Winter 2015 Beacon Hill Update

As we begin a new year and new legislative session, I wanted to take this opportunity to keep you updated on what the Legislature is planning to take up in 2015, some of the accomplishments of the past year and other useful information.

My primary responsibility as your State Representative is to make sure your voice is heard on every matter that affects you, your family and your community.

It is sobering to see that, despite the hard work and dedication of so many of our friends and neighbors, the need for housing, mental health, substance abuse services and economic development continues to be overwhelming.

I pride myself on constituent services and want to be as accessible as possible to the people I represent. With this in mind, I invite you to visit either my State House or district office where you may discuss any issue of interest or concern, whether it involves a piece of legislation or a problem you may be experiencing with a state agency.

I may also be reached by calling either the State House at 617-722-2520 or the district office at 781-749-3331. You can schedule an appointment or walk into one of our “office hours”. You may also send me a message via email at Garrett.Bradley@MAHouse.gov or through my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

I am honored to represent you and in return I thank you for your trust in me. You have my commitment that I will work every day to improve your quality of life.

Click here to visit my web site

Winter storm issues and the MBTA

This winter has truly been one for the record books. Much of eastern Massachusetts has received over 7 feet of snow so far this year making it the area’s snowiest 30 day period on record.

This historic snowfall has literally brought our commutes, transportation infrastructure and commerce to a virtual halt. When Governor Baker came to tour Scituate and other affected areas after our first blizzard in late January, I advocated for short term assistance from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and National Guard so that snow removal and public safety issues could be addressed while the Commonwealth went through the process of applying for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance.

FEMA and MEMA are currently in the Damage Assessment Process that will ultimately determine the state’s eligibility for federal disaster assistance. Once these cost and damage estimates are complete, the Commonwealth will petition Washington for federal disaster assistance and snow removal monies. I stand ready to assist these efforts in every way that I can.

I also share your frustration with the state of our mass transit system and the hours and days of work and family time that have been lost as a result of the MBTA’s breakdown. An absolutely thorough review by outside experts is necessary so that an event like this does not recur in future winters. It was therefore welcome news on Friday, February 20th when Governor Baker announced the selection of an MBTA Special Panel. Composed of national leaders in transportation and planning, the panel’s charge is to perform an in-depth diagnostic review of the MBTA and its core functions. By comparing its operations with those of other transit systems and how they handle the extremes of winter, we can see what the best practices are and what changes we can make to emulate them. The special panel is expected to complete its review by the end of March. I look forward to reading their recommendations.

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Addressing the state budget gap

On February 12th, the House and Senate sent a bill to the Governor’s desk aimed at helping close a roughly $768 million midyear gap in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget. After the House passed the bill on Wednesday, February 11th on a 153 to 1 vote; the Senate passed it on a voice vote.

The bill enacted by the Legislature is similar to the one Governor Baker had previously filed. The legislation trims spending across state government and redirects capital gains tax revenue into the general fund instead of the rainy day fund. It also establishes a corporate tax amnesty program estimated to bring in $18 million in uncollected taxes.

Thanks to the close collaboration between the House, Senate and the Governor’s Office, we were able to address the FY 2015 budget deficit in a decisive and bipartisan manner. Local aid funding for our communities was protected and there are no additional burdens to taxpayers.

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2015-2016 Legislative Session

For the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, I filed a total of 54 pieces of legislation dealing with a variety of subjects from campaign finance reform to public safety and insurance, to name a few. The following is a sample of several such pieces of legislation:

Substance Abuse Treatment Legislation:

Having recognized the deadly opioid epidemic which is tragically impacting our communities, the Legislature requested that the Fiscal Year 2015 budget include almost $18 million in new spending to help combat substance addiction. This includes $10 million for the Substance Abuse Services Trust Fund to provide substance abuse services to an additional 10,000 individuals in need of treatment.

Legislators have recently filed close to 100 pieces of legislation which seek to address substance abuse issues. I have filed a comprehensive bill, An Act to Promote Accessible Substance Abuse Treatment For All (HD2155). Some of the components of this comprehensive legislation include provisions to:

• Create patient choice through equal access to proven medications to assist in treatments. The bill would require private insurers, Medicaid, and the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) to provide coverage for three clinically proven and FDA approved treatments: methadone, buprenorphine (“Suboxene”), and naltrexone (“Vivitrol”),

• Establish two primary care integration pilot programs for Medicaid (MA Health) patients seeking addiction treatment at opioid treatment centers, to facilitate the establishment of co-located medical facilities by locating primary care practitioners within the same facility as opioid treatment centers,

• Create a public, online consumer quality dashboard for substance abuse treatment providers. The dashboard will provide those seeking substance abuse services information on the quality of substance abuse providers and how to access those providers, and

• Expand community walk-in centers for substance abuse services providing streamlined access to services in a timely manner for consumers and providers. This will be achieved through a central navigation model accounting for beds and services in real time.

Enhance Disclosure of Campaign Contributors: I was chosen by the House Speaker to serve on the Campaign Finance Disclosure and Transparency Task Force to review potential changes to campaign donor disclosures. As a result of extensive analysis by task force members, including Pam Wilmot of Common Cause, I have filed a bill to create enhanced transparency for campaign donations by requiring the top five (5) donors, be it individuals and/or entities, to be listed on political campaign literature that is mailed to voters within the Commonwealth.

Parole hearing bill: increases from 5 to 10 years the time between parole hearings for individuals who have been convicted of second-degree murder. This will provide relief to victims’ families so that they do not have to relive the nightmare of facing their loved one’s murderer as often, both for emotional and logistical reasons. Second degree murderers can become parole eligible in 15 to 20 years, depending on what the sentencing judge allows. The statute on time between hearings was last changed in 1996, increasing to five years from three years.

Operating Under the Influence of Inhalants: I filed this bill in response to reports of teens and adults being pulled over after “huffing” aerosol cans. This bill updates the statute governing the operation of motor vehicles while under the influence by including the broader category of inhalants in the list of substances that may impair a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Currently only “vapors of glue” are referenced in Section 24 of MGL Chapter 90.

Click here to view a full list of bills