What's ahead in state government this week
Cape young professionals meet; Peake & Wolf on Eversource and cormorants; deMacdeo fundraiser
- See more at: http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/10/17/226641-Whats-ahead-state-government-week#sthash.nWkvOGp3.dpuf
Is there another budget problem festering on Beacon Hill? Three-plus months into the new fiscal year, the Baker administration has ratcheted down its estimate of revenues available to support the $38.1 billion budget by $145 million and identified roughly $250 million in spending exposures on the other side of the ledger. Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore, who is waiting on lawmakers to pass another spending bill, this one totaling roughly $350 million, indicated this week she's mulling "corrective" actions, a proclamation that has budget stakeholders again on edge over possible midyear spending cuts. Gov. Charlie Baker has described such cuts as a last resort, while adding that cuts earlier in the fiscal year are preferable to making them later in the year when reductions might need to cut deeper.
Legislative leaders have a little more than four weeks for formal sessions this year before rules kick in calling for only informal sessions through the remainder of November and December. Opioid and energy bills remain under discussion, but action on the supplemental budget appears the most time-sensitive matter since Comptroller Tom Shack needs final data to close the books on fiscal 2015. Despite numerous differences between the House and Senate supp budgets, legislative leaders this week did not send those bills to a six-member conference committee for resolution.
Other storylines in the week ahead:
-- A rash of committee hearings during the week ahead will bring testimony on fracking, nurse staffing ratios, insurance coverage for Lyme disease treatment, and child protection among other matters.
-- The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has meetings planned Monday and Tuesday at its Malden headquarters. Ahead of an expected decision in November, board members are scheduled to deeply explore the dynamics of student assessments, and in particular whether to retain the MCAS exam, shift to the PARCC exam or adopt changes in existing assessments in the spirit of ensuring that more students are prepared for college.
-- Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants plans to deliver remarks Tuesday updating people on the state of the judiciary. Gants earlier this year made sentencing a reform a priority. Since then, Gov. Baker and legislative leaders announced they're seeking outside help to get a better understanding of the criminal justice landscape, a move that could lead to an extended delay in tackling the issues.
-- The Constitutional Convention, which recessed in May, resumes on Wednesday. Lawmakers have shown no appetite to debate proposals on the calendar. The convention is the forum for possible consideration later in the session of a proposal to impose extra income taxes on individuals earning more than $1 million per year.
-- The Senate is scheduled on Thursday to debate bills giving the attorney general more power to take action on behalf of employees and an amendment to the worker's compensation statute.
SATURDAY, OCT. 17, 2015
UMASS DONOR APPRECIATION: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, whose district includes the flagship University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst, attends a donor appreciation breakfast. (Saturday, 9 a.m., Student Union Ballroom, UMass-Amherst, Amherst)
UMASS HOMECOMING: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, a 1977 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, marches in the UMass Homecoming Parade. (Saturday, 10:30 a.m., downtown Amherst)
HEADS OR TAILS: Serving as an honorary captain, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will officiate the coin toss before the University of Massachusetts homecoming football game against the Kent State Golden Flashes. (Saturday, 3:25 p.m., UMass Warren P. McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Amherst)
COURT OFFICER EXAM: More than 1,200 registrants will take the entry-level exam for court officer positions held in New England's largest building. The exam, mandated by a 2011 law, lasts 2.5 hours and the registration deadline was Aug. 28, according to a spokeswoman for the court system. (Saturday, 9:30 a.m., Boston Convention and Exhibition Center)
DINE617 TOUR: At-Large Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley hosts a tour across the city to stop at restaurants that received liquor licenses as a result of a home rule petition she filed and which the Legislature passed a version of last year, returning control of the Boston Licensing Board to the city and granting an additional 75 licenses over three years. Sixty of the licenses are restricted to neighborhoods that have been historically marginalized, according to the event's organizers. The tour, dubbed DINE617 (Dine to Invest in Neighborhood Economies), starts at Rincon Caribeno Restaurant in Hyde Park, then moves the Dot 2 Dot Cafe at 1739 Dorchester Ave. in Dorchester, the Dudley Cafe at 15 Warren St. in Roxbury and Maverick Marketplace at 154 Maverick St. in East Boston. (Saturday, Oct. 17, 11:30 a.m., Rincon Caribeno, 18 Fairmount Ave., Hyde Park)
DEMOCRACY IN THE PARK: Boston for Bernie, a grassroots organization not affiliated with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' official presidential campaign, will hold an fair featuring local action groups working for social, economic, political and environmental justice. Speaker include Virginia Fisher of Climate Mobilization, Cambridge City Councillor Nadeem Mazen, Cambridge City Council candidate Marika Davidson, representatives from Raise Up Massachusetts, 350MA, Pass Mass Amendment, Boston Homeless Solidarity Committee and Local 107 Iron Workers. Sanders made a campaign swing through Massachusetts at the beginning of the month. (Saturday, 12 p.m., Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Boston)
REP. KENNEDY OFFICE HOURS: Rep. Joe Kennedy III will hold constituent office hours in Franklin, Milford and Wellesley on Saturday. This is part of his "Tour 34," an initiative to hold office hours in all 34 cities and towns in the 4th Congressional District by the end of his second term. Rep. Kennedy's office hours will be 10-11:15 a.m. at Franklin Public Library, 12-1:15 p.m. at Milford Public Library and 2-3:30 p.m. at Wellesley Public Library. Not including these three, he has held office hours in 13 cities and towns this year. (Saturday)
EARLY EDUCATOR SUMMIT: Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber, Burlington School Committee Member Kristin Russo and officials from Burlington Public Schools, North Shore Community College and Salem State University host a summit on best practices in early childhood education. Over 500 educators statewide are expected to attend. There will be 34 sessions addressing topics such as social-emotional development in preschool, writing in preschool, sensory play, dual language learning and technology usage. The event is open to the press. (Saturday, 8 a.m., Marshall Simonds Middle School, 114 Winn St., Burlington)
EARLY CHILDHOOD ED CONFERENCE: Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber gives the keynote address at the Exploring Great Practices in Early Childhood Education Conference. (Saturday, 9 a.m., Marshall Simonds Middle School, 114 Winn Street, Burlington)
SUNDAY, OCT. 18, 2015
KELLER AT LARGE: WBZ's Jon Keller welcomes UMass President Marty Meehan on his show to discuss UMass funding, controversies over the football program and UMass Boston dorm plans. (Sunday, 8:30, WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
GOLDBERG IN NASHVILLE: Treasurer Deb Goldberg attends the 2015 National Association of State Treasurers annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee from Sunday through Wednesday. (Sunday, Omni Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee)
VIETNAM VETS APPRECIATION: The Massachusetts Marine Corps League sponsors a statewide appreciation day for Vietnam veterans and remembrance of the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. A parade will begin at the West Roxbury VA Hospital and end at Billings Field. The event will also feature a cookout, music from the 1960s and 1970s and information for veterans and their families. (Sunday, 2 p.m., 1400 VFW Parkway, Roxbury)
DC DIALOGUE: Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) and Boston Globe political reporter James Pindell discuss leadership changes in the House of Representatives as well as presidential politics. (Sunday, 10 a.m., NECN)
MONDAY, OCT. 19, 2015
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan to meet in informal sessions Monday at 11 a.m.
PROVIDER'S COUNCIL CONVENTION: Gov. Charlie Baker will be one of several people honored by an association of health and human service agencies. Nancy Frates, the "Mother of the Ice Bucket Challenge," will be the keynote speaker at the Providers' Council's 40th Annual Convention & Expo at 9:15 a.m. Other honorees include Speaker Pro Tem Patricia Haddad and Sen. Donald Humason, as well as Lyndia Downie, of Pine Street Inn; Hubie Jones, of City Year, Inc.; Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, who will be recognized at 1:15 p.m., right after the governor. (Monday, 1 p.m., Marriott Copley Place, Boston)
MASSPORT RETIREMENT BOARD: The Massachusetts Port Authority Employees' Retirement System Board holds a special meeting to discuss requests for proposal for actuarial services. (Monday, 9 a.m., retirement board room, Logan Office Center, 1st floor, One Harborside Drive, East Boston)
IPODS FOR WOUNDED VETERANS: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito offers remarks at an event for iPods for Wounded Veterans, an organization that provides iPods, iPads, eReaders and other materials to improve the quality of life for wounded veterans. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., Memorial Hall)
YWCA BREAKFAST: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the YWCA Domestic Violence Breakfast. (Monday, 8 a.m., College of the Holy Cross, 1 College St., Worcester)
ELDER AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Elder Affairs holds a hearing on 21 bills. H 520, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Golden, Jr., regulates the setting of MassHealth and Medicaid nursing facility rates, establishes an extended care career ladder grant program, and establishes a scholarship program for certified nurses' aide and direct care working training. The bill has more than 75 cosponsors. Sen. Mark Montigny has sponsored a bill requiring the Division of Medical Assistance to reserve the bed of a MassHealth-covered nursing facility resident for 20 days per medical event in the event of hospitalization. Other bills establish an advisory committee on residential care (S 358), a task force to promote the development of small house nursing homes (S 357), a senior center assistance board (H 3405) and a special commission on institutional long-term care (S 351 and H 521). The long-term care commission bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Harriette Chandler and Rep. Jonathan Hecht, is supported by members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, who plan to testify at the hearing. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2244&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Monday, 10 a.m., A-2)
VOC-TECH AND LIBERAL ARTS CONVERSATION: The Pioneer Institute holds a forum on the debate about whether vocational-technical education or liberal arts education is better at providing equal opportunity. The speakers are American Enterprise Institute resident fellow Gerard Robinson, Austin College history professor and author Jacqueline Moore, University of Tennessee history professor and author Robert Norrell, Tuskegee University president Brian Johnson, and Pioneer Institute senior fellow Tom Birmingham. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Brian Patterson at 617-723-2277 ext. 217 orbpatterson@pioneerinstitute.org. (Monday, 8 a.m., Omni Parker House)
BARNEY FRANK AT FORUM: Former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank speaks at a public forum about the 2016 presidential race. Following the forum will be a book signing for his new book, "Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage." Prior to his 1981-2013 tenure in Congress, Frank was a Massachusetts state representative. (Monday, 5 p.m., UMass Dartmouth, Stoico/FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation Grand Reading Room)
ART COMMISSION: The Massachusetts Art Commission meets. (Monday, 5 p.m., room 27)
LONGFELLOW OVERNIGHT CLOSURES: The Longfellow Bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day from Monday through Friday, as contractors install utility cables and manholes at the Cambridge end. Bike and pedestrian traffic will be maintained and contractors will accommodate for events at the TD Garden. (Monday-Friday)
KONNICHIWA, HOKKAIDO: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, Gov. Charlie Baker and Assistant Secretary of Business Development Nam Pham will welcome members of a delegation from Hokkaido, Japan to the State House. In 1987, the Massachusetts Hokkaido Association was formed to acknowledge and nurture the relationship between Massachusetts and Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., State House)
DPU HEARING: The Department of Public Utilities holds an evidentiary hearing on the petition of Exelon West Medway LLC and Exelon West Medway II LLC for Certain Exemptions to the Zoning Bylaws of the Town of Medway to construct a 200 megawatt dual-fuel generation facility. (Monday, 10 a.m., One South Station, 5th floor, Boston)
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS LISTENING SESSION: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs holds the second of two listening sessions to give the public an opportunity to hear about the secretariats' regulatory reform efforts and offer feedback on energy and environmental regulations that will be reviewed under Executive Order 562. (Monday, 4 p.m., MassDEP Central Office, 8 New Bond St., Worcester)
OPEN FOR BUSINESS: Gov. Charlie Baker offers remarks at the Open For Business conference. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash, and Housing and Community Development Chrystal Kornegay also attend. The event is intended to showcase opportunities to "turn state real estate assets into business opportunities" for developers, utilities, solar executives and others. A list of state agencies attending the event reads: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, the Massachusetts Port Authority, MassDevelopment, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance. (Monday, 8 a.m., MassDOT, 2nd floor conference room, 10 Park Plaza, Boston)
LEADERSHIP MEETING: Gov. Charlie Baker, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, House Minority Leader Bradley Jones and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr meet for their weekly leadership meeting. (CLOSED PRESS) (Monday, 2 p.m., Office of the Senate President, Room 332)
CORPORATE COUNSEL MEETING: Reginald McNight, BP America counsel for communications and external affairs, will participate in an Association of Corporate Counsel talk titled "Can You Survive an Executive Scandal?" Bruce Strothers, managing counsel for The Coca Cola Company, will also participate in the panel, which is part of the association's annual meeting. Elsewhere during the multi-day conference GE Oil and Gas Global Compliance Leader Jessica Wenzell will participate in a discussion of managing anti-corruption across borders, Google Senior Privacy Counsel Troy Sauro will engage in discussion of the internet of things, and executives from Anthem, Inc., March Vision Care, Delta Dental of Washington and CVS Health will discuss the Affordable Care Act. (Monday-Wednesday, Boston Convention and Exhibition Center)
INSURANCE REGULATION PANEL: Undersecretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation John Chapman, Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Chief of Staff Greg White and Insurance Commissioner Dan Judson participate in a Life Insurance Association of Massachusetts insurance regulation panel. (Monday, 3 p.m., Wequassett Inn, Chatham)
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses holds a hearing on 10 bills. Sen. Marc Pacheco has sponsored a bill (S 117) establishing a council for a sustainable commonwealth, which would recommend modifications to capital planning, encourage infrastructure in developed rather than undeveloped areas and develop guidelines for an urban initiative program. S 113, sponsored by Sen. Robert Hedlund, provides application requirements for developers wishing to build low or moderate income housing in a historic district. Rep. Nick Collins has sponsored a bill (H 143) requiring anybody who leaves a piece of property in a historic landmark district dormant for more than 10 years to repurpose the property or transfer it to the Division of Capital Asset Management. Other bills establish a Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund (S 109); regulate the building of multifamily developments, cluster developments and accessory dwelling units (S 199); and create an appeal board for business owners who feel they were unfairly treated by the Board of Health or Building Department (H 3382). Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2249&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Monday, 1 p.m., B-2)
TRANSPORTATION - CAPITAL CONVERSATIONS: MassDOT and MBTA are hosting "capital conversations" to hear input on transportation needs, as the organizations prepare their five-year capital plans for 2017-2021. Those who cannot attend a meeting can email comments to masscip@state.ma.us. (Monday, 4 p.m., State Transportation Building; 6 p.m., Leominster City Hall)
BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING: The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education holds a special meeting to discuss student assessment in preparation for a November vote on whether to adopt the PARCC test. Higher Education Commissioner Carlos Santiago will discuss K-12 student assessment issues from the perspective of our state universities and colleges. PARCC consortium assessment director Jeff Nellhaus will discuss the consortium's research and how the findings are informing ongoing test development. Agenda: http://www.doe.mass.edu/boe/docs/2015-10/spec-item1.html (Monday, 4 p.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden)
CHARTER SCHOOL COMMITTEE: The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's charter school committee holds a meeting that is scheduled to include an orientation to charter authorizing responsibilities, an overview of charter authorizing activities for 2015 to 2016, and a review of charter school data. (Monday, 2:15 p.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden)
CHESTER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education holds a committee meeting regarding the performance evaluation of Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell Chester. The board will review 2015 performance criteria and discuss updates to the 2015 to 2016 performance criteria. (Monday, 3:15 p.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden)
ELECTION LAWS COMMITTEE: In an effort to promote voter registration among high school students, Rep. Diana DiZoglio has filed a bill (H 549) that would allow for public school students of voting age to be instructed on the voter registration process and provided access to voter registration forms. The committee will also consider a bill filed by Rep. Bradley Jones (H 568) to remove Massachusetts from an agreement it entered in 2010 to join other states in electing the president by popular vote. Under the agreement, the state's electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote. The compact would take effect once the total number of electoral votes committed under the agreement equals a majority of the total electoral college votes. So far, the agreement has been adopted by 11 states possessing 165 electoral votes - 61 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate it.(Monday, 2 p.m., Hearing Room A-1)
MARSHALL, SULLIVAN ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY: Former Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and pioneer blogger Andrew Sullivan will join Matthew Vines, founder of The Reformation Project, for a discussion titled, "The Conservative Case for Marriage Equality: The Future of Religion and the LGBTQ Movement." The discussion will be moderated by U.S. Air Force Ret. Brigadier Gen. Dana Born. Marshall wrote the groundbreaking Goodridge v. Department of Public Health decision that legalized gay marriage in Massachusetts, published Nov. 18, 2003. The U.S. Supreme Court this year made same-sex marriage the law of the land nationwide. "I think we made the case for gay equality in a way no other publication did," Sullivan wrote Jan. 28, in the final post for his blog The Dish. "And we lived through history with the raw intensity of this new medium, and through a media landscape of bewildering change." (Monday, 6 p.m. Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge)
SECOND PLYMOUTH AND BRISTOL DEBATE: Candidates for the 2nd Plymouth and Bristol Senate seat will square off in a debate hosted by the Joseph Martin Institute for Law & Society at Stonehill College. Democrat Rep. Michael Brady of Brockton, Republican Rep. Geoff Diehl of Whitman and independent candidate Anna Raduc of Halifax are vying for the seat formerly held by Sen. Tom Kennedy, who died in June. The debate will be moderated by WGBH's Callie Crossley, with Ed Donga of The Enterprise and Erin Dale of 95.9 WATD serving as panelists. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/forum-for-candidates-in-the-2nd-plymouth-bristol-senate-district-tickets-18964941651. For press credentials, contact Noelle Preston at npreston@stonehill.edu or 508-565-1131. (Monday, 7 p.m., Shields Science Center Pettit Atrium, 320 Washington St., Easton)
FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL CEREMONY: State and local officials will join firefighters and families of fallen firefighters for the annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial ceremony. As part of the ceremony, a total of 24 names will be added to the Ring of Honor located at Ashburton Park. Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to give remarks. State Auditor Suzanne Bump, Attorney General Maura Healey and House Speaker Robert DeLeo will attend. Sen. Ken Donnelly, a retired Arlington fire lieutenant and board member, will also be named president /chairman of the Memorial Board. A bagpiper procession will begin at 4:30 from Boston Common. (Monday, 5 p.m., Ashburton Park)
CHIA ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING: The Center for Health Information and Analysis holds a meeting of the Statewide Quality Advisory Committee. The purpose of the meeting is to approve Standard Quality Measure Set changes and discuss implementation of CHIA's statewide quality improvement priorities. For those who cannot attend in person, the call-in number is 1-866-832-9294, and the password is 7440105. (Monday, 3 p.m., 501 Boylston St., 5th floor, Boston)
HPC DIRECTOR IN TEXAS: Health Policy Commission Executive Director David Seltz will participate in the two-day National Academy for State Health Policy Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas. Seltz sits on the Health Care Access & Financing Committee, which is responsible for issues related to providing health insurance coverage as well as financing, organization, and regulation of the health care system. (Monday, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, Dallas, Texas)
COALITION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY: The Coalition for Effective Public Safety will hold a public meeting to discuss parole, solitary confinement and medical release reform. The coalition is made up of advocates, program providers, paroles, formerly incarcerated men and women, friends and relatives of prisoners, and human rights activists. (Monday, 2:30, Prisoners' Legal Services, 10 Winthrop Square, Boston)
AMENDMENT DEADLINE WORKERS BILLS: Senators have until 5 p.m. to file amendments to S 967 and S 968, which are set for debate Thursday. (Monday)
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 2015
RESPIRATORY CARE: The Board of Respiratory Care meets to discuss the differences between respiratory technician and respiratory therapist, and to consider other inquiries submitted by respiratory technicians across the state. The board will discuss prevention of deregulation of the respiratory technician field in the state. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 239 Causeway St. 4th floor, Room 417, Boston)
STATE OF THE JUDICIARY: Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants gives the annual address on the state of the judiciary at the Massachusetts Bar Association's Bench-Bar Symposium. Chief Justice Gants has served on the Supreme Judicial Court since 2009 and was appointed chief justice in 2014. There will also be remarks from Massachusetts Bar Association President Robert Harnais, Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey and Trial Court Administrator Harry Spence. Registration for the free event is available at massbar.org/cle/cle-programs?p=3997. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., John Adams Courthouse, Great Hall, One Pemberton Square, Boston)
CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure holds a hearing on 18 bills related to alcohol regulation. A Sen. William Brownsberger bill (S 126) would allow Massachusetts retailers to directly ship alcohol to consumers who are at least 21 years old. Rep. Colleen Garry has sponsored a bill (H 190) that would allow liquor sales on Thanksgiving, and Rep. Chris Walsh has filed a bill (H 280) that would allow the holders of pub brewery licenses to make retail sales of bottled beer on Sundays. Bills from Sen. Michael Moore (S 173) and Rep. Keiko Orrall (H 243) seek to prohibit the sale of powdered alcohol, a ban also included as a Moore amendment to an substance abuse prevention bill passed unanimously by the Senate earlier this month. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., room A-1)
ENTERPRISE CENTER BREAKFAST: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito gives a keynote address at the Enterprise Center Business Breakfast. (Tuesday, 7:30 a.m., 121 Loring Ave., Salem)
YOU, INC ANNUAL MEETING: Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders offers the keynote address at the YOU Inc. annual meeting. YOU Inc. is a non-profit agency that provides social, psychological, educational, vocational, and other preventive and rehabilitation programs. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 363 Plantation St, Worcester)
CITIZENS LEGISLATIVE SEMINAR: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg welcomes members of the Citizens Legislative Seminar to the State House. The Citizens Legislative Seminar is a two-day program, organized by the Senate Legislative Education Office, that aims to better educate the public on the functions of the Legislature. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Room 428)
CARE ACT: Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, Rep. Chris Walsh and the AARP host a press conference in advance of the Public Health Committee hearing to discuss legislation dubbed the CARE Act (S 1153/H 2081). The act would require recording the name of the designated family caregiver when a person is hospitalized; notifying the caregiver if a relatie is to be discharged; and providing to the caregiver an explanation and live instruction of the medical tasks to be performed at home. (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., Nurses Hall)
SUDDERS ON GREATER BOSTON: Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders is a scheduled guest on Greater Boston with host Jim Braude. Sudders appeared alongside Gov. Baker Thursday to announce the administration's legislation to combat the opioid epidemic.(Tuesday, 7 p.m., WGBH-TV channel 2)
TAYLOR SCHOOL RIBBON CUTTING: Massachusetts School Building Authority Executive Director Jack McCarthy attends a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Taylor School at the Sea Lab Marine Science Education Center. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 71 Portland Street, New Bedford)
POWER OF ORGANICS: The 15th Annual BioCycle Conference On Renewable Energy From Organics Recycling opens with a plenary session on the power of organics. EPA New England Administrator Curt Spaulding speaks on "Moving Toward a Climate Resilient New England"; MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg discusses Massachusetts advances in organics recycling and renewable energy; and Green Mountain Power CEO Mary Powell speaks about creating electric utilities of the future. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Doubletree by Hilton Boston North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd., Danvers)
BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Rep. Jim Lyons and officials from Andover, North Andover, Boxford and Tewksbury hold a meeting related to the "Building Stronger Communities" Tour. The meeting is closed press, but a press availability will follow. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Memorial Hall, 2 North Main St., Andover)
MASSDOT SOLAR LAUNCH: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the launch of MassDOT's solar panel project. (Tuesday, 2:15 p.m., Framingham Service Plaza Westbound, Massachusetts Turnpike, Framingham)
DCR LISTENS: The Department of Conservation and Recreation will hold a listening session to provide the public with the opportunity to hear about the agency's regulatory reform efforts and to offer feedback. This is one of five listening sessions being conducted by DCR on this subject statewide. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., DCR West Region Headquarters, 740 South Street, Pittsfield)
MANUFACTURED HOME COMMISSION: The Manufactured Home Commission holds its monthly meeting. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Torigian Community Life Center, 79 Central St., Peabody)
PLUMER PLEADS: Massachusetts probation officer Lawrence Plumer is scheduled to plead guilty to lying to the FBI in a public corruption investigation. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse, Courtroom 21)
HIGHER EDUCATION FISCAL AFFAIRS: The Board of Higher Education holds a fiscal affairs and administrative policy committee meeting. Agenda items relate to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Salem State University, and Westfield State University. The committee will also discuss the fiscal 2016 budget and a tuition retention update. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., One Ashburton Place, room 1401)
HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: The Board of Higher Education will hold an academic affairs committee meeting. The agenda includes a presentation on the PARCC exam as well as motions related to Bristol Community College, UMass Dartmouth, UMass Lowell and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., One Ashburton Place, room 1401)
WOODWARD IN CAMBRIDGE: The Harvard Book Store hosts Washington Post associate editor and investigative journalist Bob Woodward to discuss his latest book in conversation with David Gergen of the Harvard Kennedy School. Woodward's book, The Last of the President's Men, tells the story of the aide who disclosed the secret White House taping system that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation. The event is co-sponsored by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., First Parish Church, 1446 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge)
GMO FORUM: Legislators in the 2nd Suffolk and Middlesex District will host a free public forum on genetically modified organism (GMO) and GMO labeling. Panelists will discuss their perspectives on the GMO's across various areas including their impacts on the economy, science, legal and regulatory frameworks, health and the environment. The forum is hosted by Sen. William Brownsberger, Rep. Gloria Fox, Rep. Kevin Honan, Rep. John Lawn, Rep. Jay Livingstone, Rep. Michael Moran, Rep. David Rogers and Rep. Byron Rushing. The event is free and open to the public. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Ave., Watertown)
CONSULS RECEPTION: WorldBoston, a nonprofit aimed at fostering engagement in international affairs, holds a reception honoring the Consular Corps serving Boston and New England. There will be a keynote from Juliette Kayyem, a former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, former assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, and current lecturer at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Tickets are $50 for WorldBoston members and $75 for the general public. (Tuesday, 5 p.m., Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 31st floor, Harborview Room)
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE: The Public Service Committee will hear several bills regarding creditable service toward public employee pensions. A Rep. Michael Brady refiled bill (H 2206) would give credit to adjunct public college professors. A Rep. Dan Hunt refiled bill (H 2341) would provide up to four years of creditable service for teachers who experienced layoffs in their careers. The late Sen. Tom Kennedy filed similar legislation (S 1388), also a refile, which provides for creditable service for unemployment time for firefighters and police officers who were laid off and then reinstated. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room 437)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE MEETING: Members of the special commission to study the Commonwealth's criminal justice system will meet to discuss and vote on a single area of focus for the coming year. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., One Ashburton Place, Conference Room #1, Boston)
REVENUE COMMITTEE: The Revenue Committee will accept testimony on 36 bills pertaining to the estate tax and veterans, including a Rep. Todd Smola bill (H 2683) that would establish a property tax exemption for members of the National Guard. Under the bill, members of the National Guard or National Guard reservists who lived in the state for at least six months before entering service would not have to pay property tax on the home that they or their spouse lived in during a period of active service outside Massachusetts plus an additional 180 days. Also among the bills up for consideration are bills filed by Rep. Joseph McKenna (H 2612) and Sen. Ryan Fattman (S 1478) to abolish the state's estate tax, sometimes known as the death tax. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Hearing Room A-1)
BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING: The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education holds a meeting which is scheduled to include an update on the receivership of the Lawrence Public Schools, discussion of the Holyoke Public Schools turnaround plan, fiscal year 2017 budget proposal discussion and an overview of charter authorizing with anticipated schedule. The discussion of PARCC scores and student assessment will continue from Monday's special meeting. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden)
SPEAKER VISITS GENZYME: House Speaker Robert DeLeo will visit Genzyme to hear about the company's growth and its mentoring program with Mass Bay Community College. Press availability begins at 11:30. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Manufacturing Building, 68 New York Ave., Framingham)
BAKER ATTENDS DIEHL FUNDRAISER: State Senate candidate Rep. Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) will hold his last fundraiser before the Nov. 3 special election with special guest Gov. Charlie Baker. (Tuesday, 5:30, Quan's Kitchen, 871 Washington Street, Hanover)
SEN. deMACEDO PARTY/FUNDRAISER: The deMacedo Committee will host a fundraiser and party in honor of Sen. Vinny deMacedo's 50th birthday with special guest former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., VFW Plymouth Post, 22 Seven Hills Road, Plymouth)
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Financial Services holds a hearing on 21 bills regarding health insurance mandates. H 901, which is sponsored by Rep. David Linsky and has more than 120 cosponsors, provides for insurance coverage of long-term antibiotic therapy of Lyme disease. Rep. William Smitty Pignatelli has sponsored a bill (H 930) establishing a commission on acupuncture and wellness within the Department of Public Health. H 913, sponsored by Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, provides for coverage of technology-assisted tracking devices for individuals diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer's disease or an autism spectrum disorder. Other bills require the group insurance commission to provide certain benefits to any active or retired employee of the Commonwealth who is insured under the commission. This includes a smoking and tobacco cessation benefit (H 900), coverage of a mastectomy and a minimum of 48 hours of in-patient care (H 879), and coverage of medical or drug treatments for HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (H 927). Insurers have opposed new health insurance mandates, arguing such directives are at odds with efforts to slow down cost growth in health care. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2281&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Gardner Auditorium)
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE: A bill sponsored by Sen. Marc Pacheco and Rep. Denise Garlick (S 1206/H 1958) and filed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association is among 30 patient safety, health care quality and workforce development bills up for debate at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Health. The MNA bill would limit the number of patients assigned to a nurse at any one time and provide hospitals with some flexibility to adjust staffing based on patient needs. The bill has garnered the support of a bipartisan group of 76 legislators. The committee will also accept testimony on a bill filed by Rep. Nicholas Boldyga (H 3270) that would authorize terminally ill patients to consent to treatment by investigational drugs, biological products or devices. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2279&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Hearing Room B-1)
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture holds a hearing on 32 bills. H 740, H 659 and S 450 all prohibit the collection, storage or disposal of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing. S 457, sponsored by Sen. Marc Pacheco, places a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing from January 2017 through December 2026. Rep. Sarah Peake and Sen. Daniel Wolf have sponsored a bill (H 3662) giving Eversource Energy free rein to fix the issue of cormorants perched on transmission lines in Orleans. Rep. Harrington's bill (H 3748) permits the Department of Fish and Game to acquire certain parcels of land in Townsend along Haynes Road. Other bills establish the Department of Fire Services Oil Spill Mitigation Trust Fund (S 442), prohibit a sewage disposal system installer from also being an inspector (H 690) and establish an effluent water review committee (H 3412). Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2283&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True(Tuesday, 1 p.m., A-2)
DISABILITIES COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities holds a hearing on 14 bills. Children's League of Massachusetts Executive Director Erin Bradley plans to testify in support of a Sen. Karen Spilka bill (S 103) regarding the Office of the Child Advocate. Currently, the advocate reports directly to the governor and serves at the pleasure of the governor. Spilka's bill would see the advocate appointed to a five-year term by a majority vote of the governor, attorney general and auditor. H 119, sponsored by Rep. Denise Provost, prohibits the eviction of any family with children under 18 from public housing or a publicly funded shelter, unless the Department of Children and Families has a plan for the children to be housed elsewhere. Rep. Marjorie Decker has sponsored a bill (H 79) stating that a family the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) places in an assistance shelter shall be eligible for homeless child care assistance vouchers. H 90, sponsored by Rep. Danielle Gregoire, requires DTA to report on families' use of emergency shelter services to the House and Senate Ways and Means committees. Sen. Kenneth Donnelly has sponsored a bill (S 68) eliminating photo identification on electronic benefit cards. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2265&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., B-1)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy holds a hearing on 17 bills on municipal light plants, aggregation and access to data. H 3528 and H 3533 require an electric company to receive approval from the Department of Public Utilities - pending public hearings - for any rate increase. H 2849, sponsored by Rep. Paul Brodeur, requires utilities regulated by DPU to make certain energy consumption data available to municipal officials who request it. Rep. Timothy Madden has sponsored a bill (H 2895) allowing local governments to enter into long-term, power purchase contracts with renewable energy projects of the community's choice. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2267&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., B-1)
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE - REGULATORY REFORM SESSION: The Executive Office of Administration and Finance holds the first of 10 listening sessions for the public to offer feedback on regulations that will be reviewed under Executive Order 562. The order, issued by Gov. Charlie Baker in March, requires each agency in the executive department to review every regulation in the Code of Massachusetts Regulations under its jurisdiction. The first session will be on municipal issues, with other municipal issues sessions Nov. 2 at the University of Massachusetts System Office and Collaborative Services Facility, Nov. 24 at the Springfield State Office Building and Dec. 4 at the Haverhill Public Library. There will also be three listening sessions on competitiveness and business environment, and three on disabilities. Feedback can also be submitted through an online portal atmass.gov/anf/regreview.html, or by tweeting @MassANF with the hashtag #regreview. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., Massasoit Community College, Louison Board Room, 1 Massasoit Blvd., Brockton)
STATE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY OVERSIGHT: Fans of Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers are again making a push to designate the song "Roadrunner" as the official rock song of Massachusetts and will have a chance to make their case before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. Last year, the committee reported the bill favorably, but it never made it to the House or Senate floor for a vote. Sen. Robert Hedlund, the sponsor of the "Roadrunner" bill (1657), has previously said the song impressed him when he first heard it while working at a gas station when he was 15. The song's lyrics concern the urge to ride around the suburbs listening to music and name-checks many Massachusetts institutions including Stop & Shop and Route 128. The committee will accept testimony on 52 other honorary bills, including ones that would designate Bell's seasoning as the state's official seasoning, name the Smith & Wesson .500 Magnum revolver as the official revolver of the Commonwealth, name the spring peeper the state's official amphibian and declare the first Monday of the month of May as school crossing guard day. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room 222)
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Transportation holds a hearing on 12 bills. S 1900, sponsored by Sen. James Timilty, establishes maximum fines and prison sentences for ignoring the signal of a police officer to pull over, causing a high speed chase. Rep. Harold Naughton Jr. has sponsored a bill (H 3054) providing rules for motor vehicles approaching a stationary emergency, highway maintenance, utility or recovery vehicle with flashing lights. H 3118, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Wagner, establishes a motor carrier advisory council to make recommendations to state agencies on eliminating duplication of tasks and uniformly enforcing policies, and to review the feasibility of issuing forms and permits from a central location. Rep. Carole Fiola has sponsored a bill (H 3794) designating an overpass on Rte. 138 in Fall River as the Patrolman Edward Joaquin Memorial Overpass. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2277&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True(Tuesday, 10 a.m., B-2)
ACA COST CONTAINMENT PANEL: The Boston College Law School Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy hosts a panel on shifting the focus of the Affordable Care Act from access to cost containment. The panelists are Courtney Aladro of the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, Joseph Avellone of PAREXEL International Corporation, Paul Hattis of Tufts University Medical School and Steve Walsh of the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals. Michael Caljouw of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts will moderate. The panelists will discuss initiatives to slow rising drug costs, make prices more transparent and promote alternatives to fee-for-service payment. Media who wish to attend should contact Ed Hayward at 617-552-4826 ored.hayward@bc.edu. (Tuesday, 7:30 a.m., Boston College Club, 100 Federal St., Boston)
AKCEA RIBBON CUTTING: Officials from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, MassBio and Akcea Therapeutics will attend a ribbon cutting for Akcea near Kendall Square. (Tuesday, 5 p.m., 55 Cambridge Pkwy, Suite 100, Cambridge)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2015
HOUSE FORMAL SESSION: House representatives will gather for formal session. Roll calls will begin after the conclusion of the constitutional convention. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: House democrats will meet to caucus before a joint session of the two houses.(Wednesday, 12 p.m., Room A-1)
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: The Constitutional Convention that kicked off earlier this year but which has so far failed to feature any action on any of the pending amendments is set to resume on Wednesday. ConCon Calendar: https://malegislature.gov/People/ClerksOffice/Joint/Calendar (Wednesday, 1 p.m., House Chamber)
MBTA FMCB: The MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board will hold a meeting. The agenda will be available here:http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/?id=6442454768 (Wednesday, 2:30 p.m., MassDOT Board Room, 10 Park Plaza, Boston)
WORCESTER ENERGY SUMMIT: Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson will give the keynote address at the Worcester Business Journal's Energy Summit. The event will also feature case studies and panels on solar energy for businesses, careers in energy and the state of energy in Massachusetts. (Wednesday, 8:20 a.m., DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester)
COMPTROLLER'S ADVISORY BOARD: The Comptroller's Advisory Board holds a meeting to review the statutory basis financial report. (Wednesday, 1 p.m, One Ashburton Place, 9th floor)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: The Governor's Council meets, with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito presiding. The council has not yet voted on the nomination of Jennifer Roberts, a Cape Cod attorney seeking appointment to the Land Court. The council's last meeting ended abruptly, with Polito gaveling the meeting to a close before bringing the nomination up for a vote. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Room 360)
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies holds a hearing on Sen. Michael Rodrigues's bill (S 2016) authorizing the merger of the Annawon Council, Inc. of the Boy Scouts of America into the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America. Both councils are nonprofit charitable corporations. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., B-2)
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BRIEFING: Rep. Liz Malia, House chairwoman of the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, joins Rep. Jim Cantwell and Cheryl Bartlett, the former commission of the Department of Public Health for a briefing on "behavioral health promotion and upstream prevention." The briefing will include new behavioral health legislation. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., House Members Lounge)
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Higher Education holds a hearing on four bills. Two bills - one sponsored by Sen. Barbara L'Italien and the other sponsored by both L'Italien and Rep. Tom Sannicandro - create higher education opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. L'Italien has also sponsored a bill (S 673) to develop a policy requiring all public higher education institutions to be flexible with graduation requirements for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. S 674, sponsored by Sen. Thomas McGee, mandates that electronic resources or materials in Braille be made available to any legally blind student requesting them. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2205&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Wednesday, 11 a.m., A-2)
NORTHERN MIDDLESEX COUNCIL: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash attends the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments. (Wednesday, 7 p.m., Whistler House, 243 Worthen St, Lowell)
VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Bills concerned veterans benefits, education and transportation will be up for a hearing before the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, including a Rep. Stephen Kulik bill (H 3142) that would establish an 11-person committee to "study and evaluate current laws, regulations and practices related to providing services and other support to military veterans and to make recommendations to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of state and local programs." The committee would be comprised of members of the House and Senate, the heads of some veterans groups, at least two "unaffiliated" veterans and others, and would be tasked with producing a report for the Legislature. The committee will also consider a Rep. Harold Naughton bill (H 3148) that would authorize the Board of Higher Education to offer and administer free online public higher education courses to veterans. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2260&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Hearing Room B-1)
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary holds a hearing on 20 bills on animal legislation, in which elected and public officials are asked to testify in the first hour. H 1275, sponsored by Rep. Lori Ehrlich and Sen. Jason Lewis, bans the import, sale or purchase of ivory or rhinoceros horn products. The bill, which has more than 80 cosponsors, lays out exceptions and punishments. Rep. Steven Howitt has sponsored a bill (H 1385) requiring the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services to establish and maintain an animal abuse registry. H 1310 and H 1367 increase fines for killing another person's animal and harming a police dog or horse, respectively. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2287&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Wednesday, 1 p.m., A-1 and A-2)
SIMULATED LEGISLATIVE SESSION: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will preside over a simulated legislative session as part of the Citizens Legislative Seminar. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
HEALEY ON HERALD RADIO: Attorney General Maura Healey will discuss her office's work on Boston Herald Radio. (Wednesday, 10 a.m.)
WESTERN MASS ART RECEPTION: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will attend a reception for the western Massachusetts artists whose artwork hangs in the Senate lobby. The three women featured in the exhibit, all from Amherst, are Lilian Dornbush Kravitz, her mother Ruth Blumberg Dornbush (1925-2004), and her grandmother Gertrude Blumberg (1899-1987). (Wednesday, 4 p.m., Senate Reading Room)
TREASURERS ROUNDTABLE: Treasurer Deb Goldberg participates in a roundtable with all the state treasurers during the annual conference of the National Association of State Treasurers.(Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., Omni Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee)
STATE FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE BOARD: The State Finance and Governance Board holds a meeting that will include a review of closed transactions for the MBTA and a derivative transaction review for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. (Wednesday, 12:30, room 373)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY COUNCIL: The Energy Efficiency Advisory Council meets to discuss and vote on a resolution offering assessment of the third three-year statewide energy efficiency investment plan. (Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., 100 Cambridge St., 2nd floor, Boston)
SOLAR POWER PRESENTATION: NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, gives a presentation on solar power. NAIOP will discuss feasibility and cost, construction and maintenance considerations, incentive programs and benefits. The speakers include Ernie Agresti and Lucas Toffoli of Cummings Properties, along with Scott Howe of Solect Energy Development. The cost of registration is $65 for members and $85 for non-members. (Wednesday, 11:45 a.m., WilmerHale, 60 State St., Boston)
BUMP IN ALBUQUERQUE: Auditor Suzanne Bump leads a presentation on her office's "advanced data analytics capacity" before members of the Association of Government Accountants' Albuquerque, New Mexico chapter. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Sandia Hotel, 30 Rainbow Rd., Albuquerque, New Mexico)
DOWNING TOWN HALL: Sen. Ben Downing hosts a town hall forum at Pittsfield's Morningside Community School to give residents a chance to ask questions and submit ideas. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., 100 Burbank St., Pittsfield)
FINNERAN ON GREATER BOSTON: Former House Speaker Thomas Finneran is a scheduled guest on Greater Boston with host Jim Braude. The Boston Globe reported on Thursday that a judge ruled Finneran is entitled to his state pension, despite a federal conviction in 2007. Finneran resigned from the House in 2004.(Wednesday, 7 p.m., WGBH channel 2)
LEADING BY EXAMPLE AWARDS: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs presents its 9th annual Leading by Example awards, highlighting the leadership and achievements demonstrated by state agencies, public higher education, and individuals through energy and environmental initiatives that produce measurable results and increase state government's efficiency. Secretary Matthew Beaton is the keynote speaker. (Wednesday, 10:15 a.m., Great Hall)
AIR CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION: Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson speaks at a dinner meeting of the Air Conditioning Association of New England. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 75 Felton St., Marlborough)
TRANSPORTATION - CAPITAL CONVERSATIONS: MassDOT and MBTA are hosting "capital conversations" to hear input on transportation needs, as the organizations prepare their five-year capital plans for 2017-2021. Those who cannot attend a meeting can email comments to masscip@state.ma.us. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Leominster City Hall; 6:30 p.m., Union Station in Worcester)
CHELSEA CLINTON BOOK SIGNING: Chelsea Clinton, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's daughter, will talk about her young adult book "It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!" at the Harvard Bookstore. An advisory says in her book for ages 10-14 "Clinton combines facts, charts, photographs, and stories to give readers a deep understanding of the world around them-and how anyone can make a difference." Tickets for the book-signing are $20.25. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge)
AUDITORS MEET: Auditor Suzanne Bump meets with her New Mexico counterpart, Auditor Tim Keller. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Sandia Hotel, 30 Rainbow Rd., Albuquerque, New Mexico)
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 2015
SENATE -- FORMAL SESSION: The Senate plans to meet in a full formal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)
HOUSE -- INFORMAL SESSION: The House plans to meet in an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)
HOUSE BONDING COMMITTEE: Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack is scheduled to sit with the House Bonding Committee Thursday for an Executive Office of Transportation capital review. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Room B-1)
SUUBERG ADDRESSES HEALTH OFFICERS: Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin Suuberg is a guest speaker at a Massachusetts Health Officers Association Conference. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Cape Codder Resort, 1225 Iyannough Rd., Hyannis)
TRANSPORTATION - CAPITAL CONVERSATIONS: MassDOT and MBTA are hosting "capital conversations" to hear input on transportation needs, as the organizations prepare five-year capital plans for 2017-2021. Those who cannot attend a meeting can email comments to masscip@state.ma.us. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Cambridge Rindge and Latin School)
WOBURN COMMUNITY COMPACT: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin sign a community compact. (Thursday, 3:45 p.m., Woburn City Hall, 10 Common St., Woburn)
DPU HEARING: The Department of Public Utilities holds an evidentiary hearing on the petition of Exelon West Medway LLC and Exelon West Medway II LLC for Certain Exemptions to the Zoning Bylaws of the Town of Medway to construct a 200 megawatt dual-fuel generation facility. (Thursday, 10 a.m., One South Station, 5th floor, Boston)
CHAMBER BREAKFAST WITH MARGARET MCKENNA: The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce holds a Women's Network Breakfast with Margaret McKenna, president of Suffolk University. McKenna previously was president of Lesley University, undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Education, and a civil rights attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The cost of registration is $55 for members and $100 for non-members. (Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Seaport Hotel, Plaza Ballroom)
MEDICAL SOCIETY LEADERSHIP: Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders attends the Massachusetts Medical Society Leadership Forum. Attorney General Maura Healey will speak on her office's report on health care costs and cost drivers. (Thursday, 8 a.m., 860 Winter St., Waltham)
BARNEY FRANK TALK: Former Congressman Barney Frank will deliver the 2015 Glauber Lecture at the Harvard Kennedy School. A former aide to Boston Mayor Kevin White, Frank was first elected to the Massachusetts House in 1972, representing Boston's Ward 5. Frank joined Congress in 1981 and was chairman of the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2011, helping write the post-market-crash regulatory bill known as Dodd-Frank. Frank will be introduced by Robert Glauber, a Kennedy School lecturer. The lecture is titled, "The Importance of Being Dispensable: Downsizing our Global Ambition." (Thursday, 6 p.m., Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge)
NEW ENGLANDER OF THE YEAR AWARDS: The New England Council presents its New Englander of the Year awards at its annual dinner, which marks the 90th anniversary of the council. This year's recipients are Hill Holliday CEO Karen Kaplan, U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, Medal of Honor Recipient Ryan Pitts and longtime WBZ anchor Jack Williams. Over 1,500 council members will be present, according to a statement from the Council, and outgoing Tufts Health Plan CEO James Roosevelt will chair the dinner. Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to attend. The awards have honored New England residents and natives for their contributions to their fields and impact on the region since 1964. (Thursday, 4:30 p.m., Seaport Hotel/World Trade Center, Boston)
FDIC MEETING: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's board of directors will meet in open session. (Thursday, 10 a.m., FDIC, 6th floor board room, 550 17th Street, N.W., Washington D.C.)
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 2015
HEROES REMEMBERED: Reps. Jennifer Benson and Sheila Harrington host Heroes Remembered, a ceremony honoring World War II veterans, with Gov. Charlie Baker as guest speaker. All WWII veterans and their families are welcome. RSVP tojennifer.benson@mahouse.gov or sheila.harrington@mahouse.gov. (Friday, 1 p.m., Hall of Flags, One Quebec St., Devens)
CAPE COD SPEAKER SERIES: Cape Cod Young Professionals is launching its Shape the Cape speaker series to provide education on civic engagement. Shape the Cape is based on a report from an eponymous 2013 survey identifying the concerns of young professionals on the Cape. The keynote speaker at the first event, hosted by CCYP's Community Connect Committee, is Sen. Dan Wolf. There will also be a panel, including Rep. Brian Mannal, Sarah Cushing of the Barnstable Town Council, John Cotton of the Mashpee Board of Selectmen and Beth Cummings of the Sandwich School Committee. The moderator will be Sarah Colvin Nelson, host of Barnstable This Morning. Registration for this free event is required at http://capecodyoungprofessionals.org/engage/shape-the-cape-speaker-series/. The discussion will also air live on Cape Cod Community Media Channel 99. (Friday, 7:30 a.m., Cape Cod Community Media Center, 17 Shad Hole Road, Dennis Port)
CABINET MEETING: Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito host a closed cabinet meeting. (CLOSED PRESS) (Friday, 10 a.m., Gov. Baker's office)
PROJECT SMILE: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the Project Smile 12th anniversary celebration. (Friday, 6:30 p.m., Doubletree Milford, 11 Beaver St., Milford)
POPULATION HEALTH: Health Policy Commission Executive Director David Seltz will present at the UMass Medical School's Population Health Clerkship: Caring for Populations Within Their Communities course. (Friday, 2 p.m., 50 Milk St., 8th floor, Boston)
DELEO KEYNOTE: House Speaker Robert DeLeo will give keynote remarks at Franklin Community County Chamber of Commerce (Friday, 8 a.m., 244 Country Club Road, Greenfield)
FOOD SYSTEM PLAN DRAFT RELEASE: The Massachusetts Food Policy Council, with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux, releases a draft of its Massachusetts Food System Plan. The council and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) created the plan over two years with input from over a thousand farmers, consumers and policymakers, according to a statement from MAPC. The draft will be available at mafoodplan.org. Public comments will be accepted through Nov. 6 and incorporated into the final plan, which is slated for completion in December. Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton offers remarks. (Friday, 9:30 a.m., Nurses Hall)
ASH IN PHILADELPHIA: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash attends the Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchange 10th Anniversary. (Friday, 9 a.m., National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, Penn.)
SUBVERTING THE GOSPEL OF GUNS: Attorney General Maura Healey speaks about her office's priorities around gun violence and promoting public safety at the Subverting the Gospel of Guns Conference at the Andover Newton Theological School. (Friday, 10 a.m., Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd., Newton)
MIAA WELLNESS SUMMIT: The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association hosts its 19th annual Wellness Summit. Attorney General Maura Healey will address wellness counselors and leaders from schools across the state about her office's efforts to combat opiate abuse, including educating youth. (Friday, 8 a.m., DoubleTree Hotel, 400 Computer Drive, Westborough)
HEALTH CARE SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE: The Association for Behavioral Healthcare holds its annual Salute to Excellence, recognizing contributions to community-based behavioral health care. Attorney General Maura Healey will give the keynote. Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, Mental Health Commissioner Joan Mikula, Sen. Jennifer Flanagan and Rep. Liz Malia are also expected to give remarks. The awardees are Carolyn Droser, Colleen Sondrini-Cooper, Eileen Maguire, Scott Bock, Melinda Kneeland, Lisa Goldsmith, Lori Sustek, Minghui Johnson, Peter Paolantonio and the Accounts Receivable Department of North Suffolk Mental Health Association. Tickets, which are $70 for members, $85 for non-members, are available at events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=nqpx4zdab&oeidk=a07ebazx6q6263ada53. (Friday, 8 a.m., Westin Waltham Hotel, 70 Third Ave., Waltham)
GOLDBERG ADDRESSES COURT STEWARDS: Treasurer Deb Goldberg speaks at an annual National Association of Government Employees training conference for courthouse stewards. (Friday, 1:30 p.m., The Neighborhood Club of Quincy, 27 Glendale Rd., Quincy)
TOWN MANAGER BOOT CAMP: The Massachusetts Municipal Management Association holds a "boot camp" training session for new town and city managers, assistant managers and department heads seeking to become managers. Speakers include municipal officials from Needham, Southborough, Franklin, Burlington, Arlington, Amherst, Wenham, Plainville and Princeton. (Friday, 9 a.m., Northborough Senior Center, 119 Bearfoot Rd., Northborough)
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 2015
WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE: The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife holds a conference entitled "Protecting Our Investment in Wildlife Diversity: New tools for wildlife habitat management on public and private lands" to address the need to maintain diverse wildlife habitats across the Massachusetts landscape and launch a new grant program to meet these needs. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton offers remarks at 9 a.m. Register at: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/wildlife-habitat-conservation/habitat-conference.html. (Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m., MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd., Westborough)
MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL RE-OPENING: Massachusetts School Building Authority Executive Director Jack McCarthy attends a re-opening ceremony at the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlborough. (Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m., 215 Fitchburg Street, Marlborough)
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