April 2, State House Public Hearing – Please Read!
Greetings All!
There is a public hearing scheduled at the Massachusetts State House on Tuesday, April 2nd at 1pm in Hearing Room A-2. It is being held by the Joint Committee on Tourism Arts and Cultural Development. There are 8 bills being heard. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and to testify. I can’t stress how important it is to send in written testimony for legislation. Elected officials depend on this testimony to help them assess it and to decide if they should be in favor or against pieces of proposed legislation. It really matters!
Here is a link to the hearing page that lists all the bills being heard and has directions to the room:
http://www.malegislature.gov/Events/EventDetail?eventId=556&eventDataSource=Hearings
Please come if you can to testify! All of those testifying should submit written testimony.
If you can’t come and testify in person you can still submit written testimony by email.
How to address your written testimony:
Dear Members of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development,
I am writing to support/to oppose (number and name of the bill)……
Explain why you are in support or not in support of it
Sincerely,
(your name and contact information)
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Where to send your testimony by email:
Email by Friday April 5th 5pm
to : Samantha.Schenk@mahouse.gov
In the subject line of the email put:
Written Testimony for (Bill number & Bill name).
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We recommend that you write testimony for each of the bill(s) you are supporting/or not supporting and email them in separate emails to Samantha Schenk.
Hope to see you at the State House!
Sincerely,
Kathleen Bitetti
Artist
Co-founder of MALC and ArtistsUndertheDome.org
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Here is the quick run down on the legislation
1) One key bill is S1625 -An Act relative to establishing a disaster and emergency aid fund for Massachusetts artists. MALC is in favor of this Legislation. The bill was originally filed in 2008 and was been refiled in 2009, 2011 and 2013. It 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 from funds raised from the private sector. http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S1625
2) There is a new bill filed by Rep Sarah Peake that is worthy of strong support as it addresses the need for public art in the Commonwealth: H3000-Resolve establishing a commission to study art in public spaces. Rep Peake talked about filing this last November at the State House Artists Under the Dome event! This legislation would create a special commission to study art in public spaces to come up with ways to increase art in public spaces, to develop guidelines on how to compensate artists whose work is exhibited in public spaces, as well to identify costs and funding sources. http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H3000
3) There are two pieces with almost identical language: S1624 -An Act relative to cultural facilities grants & S1633-An Act relative to the definition of a cultural facility.
S1624 has the better definition to keep the intent of the Cultural Facilities Fund to be used for facilities that are dedicated to culture and are open to the public. http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S1624
There are several of the pieces of legislation from last session have also been refiled. MALC has in the past supported these bills and will again do so.
a) H2999-An Act to create the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H2999
b) H3002 -An Act relative to the State House art commission and State House architect
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H3002
c) S1631 -An Act establishing the Massachusetts cultural trust fund
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S1631
d) H3001 An Act to authorize the acquisition of land, the development and construction of an underground railroad, civil rights and black heritage museum and cultural center in Springfield. http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H3001