New Law Gives Rockport Voters Option for Restaurant Alcohol

Restaurant patrons may soon be able to enjoy a greater variety of locations offering wine and malt beverages in Rockport.  Legislation that I filed, co-sponsored by Ann-Margaret Ferrante, on behalf of the town extends up to five new alcohol licenses has now been signed into law by Governor Baker.

This new law allows the Board of Selectmen to ask Rockport voters to decide on the adoption of a ballot question which, if approved at a future town election, will make three year-round licenses and up to two seasonal licenses available for clients at restaurants.

In April, citizens at Rockport's Annual Town Meeting supported an article on the warrant to request that legislation be filed at the State House.  With the bill’s adoption into law, town voters will soon have an opportunity to authorize selectman to permit alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises of year round and seasonal eateries. 

If the ballot question is approved by voters, Selectmen can issue regulations concerning hours of service and other restrictions. 

Proponents believe the new restaurant licenses would give residents and those visiting the town more dining options, promote greater consumer awareness of Rockport, and yield enhanced economic development for the town.  

Voters will likely have the matter placed on the ballot for the May 3^rd municipal election.

The text of the law is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S46

 

State Senate Affirms Budget Priorities

Takes Steps to Pay Off Debt Early and Add Money to the Rainy Day Fund

  

Boston-  The State Senate advanced a bill today to address shortfalls in a number of state agencies and direct funds to a growing number of priorities such as; protecting children, retooling criminal justice programs, and addressing several public health and public safety initiatives intended to combat the consequences of substance abuse.

The $341 million bill sends training and system upgrade funds to the Department of Children and Families, makes final payments for contractors who cleared away last winter’s snow and ice, and several other state programs including a $250,000 pilot grant to equip local police with body cameras, $5 million for homelessness prevention and a $120 million deposit into the into the state’s so-called Rainy Day Fund which currently contains $1.1 billion.

“This bill reflects a number of key priorities for the Senate and the Republican Caucus because it protects the health and well-being of children, expands substance abuse coverage, seeks to study the PARCC school assessment prior to any decisions to adopt it,  and takes responsible steps to stabilize state agencies ,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester).  “Among the most important hallmarks of this bill are those which reflect and support fiscal discipline; a $120 million deposit into the state’s Rainy Day Fund and $100 million to pay off debt.”

Members of the Senate Republican Caucus offered several amendments to the bill, included among them; $20 million in additional Local Aid to municipalities, $10 million in heating funds for low-income families, and extended Medicare coverage for health patients. 

After debate, Senators adopted a proposal offered by Tarr to require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct a feasibility study prior to any decision of adopting the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness (PARCC) standardized test, in place of the MCAS.

 “I am pleased that we were able to close out the 2015 budget while making up any remaining deficiencies,” said Senator deMacedo (R-Plymouth) the Ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “We were able to use remaining funds to address the shared priorities of the Administration and Legislature while maintaining our fiscal responsibility and prioritizing the maintenance of the Rainy Day Fund.”

The Senate gave unanimous support to two other Tarr provisions; one requires the Department of Public Health to seek federal approval to allow those who receive WIC benefits to use them on diapers for infants.  Currently, families receiving WIC are barred from doing so. 

In addition, the Senate also gave unanimous approval to Tarr’s amendment which seeks to secure federal approval of a waiver to address hospital observation days of patients, control the costs of hospital stays, and reduce the burden of post-acute care in patients.

A Republican amendment to provide cities and towns with $20 million in additional Local Aid payments for essential services was defeated as was an amendment to provide health consumers accurate information on pricing.

Senate Bill 2025 encompasses a number of health related areas including directing $203 million to address MassHealth shortfalls, expanding substance abuse efforts to protect school children with $1.2 million for drug screening, $3.8 million to fund substance abuse counselors in schools,  $15.2 million to open residential beds, $5.8  million for a substance use treatment program to provide detoxification and clinical services for civilly committed women with substance use disorders, and $300,000 for the Trial court to coordinate service for individuals with mental health and substance abuse needs.

In addition, other areas of the bill include:

·         $31.5 million for snow and ice removal costs for Mass Department of Transportation,

·         $21.7 million to close deficiencies in ten Sheriff Departments,

·         Setting Tuesday, Sept. 6 as the state primary date,

·         $3 million to fund Department of Children and Families training services for foster families and adoptive families and congregate care and adoption support services,

·         $5 million to support homelessness diversion, prevention and housing stabilization programs,

·         $9.5 million for National Guard student tuition and fees reimbursements,

·         Reviving a special commission charged with examining housing and shelter options for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,

·         Setting the state budget for Fiscal Year 2015 into balance.

The House has also adopted a similar bill to close deficiencies in state departments, the bill will next move to a conference committee of House and Senate members to produce a final bill.

The text of the Senate bill can be read by clicking this link: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2025

Senate Supplements Priorities in Funding Bill

Tomorrow, the Senate will take up a bill, Senate 2025, which will fund significant state government programs and advance a number of public policy priorities.  The $341 million proposal reflects a series of items first initiated by Governor Baker in order to fulfill functions outlined in the state budget such as training at the Department of Children and Families, final payments for contractors who cleared last winter’s snow and ice, and initiatives for public health and public safety.

MassHealth will receive $203 million to address shortfalls and to expand substance abuse coverage.

Other substance abuse related programs funded by the bill:

• $300,000 for the Trial Court to hire a project coordinator to oversee coordination, administration and financial oversight of the sequential intercept model project,
• $15.2 million to fund substance abuse and residential beds and school-based substance use screenings,
• $1.2 million for verbal substance use screening,
• $5.8  million for a substance use treatment program to provide detoxification and clinical services for civilly committed women with substance use disorders at Taunton State Hospital,
• $3.8 million to fund substance abuse counselors in schools.

In addition, other major areas of funding include:

• $31.5 million for snow and ice removal costs for Mass Department of Transportation,
• $21.7 million to close deficiencies in ten Sheriff Departments,
• $3 million to fund Department of Children and Families training services for foster families and adoptive families and congregate care and adoption support services,
• $5 million to support homelessness diversion, prevention and housing stabilization programs,
• $9.5 million for National Guard student tuition and fees reimbursements,

The bill makes a $120,000,000 deposit into the state’s so-called Rainy Day Fund and revives a special commission charged with examining housing and shelter options for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Members of the Senate Republican Caucus and I have offered several amendments to the bill to provide assistance to municipalities, low-income families, and health patients, these include:

• Providing cities and town with $20 million in additional Local Aid payments for essential services,
• Creating a two year pilot program to examine ways to qualify patients needing extended hospital stays to be covered under Federal Medicare,
• Requiring the Department of Public Health to seek approval from the federal government to allow those who receive WIC benefits to use them on diapers for children. Currently, families receiving WIC cannot use the benefits to purchase diapers,
• Protecting businesses against patent infringement threats, known as patent trolling,
• Providing low-income households with $10 million in heating assistance, 
• Requiring the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to conduct a feasibility study before adopting the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness (PARCC) standardized test, in place of the MCAS including procedures required to repeal the 2010 decision of the board to adopt the PARCC standards.  
• Promoting compliance with the health care cost transparency law which requires health insurers to provide patients with accurate pricing information.

The text of the bill can be read by clicking this link: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2025

Senate Passes Opiate Addiction Prevention Bill

Senate Republican Amendments Safeguard Public Health and Safety

Boston- The State Senate today unanimously adopted a bill intended to reduce the rate of opioid addiction and increase efforts to retool pain management practices through policy changes at state agencies and municipal health, safety and education departments.

 “Our actions in the Senate today will help to prevent the human and economic costs caused by abuse of opiates and pain killers and give hope to those families who have struggled to aid a loved one suffering with addiction,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Through our Republican Caucus amendments to the bill, we engage the resources of state agencies to maximize collaboration with police, reduce incidents of driving under the influence of drugs, assess obstructions to inpatient treatment and reduce the over prescription of opiates.”

The Senate bill, known as the Substance Abuse Prevention Act, developed from recent findings of the Senate Special Opioid Committee following a year-long effort to produce recommendations to further strengthen opioid abuse prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery options.

 “Over the past several years, we have seen with alarming regularity an increase in drug-related deaths across the Commonwealth. This opioid epidemic touches every community and no family is immune to it. Last session, we passed comprehensive legislation that made a strike against this epidemic, but today we went a step further by focusing on education and prevention,” said Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) a member of the Special Committee. “It is my hope that this legislation will not only reach those who are already in need of addiction treatments, but also our children who are most susceptible to outside influences. This legislation provides key tools for our schools, physicians, and public safety officials to limit the amount of unused and unwanted prescription pills available, keep our communities safe, and ultimately save lives.”

The Senate Special Opioid Committee was convened in January 2014 to respond to a sharp rise in fatalities and overdoses. Deaths from heroin and other opioids totaled more than 1,200 in 2014, a spike of 34% over 2013 and 88 percent greater than 2012.

Components of the bill, Senate 2020, include:
• Directing the newly formed Drug Formulary Commission to publish a list of non-opiate pain management products that may be used as lower risk alternatives,
• Establishing a voluntary program for a person in recovery to record a non-opiate directive. This would allow a person to have a clear indicator in their patient record that a health care practitioner shall not administer or prescribe opiate drugs to that person,
• Limiting opioid prescriptions in an emergency department to a five-day supply;
• Establishing a Drug Stewardship program for drug manufacturers to allow patients to safely dispose of unwanted drugs,
• Creating a school-based screening and referral system,
• Ensuring patient access to pain management consultation,
• Expanding our “Good Samaritan” legal protections for first responders to possess and administer Naloxone.

Senators considered more than forty amendments during debate of the bill and adopted several sponsored or cosponsored by members of the Republican Caucus, which:
 • Lessens unused and unwanted prescriptions by requiring a practitioner to consult with a patient to determine preferences for reduces quantities and dosages of opioid medications, a so-called partial fill option,
 • Assists local police departments by providing service referral and education training for individuals seeking treatment at local police departments,
 • Makes a requirement for school districts to conduct student drug screenings to be subject to state appropriation, • Creates a special commission to examine roadside drug testing,
• Requires an assessment of the capacity for inpatient substance abuse treatment,
• Includes a module on addictive substances to be part of driver education courses for Junior Operators, • Requires that a practitioner receive informed consent from the parent or guardian of the minor prior to prescribing a controlled substance,
• Requires acute hospitals to report the number of newborns exposed to controlled substances.

Opiates are responsible for more annual deaths in Massachusetts than auto accidents and guns combined. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.