At Passover!

I would like to wish all my Jewish constituents a wonderful and joyous Passover that is shared with friends, family, and loved ones in celebrating the true spirit of the holiday and that your time together is filled with peace and happiness.

Senator Tarr Strengthens Bond Bill

Supports Funding for Resilience and Energy Efficiency

 

BOSTON – Today the Massachusetts State Senate gave approval to a $1.8 billion housing bond bill, after adopting by a 34-0 vote an amendment by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to allow funds from the bill to be used for projects involving energy efficiency and resilience to climate change. The bipartisan amendment was cosponsored by Senate President Pro-Tempore Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton).

 

“This housing bond bill will provide desperately needed resources for the creation, rehabilitation, and improvement of our state’s public and private housing stocks,” said Tarr, who added that “as we make these important investments, we should include projects that make the affected homes energy efficient and sustainable in terms of climate change.”

 

More specifically, the amendment authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development to spend some of the $1.8 billion bond funding authorized by the bill, “An Act financing the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents”, for “projects involving energy efficiency, sustainability, climate adaptation, and resiliency.”

 

“Massachusetts has been the most energy efficient state in the nation for the past seven years, and it’s only right that our low- and moderate-income residents take part in this success as well,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton), founding chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “Making it easier for folks of all income levels to embrace new technologies in their homes makes sense not only for our environment, but our economy as well. We need to do all we can to help our housing stock take advantage of a clean energy future.”

 

The amended version of the bill will now return to the House for further consideration.

 

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Senator Tarr’s Statement on Education Board Resolution

BOSTON – Today Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement in response to the passage of a resolution by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in opposition to arming educators.

 

“Yesterday the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education unanimously adopted a well-reasoned resolution in opposition to the concept of arming educators in order to promote school safety. I support the resolution adopted by the board, and also oppose the idea of arming teachers with firearms.”

 

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MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

RESOLUTION ADOPTED, MARCH 27, 2018

Voted:


WHEREAS the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was deeply troubled by the February 14, 2018 shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 14 students and three adults, and equally troubled by previous school schootings, including the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado that killed 12 students and one adult, and the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that killed 20 students and six adults; and


WHEREAS there is no evidence-based research showing that arming teachers would reduce casualties in mass shootings; and


WHEREAS allowing guns in schools by other than law enforcement personnel would increase the risk of accidental shootings of students and other bystanders; and


WHEREAS teachers are first and foremost educators and therefore should be employed solely on the basis of their educational skills and credentials, not their skills as a security officer; and


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education believes arming educators will make schools less safe, and the Board opposes any move to do so.


The vote was unanimous

 

PROTECTING NET NEUTRALITY

On Thursday, January 18, 2018, I supported an order offered by Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem (D-Newton) creating a special senate committee to consider how best to protect internet neutrality for consumers in Massachusetts. Our initiative followed on the heels of an action by the Federal Communications Commission to repeal rules for this purpose at the federal level.

Following the adoption of the order, I have been serving as the vice chair of the committee and we have been gathering information through a hearing and communication with experts in the field of internet access and fairness.

The committee issued a report with our current findings last Friday, and you can read it at https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S2376. We have also developed proposed legislation, which can read at the same address.

Tomorrow our committee will hold a public hearing on this proposed legislation with details as follows:

                Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2018

                Time: 1:30 PM

                Location: State House, Room A-1

Should you not be able to attend the hearing, the committee will accept written testimony by emailing Sarah Chase in Senator Creem’s office at sarah.chase@masenate.gov.  You may also view the hearing online at:  https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/2946.

STATE SENATE PASSES BILL ON FINANCIAL LITERACY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Senator Tarr Adds Amendment to Expand Standards to Aid
Those Seeking Higher Education or Direct Path to Professional Training

BOSTON – Today, the Senate unanimously passed legislation designed to integrate financial topics such as investing, insurance, banking, and savings into existing school curricula for students. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester) succeeded in including within the curricula framework outlined in the bill language intended to assist students in learning about saving, investing, and planning for higher education or post graduate professional training.

“Being able to go to college or obtain professional training after high school is an important goal for many students, and through this amendment they will be able to develop a plan to have the resources to get there. This is an important component of the financial literacy to which this bill aspires,” said Senator Tarr. “I am glad that the Senate agreed to support my proposal.”

Tarr’s amendment directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to create and implement school curricula and objectives on personal financial literacy for grades K-12 to better prepare graduates to pursue a college degree or post graduate training. In addition, the bill establishes other curricula standards that relate to personal finance matters including banking, understanding state and federal taxes, charitable giving, borrowing, online commerce, and housing rights and responsibilities.

“Personal financial security stems from the ability to work hard and save money and each of these can be enhanced by students learning how to create household budgets, manage debt, use the power of compounded interest, and understand the value of investing,” said Senator Tarr.

S.2343, An act relative to financial literacy in schools, sponsored by Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), would allow personal financial literacy to be integrated within the existing mathematics, social sciences, technology, business, or other curricula where teachers have the capacity to teach financial literacy for all schools in the Commonwealth.

Registry of Motor Vehicles Will Suspend All Services Between Thursday PM & Monday AM

If you have any need to complete a transaction with the Registry of Motor Vehicles, whether online or in person, be aware that all RMV public functions will be unavailable from 7 PM, March 22 until 8 AM March 26. This applies to vehicle inspections at service stations, RMV functions at car dealerships and AAA office, and all RMV service locations.

The Registry will be switching to a brand new computer system, called ATLAS, this software will meet new federal and state requirements. The new systems will allow the state to issue federally mandated REAL ID credentials to the public who will need a REAL ID. Following the attacks of 9/11, Congress adopted laws to standardize IDs - a Real ID will be needed to board an airplane begging October of 2020.

The new computer system replaces one that is more than three decades old; it will have faster, easier, and more customer features. In addition, the RMV is significantly redesigning its web portal to provide customers with new online options and the ability to complete 13 new online functions, for a total of more than 40 transactions. ATLAS will also help the RMV with efficiency and connecting the law enforcement community to the data they need.

If you have questions or need more information you can visit the RMV online at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/alert-no-rmv-services

Ipswich Saint Patrick's Party

A pleasure to be able to attend the annual Saint Patrick's Party organized by the Ipswich Council on Aging today at the Ascension Memorial Church.