CALL TO ACTION: Ask your state legislators to sign on to these bills by Friday, Feb 1st!
Why this action is important!
All of the pieces of state legislation MALC has been working on and supports have been filed and we need to get state representative and state senators “to sign on to them” (i.e., add their names to official supporters of the bills).
Legislators have until Feb 1st to sign on to bills.
Please contact your state representative and state senator to sign on to the bills listed below. When you call, you will need to give your state representative’s office the House Docket number for the bill (the HD number) and give your state senator’s office the Senate Docket number for the bill (SD number), all listed below.
To find out who your state senator and state representative are:
http://www.wheredoivotema.com
The legislation needing your legislators’ support!
The seven pieces of legislation we need you to ask your legislators to “sign on to” are as follows:
1. HD1173 An Act establishing the Representative Chris Walsh disaster and emergency aid fund for Massachusetts artists, filed by Rep. Mary Keefe & its counter part in the Senate, SD.1755, filed by Senator Nick Collins
The bill would allow for the State Treasurer’s Office to establish a specific state fund for Disaster/Emergency Aid for Massachusetts artists working in all disciplines. This fund will be used to help artists who have had a health care emergency (i.e., could not pay their medical bills or medical insurance) as well as to help those artists who suffered other types of emergencies (fires, floods, theft). The funds would be generated by funds raised from the private sector. The fund is named after the late State Representative Chris Walsh who championed this bill in the past.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE AS MANY LEGISLATORS AS POSSIBLE to sign on to this bill that will name the Disaster Aid fund after the late State Representative Chris Walsh. We want to show his wife, Cindy, how much everyone supports his legacy!
2. HD 3694 “An Act relative to procurement services for artists”, filed by Rep. David Biele, & its counter part in the Senate, SD.1716, filed by Senator James T. Welch
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Public Procurement Act, Chapter 30B, has precise language on the process for the procurement of supplies, services or real property by a governmental body. Currently, under 30B, it is not possible to pay artists to develop with a concept. The competitive bidding process does not take into account subjective value, which is intrinsic to art. These two pieces of legislation correct this and if passed will allow more public art, artists in residency programs and artists of all disciplines to be hired by our municipalities. It is revenue neutral. States that currently have this exemption: AK, Delaware, FL, GA, ID, IL, KY, NJ, NM, NC, PA, RI, SC, and SD.
3. HD 3802 “An Act Relative to the Creative Economy Bill”, filed by Rep. Mary Keefe, & its counter part in the Senate, SD.37, filed by Senator Michael O. Moore
The Independent Contractor 2004 law change has been an issue that has been negatively impacting those in the Creative Economy. These two identical bills fix this issue for our sector with an intellectual property carve out. The 2004 Independent Contractor law change made it next to impossible for people to be classified as independent contractors in this State. Once you are classified as an employee you do not own or control your intellectual property. It is the property of the employer. These bills exempt artists of all disciplines from the Independent Contractor Law and has language to safeguard someone being forced into being an independent contractor.
4. HD 3459 “An Act to Protect Native American Heritage”, filed by Rep. Dave Rodgers, & its counter part in the Senate, SD 1776, filed by Senator Nick Collins
The legislation protects Native American funerary objects, human remains, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony from being sold.
Background on the need for the bill:
http://medford.
This bill is part of MALC’s Legislative Agenda and the first legislation of its kind in the country!
5. SD.1394 An Act to foster artist businesses in Cultural Districts, by Senator Eric P. Lesser
This legislation not only builds upon the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s important and successful state-wide Cultural Districts program, but it supports Massachusetts artists by exempting one of a kind works of art from the state’s sale tax when sold in an MCC approved cultural district.
This, also, is part of MALC’s Legislative Agenda.
6. HD388 “An Act to remove the film tax expiration date”, filed by Rep. Tackey Chan & its counter part in the Senate, SD.424 , “An Act supporting job growth in the Commonwealth” filed by Senator Michael Moore – both of which call for the elimination of the 2022 sunset to the film and television incentive to keep the industry growing and these good jobs and investments here in Massachusetts.
The lead organization for this legislation is the Mass Production Coalition and MALC fully supports the legislation.
7. HD 1171 “An Act to establish a Massachusetts percent for the arts program”, filed by Rep. Mary Keefe, & its counter part in the Senate, SD.1608, filed by Senator Eric P. Lesser
The Commonwealth needs a percent for art program. The structure of the program is well thought out and has both a public art commission and a paid coordinator of the program. This legislation supports Massachusetts artists by giving them preference and also protects artists’ intellectual property rights.
The lead organization for this legislation is MASSCreative and MALC fully supports this legislation.
Read the full list of MALC’s legislative priorities:
http://artistsunderthedome.