DOCSLIB.ORG

F Ig Ht in Gfr Au D

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
F Ig Ht in Gfr Au D STATE PERSONAL INCOME TAXES PAGE 6 April 2013 FIGHTING FRAUD INSIDE: Privacy With Apps Juvenile Justice Businesses With a Cause NUCLEAR ENERGY Reliable Electricity & Clean Air How can we generate more low-carbon electricity that is affordable while creating more American jobs? Nuclear energy produces nearly two-thirds of America’s carbon-free electricity. With our electricity needs expected to grow 22% by 2035, advanced nuclear energy plants must be built to meet this rising demand without producing more greenhouse gases. Nuclear energy facilities have the highest reliability of all electricity sources with production costs that average about 2 cents per kilowatt-hour. Nuclear energy should be expanded as part of a balanced energy portfolio that generates more low-carbon and affordable electricity and reduces our dependence on foreign energy sources. Nuclear. Clean Air Energy. nei.org/cleanair CLIENT: NEI (Nuclear Energy Institute) PUB: State Legislatures Magazine RUN DATE: April 1, 2013 SIZE: 7.5” x 9.875” Full Page VER.: Clean Air/Full Page Ad 4CP: STATE LEGISLATURES | 04.2013 VOL 39 No - 4 | CONTENTS APRIL © 2013 BRUCE HOLDEMAN © 2013 BRUCE FEATURES 14 FIGHTING MEDICAID FRAUD 24 A HEALTHY PROFIT By Megan Comlossy By Melissa Hansen and Heather Morton States are sniffing out Medicaid swindlers and A new kind of business is redefining the private saving a lot of money. role in addressing social problems. 20 KIDS ARE NOT ADULTS 27 APP-LOSION By Sarah Brown By Pam Greenberg Brain research is providing new insights into what Smartphones and apps are proliferating and drives teenage behavior, moving lawmakers to getting smarter and smarter. Do they know rethink policies that treat them like adults. too much? STATE LEGISLATURES A National CONFERENCE OF State | | LegislatURES PUBLICATION 4 CONTENTS 04.2013 Executive Director DEPARTMENTS SL ONLINE William T. Pound Editor Karen Hansen 6 STATESTATS 30 FOR THE RECORD VISIT WWW.NCSL.ORG/MAGAZINE Managing Editor Julie Lays The State of Personal Income Taxes Jack Abramoff speaks on the need for THIS MONTH TO: Web Editor ethics and lobbying reforms Edward P. Smith 7 PEOPLE & POLITICS ◆ View NCSL’s webinar on state Copy Editor Insight into what’s happening under efforts to eliminate Medicaid fraud. Leann Stelzer Contributing Editors the domes ◆ Access NCSL’s juvenile justice bill- Jane Carroll Andrade tracking database. Mark Wolf Contributors 8 TRENDS & TRANSITIONS ◆ View a U.S. map on the prevalence Pam Greenberg Karmen Hanson Diabetes, federal firearms policy, foster of diabetes by county. Mandy Rafool Nina Williams-Mbengue care, sex offenders’ rights and personal 32 TOOLS OF THE TRADE ◆ Read more on state compliance with Art Director passwords How to Score a Perfect 10 With Your SORNA. Bruce Holdeman Research ◆ Listen to the complete interview Advertising Sales Manager LeAnn Hoff 12 STATELINE By Jeanne Mejeur with Jack Abramoff. (303) 364-7700 .................................... News from around the nation—from ◆ View NCSL’s webinar on verifying NCSL OFFICERS President digital deaths to moose on the loose, 35 AS THEY SEE IT documents and link to more resources Representative Terie Norelli, there’s no place like home Quotes and cartoons from around the on the topic. New Hampshire President Elect states Senator Bruce Starr, Oregon Vice President Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, THEN & NOW Nevada Staff Chair Patsy Spaw, Texas 25 YEARS AGO DID YOU KNOW … WHOSE CAPITOL IS IT? Staff Vice Chair Tom Wright, Alaska Immediate Past President Senator Stephen Morris, Kansas Immediate Past Staff Chair Michael Adams, Virginia Articles from the .................................... April 1988 issue of Denver Office 7700 East First Place STATE LEGISLATURES Denver, Colorado 80230 (303) 364-7700 Washington, D.C. Office 444 North Capitol Street, N.W. Suite 515 Washington, D.C. 20001 Standing atop the copper dome of (202) 624-5400 Arizona’s old Capitol—which contains Website THE PRODUCT LIABILITY DILEMMA www.ncsl.org/magazine enough copper to make 4,800,000 .................................... “Are product liability judgments pennies—is a white winged statue State Legislatures (ISSN 0147- 0641), the national magazine of excessive? Are victims’ rights known as “Winged Victory” or “Victory policy and politics, Lady.” The lady is not just for looks; is published monthly by the endangered? Is there a middle ground?” National Conference of State she is a weather vane and turns with Legislatures except July/August the direction of the wind. Purchased for and October/November, which DRUNK DRIVING: THE HIGHWAY KILLER are combined. Postmaster: $150, the 17-foot zinc statue was placed Send address changes to: State IS BACK atop the Capitol in 1901. When the Legislatures, 7700 East First “After steadily declining since 1982, Place, Denver, CO 80230. statue was restored in 1981, its wings © 2013, All Rights Reserved. deaths caused by drunk drivers are on were found to be pock-marked by bullet Opinions expressed in this the rise again.” holes. Legend has it they were courtesy magazine do not necessarily of presumably hard-drinking gents who reflect the policy of NCSL. amused themselves by taking potshots Go to www.ncsl.org/bookstore/ to WANTED: A GOOD STATE TAX POLICY subscribe. United States—$49 per “Defining the components of a good tax at the Victory Lady’s wings to make her year; foreign—$55. Teachers only spin. No proof of this tale exists, but to $25 (enter promo code SLMTEA). policy is subjective, but a new report Single copy: $6.50. quote the classic western movie “The To find out, go to: www.ncsl.org/magazine Letters to the Editor may be by a group of legislators and staff may Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” which mailed to the Denver office or sent by e-mail to: edward. help.” may have been set in territorial Arizona, [email protected]. Send requests “This is the West, sir. When the legend for permission to reprint to Edward Smith in Denver. Send becomes fact, print the legend.” And so subscriptions and changes of address to the Denver office Attn: we have. Marketing Department. Periodically, NCSL rents mailing Sources: “A Celebration of State Capitols” labels to outside organizations. If you prefer your name not be used, by Richard R. Gibson, Arizonaoddities.com please send a written request. and statecapitols.tigerleaf.com State Legislatures is indexed in the PAIS Bulletin and Expanded Academic Index. It is also available in microform and electronically through University Microfilms Inc. (UMI) at (800) 521-0600. 04 .2013 | BOOK REVIEWS | 5 How to Run the Next Election: Advice From Three Experts BY WENDY UNDERHILL t’s no surprise that 2012 brought a bumper crop of books about how to improve elections; a presidential election year is always a good time to sell books about elections. The best time to use a good book about elections, though, is in the year after the election. That’s when legislatures gear up for the next go-’round. Three 2012 books—from across the political specrtum—make Igood reading for legislators. All three describe perceived weak points of America’s decentralized election administration system; all three also offer The Politics of Voter Who’s Counting? The Voting Wars prescriptions for building a stronger system. Better yet, there is greater Suppression John Fund and Richard L. Hasen overlap in these recommendations than the cover blurbs might imply. Tova Wang Hans von Spakovsky Yale University Press Starting on the left, “The Politics of Voter Suppression: Defending Century Foundation Encounter Books $30, 256 pages and Expanding Americans’ Right to Vote” by Tova Wang (Century $24.95, 200 pages $16.99, 304 pages Foundation, 2012) looks through the lens of what she calls “the voter inclusion principle.” Whatever the issue, she says “we should err on the side of greater access and equity unless there is a strong reason, based Wang proposes that “serious safeguards” be required to prevent fraud on demonstrable data and facts—not presumptions or prognostications— (while also encouraging the availability of early voting). that it is not worth it.” Wang applies the voter inclusion principle to voter registration regulations, pre-Election Day voting, polling place AUDITS—Audits of voting equipment, tabulation software and security operations, procedures for handling absentee and provisional ballots, procedures can add legitimacy to the whole process, and states can and voting rights for felons who have served their time. require them. It’s quite likely that not everyone will agree that “voter inclusion” is the highest value when it comes to elections policy. Indeed, in “Who’s VOTER REGISTRATION DATA—Statewide voter registration databases Counting: How Fraudsters and Bureaucrats Put Your Vote at Risk” are being improved all the time, with many states now permitting (Encounter Books, 2012) right-leaning authors John Fund and Hans von citizens to register or update their registrations online. Improving data Spakovsky place the highest value on the integrity of the election system. matching between states is the next step, and one that finds favor across They say “some of the sloppiness that makes fraud and foul-ups in the political spectrum. By checking with other states, election officials election counts possible seems to be built into the system by design.” And will be better able to find names that do not belong on the rolls, be they so, the book addresses every part of the voting system, just as Wang’s of folks who have moved away, noncitizens who were signed up by book does. mistake, or deceased voters. And from between the two comes “The Voting Wars: From Florida to the Next Election Meltdown” by Richard L. Hasen (Yale University Press, POLL WORKERS—Most jurisdictions need more volunteer poll workers, 2012). (Readers, please take a moment to be thankful that 2012 was not and those poll workers need better training so that laws are enforced the year of “the next election meltdown.”) Hasen asks, “Why haven’t equitably.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network
    PLATFORMS AND OUTSIDERS IN PARTY NETWORKS: THE EVOLUTION OF THE DIGITAL POLITICAL ADVERTISING NETWORK Bridget Barrett A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Chapel Hill 2020 Approved by: Daniel Kreiss Adam Saffer Adam Sheingate © 2020 Bridget Barrett ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Bridget Barrett: Platforms and Outsiders in Party Networks: The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network (Under the direction of Daniel Kreiss) Scholars seldom examine the companies that campaigns hire to run digital advertising. This thesis presents the first network analysis of relationships between federal political committees (n = 2,077) and the companies they hired for electoral digital political advertising services (n = 1,034) across 13 years (2003–2016) and three election cycles (2008, 2012, and 2016). The network expanded from 333 nodes in 2008 to 2,202 nodes in 2016. In 2012 and 2016, Facebook and Google had the highest normalized betweenness centrality (.34 and .27 in 2012 and .55 and .24 in 2016 respectively). Given their positions in the network, Facebook and Google should be considered consequential members of party networks. Of advertising agencies hired in the 2016 electoral cycle, 23% had no declared political specialization and were hired disproportionately by non-incumbents. The thesis argues their motivations may not be as well-aligned with party goals as those of established political professionals. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES .................................................................................................................... V POLITICAL CONSULTING AND PARTY NETWORKS ...............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • SHNS .: State House News Service
    SHNS .: State House News Service statehousenews.com/mobile ☰ Six Lawmakers Named to Draft Final Policing Bill Lead Negotiators: Rep. Claire Cronin, Sen. Will Brownsberger Katie Lannan7/27/20 7:05 PM JULY 27, 2020.....Three senators who helped craft their branch's policing bill will join the Judiciary Committee's House chair, the head of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and a former state trooper on a conference committee that will try to reach a House-Senate compromise on police reform. Each branch named its negotiators on Monday. On the Senate side, it's Democrats Sen. William Brownsberger of Belmont and Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz of Jamaica Plain, and Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican. The House appointed Rep. Claire Cronin, an Easton Democrat who as co-chair of the Judiciary Committee led the House's effort to compile a police reform bill; Springfield Democrat Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, who chairs the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, and Rep. Timothy Whelan, a Brewster Republican who voted against the bill. Chang-Diaz, the sole member of the Black and Latino Caucus in the Senate, and Brownsberger chaired the working group that developed the Senate's bill. Tarr was the only Republican on that panel. 1/4 Brownsberger and Cronin played leading roles in negotiations on a criminal justice reform package. Those talks lasted for 113 days. The police reform conferees have a much tighter timeline -- Friday marks the last day of formal legislative sessions for the two-year term, though there is a possibility that lawmakers could agree to work beyond that deadline because of the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Town Report Fiscal Year 2018
    TWO HUNDRED NINETY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT of the Receipts and Expenditures of the TOWN OF HOLLISTON and REPORTS OF SEVERAL OFFICIAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES For the period ending JUNE 30, 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS REPORT PAGE REPORT PAGE Dedication 1 Fire and Ambulance 74 General Information 1 Board of Health 76 Elected Officials 1 Park Department 79 Appointed Officials 6 Planning Board 80 Special Town Meeting 29 Police Department 81 Annual Town Meeting 37 Auxiliary Police 86 Town Election 54 Public Library 87 Animal Control 58 Board of Registrars 88 Board of Assessors 58 Board of Selectmen 89 Building Inspector 59 South Middlesex Regional 90 Community Preservation 59 Technology 95 Conservation Commission 64 Town Clerk 96 Council on Aging 67 Trails Committee 97 Cultural Council 69 Treasurer Collector 98 DPW – Highway 70 Weights and Measures 100 DPW – Water 72 Youth and Family 101 Economic Development 73 Zoning Board of Appeals 104 Elderly & Disabled 73 Schools 104 Emergency Management 74 Payroll 119 Financials end THIS REPORT IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF: January 2, 2018 William B. Hosmer – Holliston Public Schools, 1972-1980 August 12, 2017 Dorothy Lea Grande – Holliston Public Schools, 1978-1996 May 26, 2018 Richard J. Kampersal – Holliston Fire Department, 1954-1997 GENERAL INFORMATION Incorporated: December 3, 1724 Situated: 22 miles southwest of Boston Area: 19.04 square miles, 12,186 acres Population: 13,547 - 2010 Federal Census 15,301 - May, 2018 Town Census Registered Voters: 10,295 as of May 2018 Assessed Value: $2,489,277,031 for Fiscal Year 2018 Tax Rate: $18.67 for Fiscal Year 2018 Senators in Congress: Elizabeth Warren State Senator: Karen Spilka, 1st Middlesex & Norfolk Senatorial District Representative in Congress: Katherine Clark, 5th Congressional District Representative in General Court: Carolyn Dykema, 8th Middlesex District Qualifications for Voters: Must be 18 years old, a citizen of the United States and a resident of the Town of Holliston.
    [Show full text]
  • Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators
    Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators STATE HOUSE R O O M 4 6 0 BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS 02133 617 722 2266 Winter 2013 Senator Candaras and Representative Balser to Lead Caucus President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth), who reviewed what had been accomplished during the last legislative session and discussed continuing oversight on agencies throughout the Commonwealth, finding balances with gun control, and drinking and wastewater issues. She also discussed the importance of keeping the focus on economic drivers such as healthcare and tourism and fighting for struggling industries like fishing and agriculture. The new Co-Chairs then started their term with an overview of the Caucus’ bylaws, specifically the purpose, which is to enhance the economic status and equality of women and encourage and to support women in all levels of government. Two themes emerged after a lively discussion with Caucus members: pay equity and professional development. To meet these themes, the Caucus agreed to sponsor events focusing on pay equity, invite spokespersons on both sides of the pay equity issue so that their colleagues and the public would be [R-L] Representative Denise Andrews (D-Orange), Co-Chair Representative Ruth privy to all viewpoints, and become educated and conversant on Balser (D-Newton), Co-Chair Senator Gale Candaras (D-Wilbraham), and Bethany the topic. Caucus members suggested ideas like tracking a day in Stevens, Deputy Chief Appeals & Training Bureau in the Middlesex DA’s Office the life of an average female, securing visits from both members attend Caucus’ Bills Co-sponsorship event. of big corporations in the private sector and public figures such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, and ensuring as much publicity as In January, Senator Gale Candaras (D-Wilbraham) and possible for these issues and events to spark interest in the Representative Ruth Balser (D-Newton) succeeded Senator general population of Massachusetts.
    [Show full text]
  • A Preliminary Report on Open Seat House Nominations in 2014
    PARTIES ON THE GROUND: A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON OPEN SEAT HOUSE NOMINATIONS IN 2014 by Kathleen Bawn Knox Brown Angela Ocampo Shawn Patterson John Ray John Zaller UCLA August 2014 The purpose of this paper is to organize and take stock of what we have learned in our initial interviews, with a view to asking better questions as we proceed to the main phase of the study. Please check with us before citing. Do not post this paper on the Internet. We have promised our sources that nothing they told us will be publically reported before 2016. 1 Republican infighting in the run-up to the 2014 congressional primaries attracted unusual attention.1 The national Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Association vowed to primary Republican members of Congress who threatened default on the national debt. Ideological groups like FreedomWorks, Tea Party Patriots, and Club for Growth supported these same House members and have tried to nominate more like them. The Republicans’ current conflict over nominations is not unprecedented. Similar struggles occurred when evangelicals became active in Republican primaries in the 1990s (Cohen 2005) and when the Tea Party first contested nominations in 2010 (Zernike 2010, Skocpol and Williams 2012). Democrats, too, have their intra-party struggles: the movement into the party of civil rights liberals in the 1940s and 50s (Baylor 2013), of feminists, greens and anti-Vietnam War radicals in the 1970s (Kirkpatrick 1976; Carsey and Layman 2010), and most recently of LGBT advocates.2 Changes in the commitment of the party’s nominated candidates, often little noticed as they occur, moved the Democratic Party to the left between 1940 and 1970 and the Republican Party to the right in the 1990s, and they continue pushing both parties toward their extremes.
    [Show full text]
  • FEDERAL Electign Commlssioh 1 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION 2 999 E Street, N.W
    FEDERAL ELECTiGN COMMlSSiOH 1 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION 2 999 E Street, N.W. 22 IQ: | 3 3 Washington, D.C. 20463 4 5 FIRST GENERAL COUNSEL'S REPORT CELA 6 7 MUR: 6916 8 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 2/18/2015 9 DATES OF NOTIFICATION: 2/27/2015 10 3/2/2015 11 DATE OF LAST RESPONSE: 5/21/2015 12 DATE ACTIVATED; 6/24/2015 13 14 ELECTION CYCLE: 2006 through 2016 15 EARLIEST SOL: 7/29/2010' 16 LATEST SOL: 10/31/2020 17 18 COMPLAINANT: Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust 19 20 RESPONDENTS: Democratic National Committee, et al.^ 21 22 RELEVANT STATUTES 23 AND REGULATIONS: 52 U.S.C.§ 30116^ 24 52 U.S.C. §30118 25 52 U.S.C. §30119 26 52 U.S.C. §30125 27 28 INTERNAL REPORTS CHECKED: Disclosure Reports 29 30 FEDERAL AGENCIES CHECKED: None 31 32 33 I. INTRODUCTION 34 This matter concerns a complaint against the Democratic National Committee ("DNC"), 35 the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ("DSCC"), the Democratic Congressional ' Complainant alleges violations of the Act dating back to Catalist's founding. Compl. at 18 (Feb. 18,201S). Records from the Delaware Division of Corporations list Catalist's date of formation as July 29,2005. ^ See Appendix A for the complete list of respondents. As indicated in the Appendix, the Commission received numerous responses in this matter. Many responses were filed on behalf of a single entity, while others were filed jointly on behalf of numerous respondents. ' On September 1, 2014, the Federal Elcetion Campaign Act of 1971. as amended (the "Act"), was transferred from Title 2 to new Title 52 of the United States Code.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of the Senate
    UNCORRECTED PROOF. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ___________ JOURNAL OF THE SENATE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 [75] 1 UNCORRECTED PROOF. JOURNAL OF THE SENATE. Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Met at twenty-one minutes past eleven o’clock A.M. The President, members, guests and staff then recited the pledge of allegiance Pledge of allegiance. to the flag. Reports. The following reports were severally received and placed on file, to wit: Report of the Department of Public Health (Pursuant to Line Item 4512-0204 DPH,-- OEND of Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2017) submitting its report entitled “First Responder report.. SD2729 Naloxone Grants and Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution.” (received July 24, 2018,); and Report of the Department of Public Health (Pursuant to Line Item 4512-0211 DPH, -- Recovery of Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2017) submitting its report entitled Recovery High High Schools report. SD2730 Schools for FY18 (received July 24, 2018). Petition. Mr. Moore presented a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) Tiffany Sonnier,-- of Michael O. Moore and Kate D. Campanale for legislation to establish a sick leave sick leave. SD2731 bank for Tiffany Sonnier, an employee of the Department of Mental Health; Referred, under Senate Rule 20, to the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently. Reports of Committees. Mr. Montigny, for the committee on Rules, to whom was referred the Senate First-time Order relative to authorizing the joint committee on the Revenue to make an homebuyer,-- savings accounts. investigation and study of certain current Senate documents relative to revenue matters (Senate, No.
    [Show full text]
  • Ocn432661025-2011-09.Pdf (1.077
    Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators ROOM 460 STATE HOUSE BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS 02133 617 722 2266 SEPTEMBER 2011 ALIMONY REFORM FORUM HOSTED BY CAUCUS omprehensive alimony reform legislation was the topic of discussion at a forum hosted by the Caucus of Women Legislators. Prior to the legislation reaching the floor for debate, the Caucus hosted Massachusetts Bar C Association President Denise Attorney Denise Squillante, President of Squillante for an informational presentation on the Massachusetts Bar Association the proposed reform of the state’s alimony law. The legislation, which originated with Senator Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), was examined by a task force comprised of legislators, divorce attorneys, judges and the state's bar associations. The task force tackled the issue for more than a year, gathering input from all sides. Senator Gale Candaras (D-Wilbraham) and Representative John Fernandes (D-Milford) chaired the effort. Supporters of the bill, including Attorney Squillante, reported a cry for reform from both payors and payees of alimony. Alimony currently has no end date, which, Pictured at the June briefing are Attorney Squillante said, means some possible payees are discouraged from filing Representative Peter Durant (R-Spencer), Senator James Eldridge (D-Acton), and because judges are unlikely to award alimony without an end in sight, especially Representative Ellen Story (D-Amherst). after short-term marriages. (continued on page 4) HUMAN TRAFFICKING LEGISLATION CHAMPIONED Representative Liz Malia (D-Jamaica Plain) and Representative Martin J. Walsh INSIDE THIS ISSUE (D- Dorchester) hosted a spring legislative briefing on Human Trafficking. Those present heard from youth who have survived trafficking, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley about the Safe Harbor Bill, and Attorney General Martha Message from the Co-Chairs 2 Coakley about the related trafficking bill she filed.
    [Show full text]
  • Massachusetts Legislature
    MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE 101 2019-2020 The ACLU of Massachusetts works in the state legislature to pass laws that will protect and THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION expand our civil liberties. Massachusetts has a two year legislative session. The current session began in January 2019. THE BASICS At the beginning of each session, bills are filed The Massachusetts legislature is made up of the and assigned to a committee. Senate and House of Representatives. The committees hold hearings and decide Every resident is represented by one state whether the bills will be voted on by the whole senator and one state representative. That chamber (“floor vote”). means there are a total of 40 senators and 160 representatives. You can find your legislators here:https:// KEY DATES malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator Dates to remember: January 1, 2019 LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP Formal session begins February 5, 2020 The House and Senate leadership set the tone Deadline to move bills out of first committee and agenda for the legislative session. July 31, 2020 Senate President Karen Spilka Last day of formal sessions Ashland (D) | @KarenSpilka Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem Newton (D) | @cindycreem TAKE ACTION Fight for the future of freedom with the ACLU Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Massachusetts. Gloucester (R) | @SenBruceTarr Learn about our legislative priorities: Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo aclum.org/legislative Winthop (D) | @SpeakerDeLeo Volunteer with the ACLU of Massachusetts: House Majority Leader Ronald Mariano aclum.org/volunteer Quincy (D) | @RonMariano Sign up for emails and action alerts: House Minority Leader Bradley Jones aclum.org/updates North Reading (R) | @RepBradJones LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACLU OF MASSACHUSETTS: ACLUM.ORG.
    [Show full text]
  • T O Wn of N a Tick
    TOWN OF NATICK 2013 Annual Report Cover Photography: Town of Natick Automated Recycling Truck The Department of Public Works switched to in-house curbside recycling collection in August, 2013. This initiative will result in an estimated annual savings of over $105,000 when comparing the cost of the previously provided contract service to the cost of the in-house service, accounting for salaries and benefits for the 2 new employees, capital costs for the 3 new automated “packers,” fuel, and all other costs associated with this new service. In addition, we have negotiated a contract through which the Town will receive a minimum of $2.00 for every ton of recyclable materials; by way of comparison, we pay $75.95 in disposal fees for every ton of trash. We strongly encourage residents to recycle whenever possible. Automated collection is a technologically advanced system of recycling collection. The system is called “automated” because a special truck, equipped with a mechanical arm, automatically lifts and empties special recycling containers without the driver ever leaving the cab of the truck. This is a system designed to improve efficiency and safety in the DPW Sanitation & Recycling Division. A special recycling container was provided to every eligible residential property in the size of their choosing – 96, 64 or 35 gallon. The program makes the task of putting out recycling easier and cleaner for the resident, improves the appearance of the Town, and greatly reduces the injury potential for Town employees because the mechanical arm performs the lifting. We are currently exploring opportunities to provide recycling collection service to properties that are currently not eligible (those with over multi-unit dwelling units or commercial properties); such properties would be charged a fee for this ser- vice.
    [Show full text]
  • Download US Policy Scan 2019
    US Policy Scan 2019 Policy Scan 2019 • 1 2 • Policy Scan 2019 CONTENTS 04 … US Policy Scan 2019 06 … Welcome to Congress 09 … Freshman Class Info 10 … A look at the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee 14 … House and Senate Leadership 18 … Chairs and Ranking Members 22 … Policy Overview for the 116th Congress 40 … Potential House Democratic Investigations in the 116th Congress 48 … Administration 52 … Departure Lounge 56 … Mueller Investigation 61 … Congressional Calendar 2019 62 … Dates of Interest 65 … Senators up for re-election in 2020 68 … US Supreme Court 74 … Dentons 50 2019 Outlook 102 … The Senate Committee Memberships for the 116th Congress 108 … Unofficial House Directory 114 … Dentons Public Policy Key Contacts Policy Scan 2019 • 3 US Policy Scan 2019 As we once again publish our annual Policy Scan, the federal The effects of divided government on legislation, government, to the surprise of some and the chagrin of most, oversight and the 2020 presidential election remains in a partial shutdown that has now lasted almost While Republicans expanded their control of the Senate two weeks because of President Trump’s refusal to sign a by two seats (53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and 2 continuing resolution that would have funded, at least on a independents who caucus with the Democrats), the short-term basis, those departments and agencies that have Democratic takeover of the House means that it will be not already been funded for Fiscal Year 2019. more challenging than ever for Congress to produce While the President insists that he will not sign any funding legislation on matters of consequence that stands a bill that does not provide $5.6 billion in funding for a border chance of passing in both chambers and also gaining wall, starting today his leverage will decline considerably the President’s signature.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Town Report Fiscal Year 2020
    TWO HUNDRED NINETY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT of the Receipts and Expenditures of the TOWN OF HOLLISTON and REPORTS OF SEVERAL OFFICIAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES For the period ending JUNE 30, 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS REPORT PAGE REPORT PAGE Dedication 1 Facilities 96 General Information 1 Golf Course Advisory 97 Elected Officials 2 Governance 97 Appointed Officials 6 Board of Health 98 Special Town Meeting 32 OPEB 100 Annual Town Meeting 46 Park Department 101 Presidential Primary Election 69 Planning Board 102 Town Election 75 Police Department 102 9 Green Street 78 Public Library 110 Animal Control 78 Board of Registrars 111 Board of Assessors 79 South Middlesex Regional 112 Building Department 79 Sustainability 116 Community Preservation 80 Technology 118 Conservation Commission 84 Town Clerk 118 Council on Aging 86 Trails Committee 119 Cultural Council 89 Treasurer Collector 120 DPW - Highway 90 Weights and Measures 122 DPW - Water 92 Zoning Board of Appeals 123 Economic Development 93 Schools 123 Elderly & Disabled 93 Payroll 130 Emergency Management 93 Financials 146 Fire and Ambulance 94 Volunteer Form 154 DEDICATION November 15, 2019 Jared H. Adams – Finance Committee, 1968-1979 Board of Selectmen, 1979-1982 Water Commissioner, 2000-2014 November 15, 2019 Harvey L. Buck – Holliston Highway Department – 36 yrs. January 12, 2020 Patricia J. Duffey – Board of Health, 2008-2011 GENERAL INFORMATION Incorporated: December 3, 1724 Situated: 22 miles southwest of Boston Area: 19.04 square miles, 12,186 acres Population: 13,547 - 2010 Federal Census
    [Show full text]