Formal Legislative Session Ends July 31
The current Two Year Legislative Session ends on July 31. This will allow state representatives and senators to focus on their districts and their reelection campaigns (legislators serve two-year terms at a time). The next two weeks are sure to involve a flurry of activity.
By the end of July, all current legislation will pass, fail, or be put in a study. The new legislative session will begin in January of 2017.
The most important legislation still on the table is the state budget, almost $40 billion in proposed spending for state agencies and programs. The legislature is currently deciding which (if any) of Governor Charlie Baker’s budget vetoes to override. A 2/3 vote of the full legislature is required to override an executive veto.
MALC will vigilantly monitor the legislature during the last two weeks of July. At any moment, an amendment directed at the creative sector could be added to any piece of legislation. Stay tuned for all the details!
Note: According to State House News and state house staff, Governor Baker, Senate President Rosenberg, and Speaker DeLeo are striving to pass/resolve six pieces of legislation in addition to the state budget before the end of this Legislative Session.
The six are:
S 2410- “Act to Modernize Municipal Finance and Government” https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2410 is now in conference committee. This means the House and Senate have each passed a version of the bill and they are working to create a compromise bill.
S 2418 “An Act relative to the judicial enforcement of noncompetition agreements” is now in conference committee. It is known as the “Noncompete Bill”- https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2418
H 4483 “An Act relative to job creation, workforce development and infrastructure investment,” known as the “Economic Development Bill”, is now in conference committee: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4483/History
S 2119 “Pay Equity Bill” https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2119– The Senate and the House have both passed versions of the bill. As of yet it has not been sent to conference committee.
H 4385 and S 2400 “An Act to promote energy diversity,” known as the energy bill, is in conference committee.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4385- https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2400
H 4064 and S 2398 “An Act relative to the ride for hire industry,” known as the Uber bill, is now in conference committee)
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4064 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2398