General Ag CT - HB6442 AN ACT CONCERNING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO BROADBAND. Primary Sponsor: REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9 Summary: To implement the Governor's budget recommendations. Actions: March 19, 2021 • Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office March 18, 2021 • Joint Favorable March 5, 2021 • Public Hearing 03/09 CT - HB6580 AN ACT CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. Primary Sponsor: Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee Summary: To require The University of Connecticut to study the feasibility of establishing food and agricultural education programs. Actions: March 22, 2021 • Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/29/21 10:00 AM March 12, 2021 • Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office March 11, 2021 • Joint Favorable March 5, 2021 • Public Hearing 03/09 March 4, 2021 • Referred to Joint Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement CT - HB6595 AN ACT CONCERNING LABOR MATTERS RELATED TO COVID-19, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND OTHER STAFFING ISSUES. Primary Sponsor: Labor and Public Employees Committee Summary: To address labor matters related to COVID-19, personal protective equipment and other staffing issues. Actions: March 5, 2021 • Public Hearing 03/11 March 4, 2021 • Referred to Joint Committee on Labor and Public Employees CT - HB6666 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES. Primary Sponsor: Public Health Committee Summary: To implement the recommendations of the Department of Public Health regarding various revisions to the public health statutes. Actions: March 23, 2021 • Referred to Joint Committee on Public Health CT - SB14 AN ACT INCREASING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR A FARM BUILDING. Primary Sponsor: Senator Saud Anwar (D) Summary: To increase the maximum amount of property tax exemption a municipality may opt to provide for a farm building. CT - SB741 AN ACT EXTENDING FARMER TAX EXEMPTION PERMITS GRANTED TO CERTAIN START-UP FARMERS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Primary Sponsor: Senator Christine Cohen (D) Summary: To require the Department of Revenue Services to extend a farmer tax exemption permit granted to certain start-up farmers and the time period to show proof of profitability. Actions: March 4, 2021 • Public Hearing 03/08 CT - SB747 AN ACT EXEMPTING FROM THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TO THE STATE. Primary Sponsor: Senator Catherine A. Osten (D) Summary: To exempt from the personal income tax proceeds from the sale of the development rights of any agricultural land to the state. MA - H91 for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands Primary Sponsor: Representative Paul Schmid (D) Summary: By Mr. Schmid of Westport, a petition (accompanied by proposal for constitutional amendment, House, No. 91) of Paul A. Schmid, III and others for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands. Revenue. Actions: March 15, 2021 • Senate concurred • Referred to the committee on Revenue MA - HD265 An Act to enhance agricultural operations Primary Sponsor: Representative Natalie Blais (D) MA - HD453 An Act to modernize certain provisions of the agricultural preservation restriction program MA - HD596 An Act to upgrade hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards Primary Sponsor: Representative Daniel Cahill (D) MA - HD622 An Act relative to expanding agricultural land Primary Sponsor: Representative Paul Schmid (D) MA - HD627 An Act relative to agricultural crop and property destruction Primary Sponsor: Representative Paul Schmid (D) MA - HD650 An Act relative to application deadlines for agricultural, horticultural, or recreational land Primary Sponsor: Representative Paul Schmid (D) MA - HD1394 An Act to create a petition for a New Deal for Foresters in the Commonwealth MA - HD1918 An Act providing for protections from chemical protections from pesticide chemical trespass in the Commonwealth MA - HD2312 An Act establishing fairness for agricultural laborers MA - HD2944 An Act supporting the commonwealth's farmers Primary Sponsor: Representative Natalie Blais (D) MA - HD3006 An Act to protect pollinator habitat Primary Sponsor: Representative Mary Keefe (D) MA - HD3316 An Act amending article 99 of the Massachusetts constitution Primary Sponsor: Representative Paul Schmid (D) Summary: By Mr. Schmid of Westport, a petition (accompanied by proposal for constitutional amendment, House, No. 91) of Paul A. Schmid, III and others for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to agricultural and horticultural lands. Revenue. Actions: March 15, 2021 • Senate concurred • Referred to the committee on Revenue MA - HD3842 An Act promoting urban agriculture and horticulture Primary Sponsor: Representative Elizabeth Malia (D) MA - HD3986 An Act creating the Massachusetts digital equity broadband adoption program Primary Sponsor: Representative Frank Moran (D) MA - S36 An Act to upgrade hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards Primary Sponsor: Senator Jason Lewis (D) Summary: By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 36) of Jason M. Lewis, Jack Patrick Lewis, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Sheila C. Harrington and other members of the General Court for legislation to further regulate the prevention of cruelty to farm animals. Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. Actions: March 22, 2021 • House concurred March 18, 2021 • Referred to the committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture MA - SD212 An Act to upgrade hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards Primary Sponsor: Senator Jason Lewis (D) Summary: By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 36) of Jason M. Lewis, Jack Patrick Lewis, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Sheila C. Harrington and other members of the General Court for legislation to further regulate the prevention of cruelty to farm animals. Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. Actions: March 22, 2021 • House concurred March 18, 2021 • Referred to the committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture MA - SD238 An Act relative to large-scale solar energy installations on agricultural or recreational land of the commonwealth MA - SD598 An Act to promote urban agriculture and horticulture MA - SD940 An Act relative to anaerobic digestion MA - SD1247 An Act relative to anaerobic digestion and agricultural energy MA - SD1266 An Act encouraging the use of renewable energy on agricultural land MA - SD1734 An Act relative to the separation of cranberry bogs from agricultural use for renewable energy purposes MA - SD1843 An Act relative to exemptions from taxation of structures and buildings essential to the operation of agricultural and horticultural lands MA - SD1852 An Act An Act Supporting the Commonwealth’s Farmers MA - SD1895 An Act establishing fairness for agricultural workers MA - SD2106 An Act providing a local option to allow more solar energy generation on farmlands MA - SD2238 An Act to sustain natural and working lands carbon in communities MA - SD2423 An Act creating the Massachusetts digital equity broadband adoption program MA - SD2437 An Act supporting solar energy deployment in the Commonwealth ME - LD204 An Act To Amend the Law Regarding the Interest Rate for State Loans under the Potato Marketing Improvement Fund Primary Sponsor: Harold STEWART Amendments: C-A (S-23) Emergency Actions: March 11, 2021 • Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. • Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-23). • Committee Amendment "A" (S-23) READ and ADOPTED. • READ ONCE. • Report READ and ACCEPTED. ME - LD519 An Act To Protect Children from Exposure to Toxic Chemicals Primary Sponsor: Representative Lori K. Gramlich (D) ME - LD568 An Act To Establish a Working Farmland Access and Protection Program within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and a Working Farmland Access and Protection Fund within the Land for Maine's Future Program Primary Sponsor: Representative William D. Pluecker (I) Actions: February 22, 2021 • The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. • Received by the Clerk of the House on February 22, 2021. ME - LD933 An Act To Facilitate the Expansion of Broadband to Unserved Areas of the State Primary Sponsor: Representative Seth A. Berry (D) Actions: March 10, 2021 • The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY in concurrence • Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. • The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY. • Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered printed. ME - LD1022 An Act To Make Agricultural Workers and Other Workers Employees under the Wage and Hour Laws Primary Sponsor: Representative Thom Harnett (D) Actions: March 10, 2021 • The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on LABOR AND HOUSING in concurrence • Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. • The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on LABOR AND HOUSING. • Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed. NH - HB308 relative to broadband access to pole attachments. Primary Sponsor: Representative William Marsh (R) NH - SB44 (New Title) establishing