Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Votes to Note: Supplemental Budget


Today, the Senate considered a supplemental budget to spend on items that need additional funding beyond what was included in the state. To view this budget, please go here.

I offered an amendment to the supplemental budget to require the registrar of motor vehicles to produce a plan for serving coustomers effectively before closinga registry branch office. since the registrar is now in the process of closing several branches, including those in Beverly and Attleboro, this amendment is important to ensure that residents continue to have access to the important services provided by the registry.

The text of the amendment is below the fold.

Messrs. Tarr, Tisei, and Brown move to amend the bill (H. XXXX) by adding at the end the following additional section:-

“SECTION XX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the registrar of motor vehicles shall not close any existing branch office unless and until a plan is produced and implemented to provide effective access to all services to those citizens which will be affected by such closure. In developing such plan, the registrar shall consider all available options and resources, including but not limited to the renegotiation of rental contracts, utilization of any available municipal, state or other spaces in the public sector, and innovative partnerships with public agencies or private entities. Such plan shall be submitted to the clerks of the house and senate before the any such branch closures.”