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It’s been an extremely busy month, I hope
all is well with you in 2014! The Legislature is ramping up as we enter the last
year of the 2013-2014 legislative session. This month, the Senate passed a
comprehensive Election Reform Laws Bill that will authorize early voting for
state and federal elections and primaries, allowing residents to register to
vote on Election Day and creating an online voter registration system. The bill
also allows 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote.
Joint Housing Committee Co-Chairs Sen.
Eldridge and Rep. Honan received “Housing Hero” awards at Citizens Housing and
Planning Association’s (CHAPA) first lobby day at the State House for their
efforts to pass the $1.4 billion Housing Bond Bill.
Shortly after Governor Patrick’s announcement that he would be investing more than $50 million to combat the effects of climate change, I am proud to co-sponsor new legislation that would develop a plan for the next Administration to address climate change.
I was excited to hear that the towns of Hudson, Marlborough and Northborough were awarded grants by the Department of Public Health to study priority health conditions for a 10-month period, from a health prevention trust fund that was created as part of the 2012 health care cost control legislation.
The water infrastructure bill remains on the move and was heard before the Senate Bonding Committee on Thursday, January 30th. In the aftermath of dramatic decreases in funding for water infrastructure since the 1970’s, most states including Massachusetts have chronically underfunded improvements to our water infrastructure despite its importance to public health, the environment, and the economy. This bill will address the challenges cities and towns face to fund and maintain their water systems. I am hopeful that it will be reported out of the Senate Bonding Committee soon.
As always, I encourage you to contact my
office any time with your questions, thoughts, problems and concerns. To that
point, please check out my new and improved website, www.SenatorEldridge.com, and let me know what you
think.
Best wishes,
The Senate Passes Comprehensive Election Reform Law Bill
The Senate on Thursday, January 16th voted 37-1 to pass legislation reforming the election laws in the Commonwealth by authorizing early voting for state and federal elections and primaries, allowing residents to register to vote on Election Day and creating an online voter registration system. The bill also allows 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote.
This bill would create a 21st century uniform system to make voter participation more convenient and accessible, and increase the opportunities for people to vote in elections. I am proud that the Senate was able to take these critical steps to strengthen the core values of civic participation and encourage voter turnout across the Commonwealth.
I have filed a bill for the past two
sessions, S.325 An Act Modernizing our Voter Registration
Systems, that mirrors the election reform bill that passed in the Senate
last week. The provisions of S.325 include same-day election registration,
allowing voters to register to vote online, permanent voter registration, and
the pre-registration of 16 and 17-year olds.
I was proud to file an amendment that passed during the Senate debate that would eliminate the requirement of a check-out table at polling places, which would reduce costs for cities and towns.
Under this bill, Massachusetts would join 32 other states and the District of Columbia that allow early voting. Early voting would begin 10 business days before the election and end two days before the election. The first early voting period would occur in 2016.
This bill would also place voters on the inactive list only after not voting in two consecutive federal elections and not responding to a notice from the city or town. Under current law, a voter can be placed on the inactive list for not filling out an annual census. If a voter does not vote in two additional federal elections, the voter will be removed from the voter list.
In addition to building an online voter registration system, the Secretary of State would create a secure online portal to allow voters to easily check their voter registration status and polling place.
The bill also does the following:
· Allows 17-year-olds to vote in municipal elections in Lowell if voters in Lowell approve the measure;
· Requires municipal election officials to attend annual training given by the Secretary of State regarding applicable state and federal election laws;
· Eliminates the requirement for a cancellation device on voting machines;
· Clarifies that the police detail requirement at polling locations may not apply to early voting sites; and,
· Establishes an elections task force to review early voting and expanding technology, including costs, administrative requirements, reductions in wait times on Election Day, the feasibility of additional early voting sites and hours, voter turnout, Election Day mobile alerts and online voting.
The Senate bill and the House bill will now go to a conference committee to produce a compromise bill for final passage and consideration of the governor.
Senator Eldridge Co-Sponsors New Climate Change
Adaptation Legislation
I was proud to co-sponsor new legislation filed by Senator Pacheco that would
require the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to develop a
comprehensive climate change adaption plan to protect critical infrastructure
and natural resources.
Senator Eldridge joins Senator Pacheco to
announce new legislation to address and reduce the effects of climate
change.
The bill SD 1997 An Act providing for the Establishment of a
Comprehensive Adaptation Management Plan in Response to Climate
Change, includes provisions that would allow the state to purchase from
willing sellers land for conservation and recreation that has been deemed at
risk of rising sea levels and tides or property that has been repeatedly damaged
by severe weather in a “coastal buyback” program. The bill also creates a
regional adaptation management plan grant program.The Commonwealth needs a mechanism in place that protects us from the environmental dangers of climate change. Regulating a plan to address this real threat will ensure that climate change is a priority for the next Administration, regardless of what beliefs the incoming Governor holds on climate change. By addressing climate change resilience, the Commonwealth is positioning itself as a leader on global warming, infrastructure and the health and well-being all residents.
This bill currently has 10 co-sponsors and was shortly filed after Gov. Deval Patrick’s announcement that he would be investing more than $50 million to combat the effects of climate change.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Awards Grants for Prevention and Wellness Trust
I am pleased that the Patrick Administration today announced more than $250 in grants awarded to the towns of Hudson, Marlborough and Northborough to help fight chronic illness and improve health outcomes while reducing health care costs. Part of the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund, this first-in-the-nation effort is part of a $60 million grant over four years created by the Legislature and administered by the Department of Public Health (DPH).Each of the nine grantees will receive up to $250,000 for the first phase of their work. As grantees demonstrate their readiness to implement interventions in community and clinical settings, they will receive additional funding between $900,000 and $1.5 million for each of the next three years. The amount each partnership receives depends upon population covered and the number of conditions addressed.
I hope the towns of Hudson, Marlborough and Northborough have success studying priority health conditions for a 10-month period, at the end of which it will be determined whether they will receive any more funding.
Senator Eldridge Testifies on the Water Infrastructure Bill before the Senate Bonding Committee
I was proud to testify alongside Rep. Dykema and Sen. Pacheco today in
support of the water infrastructure bill before the Senate Bonding Committee.
This critical legislation prioritizes public health, the environment and the
economy and will fund chronically underfunded improvements to our water
infrastructure in Massachusetts. I expect that the bill will be released from
committee soon.
In This Issue:
- Senate votes on Election Reform Law
- Sen. Eldridge co-sponsors new climate change legislation
- DPH awards $250 million in prevention and wellness trust grants to district
- Water Infrastructure Bill heard before Senate Bonding Committee
Follow Jamie
Advocacy Network to End Family Homelessness Forum at Trinitarian Church in Concord:
Date: Sunday, March 2nd
Time: 3-5
p.m.
Location: Trinitarian Congregational Church
-54 Walden Street, Concord, MA 01742
Please come to this important forum on
homelessness, a growing crisis in Massachusetts. Speakers include DHCD
Undersecretary Aaron Gornstein and Senator Jamie Eldridge.Jamie in the News
- Boston Globe: Mass. needs to get serious about dumping of appliances
- New York Times: The Obamacare we Deserve
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