
Eldridge held a series of “Listening Tour” meetings across the district in December and January, and has also filed a number of bills that came out of those and other conversations with constituents, including:
“Over the years, I’ve filed many bills that came out of conversations with constituents – whether it’s because a constituent brings me a good idea, or because I realize after talking with someone going through a difficult time that the law could be changed to prevent similar problems from happening in the future, or to provide more support for those in need,” said Eldridge. “I’m always looking for good ideas to make our government more responsive to the needs of the people, and I encourage constituents to contact me any time with your ideas and concerns.
BOSTON- State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) received a score of 110% — the highest possible score – as well as a spot on the “Honor Roll” from the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters (MLEV) today for his strong leadership on environmental issues in the Legislature.
“We commend Senator Eldridge for his 110% in our 2010 Environmental Scorecard and diligent environmental leadership that landed him a spot on our Honor Roll,” said Lora Wondolowski, Executive Director of the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters. “When others failed to see the connections between growing our economy and protecting our environment, Jamie fought big business lobbyists for our health and future.”
“I am proud of the environmental work I have fought to accomplish in the Legislature this year, including passing ‘PACE’ legislation to make it more affordable for homeowners to install solar panels and attract green jobs to our communities, protecting funding for the Toxics Use Reduction Institute, and creating the Water Infrastructure Finance Commission, to protect our clean water supplies,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge.
“Next session, there is much more left to be done — including passing the Safer Alternatives, E-Waste and Bottle bills, promoting clean technology, and securing budget funding for environmental protection and water infrastructure. As the Environmental Scorecard shows, being a strong environmentalist in the Legislature is as much about demonstrating leadership – sponsoring legislation and fighting to bring it to the floor for passage – as it is about voting the right way. I’ll continue to be a leader on environmental issues, and encourage my colleagues to do the same, so we can see greater gains next session,” continued Eldridge.
The Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters worked with environmental and conservation organizations to compile the priority environmental bills to track during the session. Groups were consulted throughout the session to ensure that the key votes were included. The Environmental Scorecard includes a voting total for each legislator. The voting total-based on a scale of 0 to 100-was scored on the number of pro- environmental votes cast out of the total number included. In some instances, bills that did not receive a roll call vote were scored by crediting legislators that signed a sign-on letter. Some major environmental bills like OHV in the Senate did not receive a recorded vote. The total score includes extra points for sponsoring and co-sponsoring pro-environment bills (maximum of 10 points, cosponsor=1 pt., sponsor= 2 pt).
The Scorecard also includes an Honor Roll to recognize those legislators that went the extra green mile this session. Eldridge received a spot on the Honor roll for “working tirelessly for environmental safeguards in the Economic Development bill and other key amendments,” according to the MLEV Scorecard.
The report can be seen online at: http://www.mlev.org/scorecard.php and scroll down to the .pdf files.
The Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters (MLEV) is a statewide, nonpartisan organization dedicated to making environmental protection a top priority for Massachusetts elected officials, candidates and voters in order to better protect our environment and health.
Campaign Constituent
I met with 2 constituents today in Marlborough, disgusted w/ influence of corp power in state & fed govt; we need campaign fin reforms NOW #
