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Moore's Government Operations Legislation |
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AN ACT TO PROMOTE QUALITY AND
AFFORDABLE MUNICIPAL HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH
THE GIC
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1584 | Chapter
67 of the Acts of 2007
Feature: Municipal
Group Insurance Law
This bill would create a local option for municipalities to join the Group Insurance Commission (GIC). Creating a new, local option to join the GIC has the potential to generate significant savings while offering employees and retirees high quality health insurance options. Employees may benefit from lowered premiums, access to a broad range of high quality health plans, and a negotiated sharing of savings through collective bargaining. Retirees would gain a voice in decisions affecting their health insurance plans, get long-term protection for their members, and enjoy an excellent set of health insurance options through the GIL Municipalities could save hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars annually and there will be additional flexibility in plan design through the GIL Finally, taxpayers would benefit because this reform creates an opportunity for more efficient government administration and allows scarce public resources to be used to improve public services.
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A PETITION FOR A LEGISLATIVE
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION ESTABLISHING AN
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION AND
CRITERIA FOR REDISTRICTING FOR STATE HOUSE,
SENATE, AND COUNCILLOR DISTRICTS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 22 | Status
This legislation implements the Fair Districts for Fair Elections ballot question, which prevailed in all 15 State Representative districts Nov. 2, 2004 by an average of 67%. It established an independent redistricting commission, subject to strict guidelines for public participation, non-partisanship, retaining the integrity of existing communities, and respecting the voting rights of minorities, to draw district lines.
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AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN
INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION AND
CRITERIA FOR REDISTRICTING FOR CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICTS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 453 | Status
This legislation would statutorily implement an independent redistricting commission for federal congressional seats. It is believed that federal seats differ from legislative districts in that no constitutional amendment is necessary to change the process through which their boundaries are redrawn.
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AN
ACT AN ACT EXEMPTING BOARDS OF HEALTH FROM
CERTAIN GENERAL LAWS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1876 | Status
This bill would exempt Local Boards of Health from MGL Chapter 30B, section 1(b)(27)- The Uniform Procurement Act.
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AN ACT
REFORMING THE OVERSIGHT OF STATE FINANCES
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1877 | Status
This bill seeks to reform state finances by creating an office of Comptroller-General within, but not subject to the Executive Office of Administration and Finance. The CG would be appointed for one 7 year term with the eligibility for re-appointment to an additional 7-year term. The bill also established the Comptroller-General Advisory Board. The Board, consisting of the Commonwealth’s Auditor (who serves as Chair), the Attorney General, the Treasurer, the Secretary of A&F, the Inspector General and two other members would appoint the Comptroller General.
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Act Relative to certain records of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1878 | Status
This bill would deem an inquiry from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) to a candidate, political committee, or ballot question committee private, and not a public record until after the candidate, political committee, or ballot question committee’s deadline for response from OCPF has elapsed.
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AN ACT TO ENHANCE PROCUREMENT EXPERTISE
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1879 | Status
This bill would change the definition of Chief Procurement Officer to include board of health personnel who have successfully obtained certification through the Massachusetts public purchasing program administered by the Commonwealth’s Inspector General’s Office.
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AN ACT CONFORMING THE DATE
FOR OBSERVANCE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEE
APPRECIATION DAY IN THE COMMONWEALTH WITH
THE NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF PUBLIC SERVICE
RECOGNITION WEEK
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 2007 | Status
This bill would change the Commonwealth’s recognition of public employee day to fall within the Federal Government’s public employee recognition week.
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AN ACT RELATIVE TO STATE
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, ECONOMY AND
EFFICIENCY
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1880 | Status
This bill would establish a commission to immediately look for ways to reduce duplication and streamline state programs and services. The goal of the Commission would be to look for ways to cut costs, eliminate waste and duplication, and make state services more efficient.
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AN ACT TO REFORM OR ELIMINATE WASTEFUL
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1882 | Status
This Bill would establish the Bureaucracy Realignment and Closure Commission to study and advise on ways to reform state government and reduce waste.
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AN ACT HONORING
DISTINGUISHED WOMEN IN MASSACHUSETTS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1883 | Status
This bill would ensure that some of the most distinguished women in Massachusetts history are honored in the memorial to the contribution of women to the government of the Commonwealth.
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AN
ACT DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF JUNE AS ‘MYASTHENIA
GRAVIS AWARENESS MONTH’
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1884 | Status
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AN ACT TO REFORM THE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT OF SCHOOL
BUDGETING AND FINANCES
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 344 | Status
This legislation would require school districts to file quarterly and annual financial reports that adhere to the standards of the government accounting standards board. It would also require superintendents to file yearly reports on the performance and demographics of each school in their district.
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AN ACT INCREASING THE TERM OF
THE GENERAL COURT FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 21 | Status
this bill would increase the terms for state senators and representatives from two to four years.
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AN ACT RELATIVE TO EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS OF
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 23 | Status
This bill would allow the Governor to make emergency appointments of vacated seats of elected officials in the event that one-third of said seats in any political sub-division are open due to terrorists attack or natural disaster. The Governor would be required to fill the open seat with a member of the same political party.
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AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE
AUTHORITY OF THE BOARDS OF REGISTRATION
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1885 | Status
This legislation creates centralize language for the disciplinary authority of all Boards of Registration under the Department of Public Health.
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AN ACT REPEALING CERTAIN
ANTIQUATED LAWS PERTAINING TO PUBLIC HEALTH
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1259 | Status
This bill would abolish current provisions in MGL Chapter 94 relative to cold storage, bakeries, and vending machines. More up-to-date regulations have been promulgated relative to these public health issues.
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AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE
COMPENSATION AND EXPENSE TO MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF REGISTRATION OF MEDICINE
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1263 | Status
Would increase the per diem compensation and expenses of members of the Board of Registration of Medicine so that more physicians, and even more important, more public spirited citizens would be willing and able to afford to serve on this important board that oversees the quality and conduct of physicians.
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AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND SECRETARY OF
HEALTH
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 684 | Status
This bill would divide the Executive Office of Health and Human Services into an Executive Office of Human Services and an Executive Office of Health. The combination of Health with Human Services creates an agency that is too large to be effectively managed when both areas have constant demands for state attention and oversight. Health reform isn’t completed with the passage of Chapter 58, it has really just begun. Continued high level leadership will be needed for some years to come. The new cabinet level agency would include the Department of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health, the Division of Health Care Finance and Quality, the Division of Medical Assistance and several smaller units.
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AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE LICENSURE OF ANIMAL
CONTROL OFFICERS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1173 | Status
This bill would require that local Animal Control Officers obtain professional certification through a training program with the Animal Control Association of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council.
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AN ACT REVISING THE FISCAL YEAR OF CITIES,
TOWNS, AND DISTRICTS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1174 | Status
The current system of the state and local budgets based on a July 1 – June 30 fiscal year makes it difficult for cities, towns, and districts to plan accurately for their budgets since state aid numbers are not usually settled before mid June. If the state budget, with local aid numbers, was required to be in place by June 30, and local budgets did not begin before October 1, more accurate budget planning could occur.
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AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM PENSION
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1585 | Status
Sets a minimum pension for those who retire with a superannuation retirement allowance and with at least 25 years of service equal to $18,620, which is 200% of the FPV for 2004.
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AN ACT RELATIVE
TO THE CALCULATION OF RETIREE COLAS
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1586 | Status
This bill sets the base from which a cost of living adjustment (COLA) at $25,000.
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AN ACT RELATIVE
TO ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE GROUP HEALTH
INSURANCE
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1587 | Status
This bill would allow any part-time teacher / adjunct faculty to participate in the GIC program provided that they carry at least a 50% teaching load.
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AN
ACT MODERNIZING ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS WHO
RETIRE FROM PUBLIC SERVICE
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 2140 | Status
This bill would grant veterans who are also state retirees in Group 1, Group 2 or Group 4 an additional yearly retirement allowance of fifty dollars for each year of creditable service; provided, that the total amount of additional retirement allowance shall not exceed one thousand dollars in any case.
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AN
ACT AUTHORIZING THE REINSTATEMENT OF LINDA
SCHAEFFER-PHILLIPS AS A MEMBER IN SERVICE OF
THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1591 | Status
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AN
ACT GRANTING RETIREMENT SERVICE CREDIT FOR A
CERTAIN RETIREE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1589 | Status
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AN
ACT AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO
MAKE A CERTAIN REFUND
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1760 | Status
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AN ACT RELATIVE
TO CREDITABLE SERVICE FOR ANNE MARIE MARINO
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1590 | Status
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AN ACT RELATIVE
TO HEALTH INSURANCE FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 1588 | Status
Survivors, regardless whether they remarried on or after July 1, 2000 and are allowed to retain their pension benefit, or remarried before then and lost their pensions ( see “Right to Remarry” above), forfeit their health insurance benefits. This bill would allow survivors to remarry without losing their personal insurance coverage.
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AN ACT RELATIVE
TO GROUP INSURANCE COMMISSION
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 616 | Status
Under the current law, the governor chooses and appoints the state retiree representative to the GIC. In order to best serve retiree interests, this bill would allow this Association to chose our own GIC representative. It also grants the same right to the MA Teachers Association.
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AN ACT RELATIVE
TO THE ASSESSMENT OF STATE-OWNED LAND
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 770 | Status
MGL Chapter 58, section 13, requires the Commissioner to determine the fair cash value of state-owned land at least once every five years.
MGL Chapter 58, section 14, requires the Commissioner to notify local officials of his/her determination by June 10th in the year of the valuation. This bill would require the Commissioner to determine the fair cash value of state-owned land on an annual basis, using valuation information provided by local assessors under
MGL Chapter 59, section 51. This change would greatly benefit local tax collecting efforts.
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Worcester &
Norfolk District Legislation
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AN
ACT RELEASING CERTAIN LAND IN BELLINGHAM FROM
THE OPERATION OF AN AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION
RESTRICTION
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 47 | Status
AN
ACT AUTHORIZING THE DIVISION OF CAPITAL ASSET
MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE TO CONVEY CERTAIN
LAND IN THE TOWN OF MILFORD
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 48 | Status
AN
ACT RELEASING CERTAIN LAND IN DUDLEY FROM THE
OPERATION OF AN AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION
RESTRICTION
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 46 | Status
AN
ACT RELATIVE TO THE DISPOSITION OF EASEMENTS
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF
UTILITIES OVER CONSERVATION AND RECREATION
LANDS IN THE TOWN OF BLACKSTONE
Documents & Status: Text
of Senate 45 | Status
This bill will allow the town of Blackstone to install a sewer line over conservation land to connect Rathbun Street to Elm Street. The so-called Elm Street Serer Project is being constructed to comply with the town’s agreement with the American National Power Company which has recently built a facility in the community.
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