While much of the media attention has been focused on high-profile issues such as casino gambling, bond bills, and personality conflicts within the building, we in the Senate in recent months have passed a number of bills that – in most cases – should start to address some of the multitude of issues we face as a Commonwealth. It is important to note that while all of these bills have passed the Senate, they still await action in the House.
Public Libraries Fund: This bill would establish a special trust fund to provide a 50 cent match for every $1 a local library raises through endowments, cash gifts, benefactors groups, and capital drives, with a $50,000 cap on the state match. I am a big supporter of our local libraries and believe this legislation would reward libraries that take the initiative and look for ways to supplement their income without asking for additional property tax dollars.
Welfare Reform: Although this bill was touted as “welfare reform,” in my opinion it does little to return welfare to its roots as transitional assistance, and instead perpetuates a system of dependency that has led some to see welfare as a way of life. The Senate, however, did adopt two amendments that I co-sponsored; one would bar non-citizens from receiving welfare benefits, the second would require a detailed report on the number of recipients complying with their work activity requirement.
Employee Assisted Housing and Responsible Lending: Businesses that help employees find housing would qualify for $5 million in matching grant money from the state under this bill. The employee would have to make less than 120 percent of the region’s median income, and individual companies would have an annual cap of $100,000 in grant money. The bill also would set stricter rules for mortgage companies and crack-down on predatory lending tactics. It passed the Senate unanimously.
Booster Seats: This bill requires that children under the age of 8 or measuring less than 57 inches in height must be seated in a proper car seat while riding in a car. Current state law only applies to children under the age of 5 or weighing less than 40 pounds. It also mandates that children under the age of 12 must wear seatbelts while riding in cars. A group of doctors and police officers recently held an event here at the State House that demonstrated how some children may be in danger under the current set of guidelines.
Prevention of Oil Spills in
Commission on Advanced Nursing: The state would establish a special commission on the use of nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and psychiatric clinical nurse specialists in our state health care system. In light of skyrocketing health care costs, I support this commission and am confident it will report back with some good recommendations and strategies on ways to improve services and patient care.
Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-term care insurance is becoming increasing popular as our population lives longer and health care become more expensive. However, it is currently not subject to regulation by the state Division of Insurance. This bill would change that and provide a tax deduction of up to $5,000 for those who do purchase long-term care insurance. It also would make long-term care insurance available to state employees, but in a surprising twist, state employees would be responsible for 100 percent of the premium cost.
Increased Burial Benefits for Indigent Veterans: This bill will increase the amount of money provided for the burial of indigent veterans from $2,000 to $5,000. It’s a shame that someone who voluntarily puts his or her life on the line for this country would pass away poor, but it is an unfortunate reality. The least we can do as a state is make sure that these honorable men and women are afforded a respectful burial.
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: This bill codifies the state’s participation in this initiative. It also places a cap on the amount of carbon dioxide electric generating stations can produce annually. Money raised through auctioning off emission credits will be used to promote energy efficiency, and develop renewable energy sources. The Senate rejected an amendment I sponsored that would have given our cities and towns millions of dollars to help improve their energy efficiency.
Safer Alternatives: This piece of legislation sets up a review and evaluation process to determine if some of the toxic chemicals in our everyday household products can be replaced by safer, financially viable alternatives. As I said earlier, I am very wary of imposing new regulations on manufacturers that will either drive them out of business or jack prices up on consumers, but I feel this bill strikes an appropriate balance between protecting manufacturers and the public. It is also worth pointing out that, partly thanks to pressure from myself and my Republican colleagues, this bill does not apply to lead found in ammunition.
Child Protection: Given the high-profile case of Rebecca Riley, I am all too aware of the need to revamp the Department of Social Services. While I’m doubtful that cosmetic changes such as changing the agency’s name to the Office of Children and Families will have any impact, the bill does strengthen mandatory reporting regulations, establishes a commission for grandparents raising their grandchildren, and creates the Office of the Child Advocate. I was disappointed, however, that Senate leadership refused to let me and my Republican colleagues propose amendments that would strengthen mandatory sentencing laws for sex offenders.