What's ahead in state government this week
Beaton on the beach in Sandwich; The Nantucket Project
ARTICLE | POLITICS | SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 02:30 PM | BY STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
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Gov. Charlie Baker faces a major decision in a few months whether to keep Massachusetts in Common Core and move fully toward a new student assessment test known as PARCC, or try something different. That decision could become easier after Monday when the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meets to release statewide spring 2015 MCAS test data and preliminary results for Massachusetts students who took the PARCC assessment this past spring. The governor's week ahead also includes an official visit from Cape Verde Prime Minister José Maria Neves, one of the few occasions on which the front gates of the State House open to receive a visiting head of state.
After taking August off, the pace of legislative committee hearings has quickened. The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee plans to hear testimony on a bill that would force the labeling of genetically modified foods and crops; the Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee plans to probe homeowner insurance rate spikes; and the Health Care Financing Committee will hear arguments for and against Sen. Benjamin Downing's bill (S574) that would require private health insurers to negotiate new contracts with expensive providers. While House lawmakers are back in the building, the branch continues to ease back into flow with another week of informal sessions planned. Speaker Robert DeLeo on Friday suggested the fiscal 2015 close-out spending bill will be the House's first priority when formal sessions do resume. "Right now, we're trying to work on the supplemental cases. As a matter of fact I think the Ways and Means Chair just told me that he got information just today, some of the figures," DeLeo told the News Service. Meanwhile, the Senate plans votes for Thursday to repeal a law mandating that anyone convicted of a drug offense have their license suspended, regardless of whether the crime involved the operation of motor vehicle. Proponents of repeal say the law places unnecessary barriers in front of former drug offenders trying to find jobs and turn their lives around. Baker said Friday he supports the measure (S 1812). The Senate will also consider a bill (S 1994) pushed by Sen. James Timilty that would ban anyone under 18 from using a tanning device or working in a tanning salon, and another (S 1972) concerning the funding of the Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund.
Other things to watch for next week:
-- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, fresh off a round of joint appearances with his good friend the governor, will address the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
-- The MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board is due to issues its first report on what it has uncovered so far in terms of the MBTA's financial and management health and its capital needs moving forward.
-- The Gaming Commission is meeting on Thursday and a discussion of Region C is on the agenda.
-- Pope Francis arrives in the United States with visits planned to Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C. Members of the state's Congressional delegation are making some dreams come true by taking special guests with them to the Pope's address before Congress, where he is expected to discuss, among other things, climate change.
-- Bay State Democrats gather en masse in Springfield on Saturday for the party's annual convention. With no statewide elections this year, this is not an endorsement convention, and party leaders will be using the opportunity to rally the base around issues of importance to members, as well as provide training for the elections to come. While a lot of the attention may be on the presidential contest underway, with surrogates from some of the campaigns showing up to speak, some will be watching for signs of who might emerge from the party as a credible challenger to Baker in three years.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 2015
DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION: After losing the governor's race last year, Democrats will convene in Worcester for an off-year annual convention that spokesman Pat Beaudry described as an "action agenda" meeting rather than a platform convention. Membership of the state's most popular political party could still take up platform items, though Beaudry said there has not been interest in that. He said party chair Sen. Tom McGee made the decision to focus on actions that can be taken by Democrats, with breakout sessions on social media and other topics. Without platform items up for a vote, there will be more access for guests, Beaudry said. There will be a number of speakers, including former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who will represent Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign, Boston City Councilor Matt O'Malley, who will represent presidential candidate Martin O'Malley, and Karen Higgins, a Massachusetts nurse and co-president of National Nurses United who will speak on behalf of Bernie Sanders. All of the presidential campaigns have been invited, though in first-in-the-nation primary state New Hampshire, the state's Democratic Party is holding its convention on the same day. Beaudry said 5,000 Democrats attended local caucuses this spring, electing 3,200 delegates to the convention. Other speakers include Sen. Elizabeth Warren; Sen. Ed Markey; Secretary of the State Bill Galvin; Attorney General Maura Healey; Treasurer Deb Goldberg; Auditor Suzanne Bump; House Speaker Bob DeLeo; AFL-CIO President Steve Tolman; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; Boston Mayor Martin Walsh; and Newton Mayor Setti Warren(Saturday, 7:30 a.m., MassMutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield)
BAKER VISITS THE BIG E: Gov. Charlie Baker visits "New England's Grandest Fair," the Big E. Events scheduled to take place during the governor's visit include a sheep shearing demonstration, a performance by Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy and a running of the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, in which pigs run for the finish line and an Oreo cookie prize. (Saturday, Sept. 19, 10:30 a.m., 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield)
MASSACHUSETTS-QUEBEC COOPERATION CONFERENCE: Senate President Stan Rosenberg and Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Pacheco attend the Massachusetts-Quebec Cooperation Conference, with delegates from the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in Quebec City. Last year, then-Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo signed a cooperation agreement with the Quebec National Assembly, and this conference begins its implementation. It will focus on tourism, economic development, energy and climate change, and transportation. Rosenberg will speak at around 2:45 p.m. Jacques Chagnon, president of the National Assembly of Quebec, will also speak. Later, the conference of state and provincial leaders will attend working sessions and a discussion on the political and institutional situations of Quebec and Massachusetts(Saturday-Monday, Quebec City)
LET'S GET HEALTHY: The Boston Public Health Commission, U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano and Boston Chief of Health and Human Services Felix Arroyo host a celebration of the Let's Get Healthy Boston initiative, which provides information and resources about healthy living to community members. The event is scheduled to include free bike repairs by the Boston Cyclist Union, bike helmet giveaways, a mobile fruit and vegetable market, a fire truck tour, a DJ and free lunch from the Fresh Food Generation Food Truck. (Saturday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m., Roxbury YMCA, 285 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Roxbury)
OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE GALA: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the 8th annual Old Sturbridge Village Gala. (Saturday, Sept., 19, 5:30 p.m., Oliver Wright Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 20, 2015
MARTY MEEHAN 'ON THE RECORD': Moderators Ed Harding and Janet Wu of WCVB welcome University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan on the public affairs show 'On the Record.' UMass is currently working out a funding plan with the state. At a meeting of the UMass trustees, Meehan said he plans to "spend a lot more time" at the State House to pitch lawmakers on the importance of funding UMass where students have seen a tuition hike.(Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
MBTA BUS ROADEO: The MBTA holds its 39th annual Bus Roadeo to crown the transit system's best bus driver. Tyrell Sullivan, last year's winner, will attempt to win his third title in five years. Drivers are judged based on how well they navigate their buses through a course of barrels, cones and tennis balls. The winner will represent the MBTA at the American Public Transportation Association's International Bus Roadeo. (Sunday, 7-10 a.m., Charlestown bus yard)
SENATE PRESIDENT IN CANADA: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will attend working sessions focusing on energy and climate change as part of the Massachusetts-Quebec Cooperation Conference, a working group made up of representation of Massachusetts and Quebec legislative bodies. Speakers will include David Cash, dean of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, Jean-Yves Benoit, director of the Carbon Market Division at the Québec Ministry of Environment, and Gary Sutherland of Hydro- Québec. (Sunday, Quebec City, Canada)
VIETNAM MEMORIAL ANNIVERSARY: Gov. Charlie Baker attends the 34th anniversary of the South Boston Vietnam Memorial at Medal of Honor Park. (Sunday, 11:30 a.m., Medal Of Honor Park, East Broadway between M and N streets, South Boston)
CELLUCCI MEMORIAL: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends a memorial event honoring the late Gov. Paul Cellucci, who died in 2013 of ALS. The memorial event will include a brief parade and remarks from Cellucci family members. (Sunday, 11 a.m., Hudson Town Hall, 78 Main St., Hudson)
MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 2015
HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan informal sessions at 11 a.m.
CLARK, FORRY, NASSOUR SPEAK AT NORTHEASTERN: U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry and former Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Jennifer Nassour are scheduled to speak Monday at Northeastern University's Women Who Inspire speaker series. Nassour is an attorney at Consigli and Brucato P.C. and in 2011 co-founded Conservative Women for a Brighter Future. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Curry Student Center Ballroom, Northeastern University)
BOARD OF EDUCATION: The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education holds a special meeting, during which the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education plans to release statewide spring 2015 MCAS test data and preliminary results for Massachusetts students who took the PARCC assessment on a computer in spring 2015. The meeting is intended to provide board members with an understanding of the student assessment program, including an overview of the MCAS and PARCC tests and how they differ. Other topics will include an update on districts' technological readiness for online testing and an overview of the PARCC analyses and evaluations underway or already completed.(Monday, 5 p.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden)
SPRINGFIELD PRE-K EXPANSION: Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Daniel Warwick, Rep. Jose Tosado and Rep. Carlos Gonzalez visit the Springfield Early Childhood Center to tour six new preschool classrooms that are jointly operated by Springfield Public Schools and the YMCA of Greater Springfield, Square One, and Holyoke/Chicopee/Springfield Head Start. The new classroom programs are funded, in part, with money from the state's $15 million award from the federally-funded Preschool Expansion Grant. All media wishing to attend must RSVP to Kathleen Hart at 617-595-8078 or kathleen.hart@massmail.state.ma.us by 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20. (Monday, 10 a.m., 15 Catharine Street, Springfield)
E-RATE PROGRAM AT TECHBOSTON: U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry and state Rep. Daniel Cullinane visit TechBoston Academy to see the success of the E-Rate Program, created as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. E-Rate has helped low-income students and families by providing more than $42 billion - including $588 million in Massachusetts - to connect schools and libraries to the Internet. (Monday, 11 a.m., TechBoston Academy, 9 Peacevale Road, Dorchester)
ENERGY SITING: The Energy Facilities Siting Board holds a public hearing to consider whether the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's construction of a liquefied natural gas storage facility needs siting board approval. (Monday, 10 a.m., Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, fifth floor, Boston)
CARD, POLLSTERS TALK NH PREZ PRIMARY: Former White House chief of staff and state representative Andrew Card plans to lead a discussion of the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary. Card will talk about the race and the latest polls with James Pindell of The Boston Globe, Northeastern University pollster Dan Urman and Suffolk University pollster David Paleologos. Joe Shortsleeve of the Liberty Square Group will moderate the event, which is being put together by WMEX-1510AM and the Harvard Business School Association of Boston. (Monday, 7 p.m., Nixon Peabody, Boston)
PERAC COMMENT PERIOD: The Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission will hold a public hearing regarding the commission's proposed amendments to state regulations. (Monday, 10 a.m., PERAC, 5 Middlesex Ave., 3rd floor, training room, Somerville)
COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH SEN. DOWNING: Sen. Ben Downing holds a free Coffee & Conversation public forum at the Chesterfield Community Center. He holds such forums monthly in different towns across his district, which includes 52 communities in Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire counties. Members of the public are welcome to ask questions, pitch ideas, or submit comments. (Monday, 2-4 p.m., Chesterfield Community Center, Chesterfield)
STATEWIDE QUALITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The Center for Health Information and Analysis hosts a meeting of the Statewide Quality Advisory Committee. For those who can't attend, there's a call-in number - 1-888-710-9336 - and the passcode is 3306530. (Monday, 3 p.m., CHIA's office at 501 Boylston Street, 5th floor, Boston)
HEALEY REMARKS ON RECOVERY MONTH: As part of the 25th Recovery Month Celebration Day, Attorney General Maura Healey will make brief remarks at the State House about her office's efforts to combat drug addiction. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Gardner Auditorium, State House)
HEALTHCARE LECTURE: UMass Lowell opens its 2015 Lunchtime Lectures series with a presentation from Dr. Howard Bauchner, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Bauchner, a pediatrician, will discuss policy issues that have emerged in the second year of the Affordable Care Act, according to a release from UMass Lowell. At the Journal, he oversees 10 leading medical publications and resource guides for physicians. The event is free. The next Lunchtime Lecture features Grant Welker and Daniel Korschun, authors of "We Are Market Basket: The Story of the Unlikely Grassroots Movement that Saved a Beloved Business," on Oct. 14. (Monday, 11:45 a.m., UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, Lowell)
NEW HARBORWALK RECEPTION: Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and University of Massachusetts Boston Chancellor J. Keith Motley will attend a reception to celebrate the new HarborWalk. (Monday, 4 p.m., North side of campus, between the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the Harbor Point apartments, Dorchester)
NORTH-SOUTH RAIL WORKING GROUP: The working group established by proponents of adding a rail link between North and South stations will convene for the first time at the State House, hosted by Rep. Sean Garballey and Sen. Jamie Eldridge. The proposal to link commuter and Amtrak rails from the northeast corridor to the rail lines that extend into Maine is backed by former Govs. Michael Dukakis and William Weld and has been greeted with caution by Gov. Charlie Baker, who is concerned about the cost and is engaged in what many see as a rival project: expanding South Station. According to an email announcing the details of the working group's meeting, the late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy helped secure $4.5 million for a study on the project, which was terminated midway through by the Romney administration. The proponents claim, "The project would eliminate over 60,000 car trips a day into the city; earn an additional $120 million in passenger revenue; cut T maintenance expenses by $80 million; open up substantial opportunities for value capture on development stimulated by the link; and produce enough money and savings to bond the project over twenty years." (Monday, 12 p.m., Room 428)
LABOR RELATIONS: The Department of Labor Relations Advisory Council holds a meeting that is scheduled to include a report on staffing and the budget, discussion of a rule concerning post-department employment and updates on judicial appeals and training initiatives. Full agenda: http://www.mass.gov/lwd/labor-relations/advisory-council-agenda.pdf (Monday, 10 a.m., 1st floor conference room, 19 Staniford St., Boston)
PRIM MEETING: The Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management board meets. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Monday, 9:30 a.m. 84 State St., 2nd floor, Boston)
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: Treasurer Deborah Goldberg chairs a meeting of the Economic Empowerment Trust Fund Board. (Monday, 1 p.m., One Ashburton Place, 12th floor, west conference room, Boston)
SANDWICH BEACHES: Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, U.S. Rep. William Keating, state Sen. Vinny deMacedo and state Rep. Randy Hunt will join local officials for a grant announcement regarding the town of Sandwich's beach re-nourishment project. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Town Neck Beach Boardwalk, Town Neck Road, Sandwich)
CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will attend the 172nd meeting of the Worcester County Mechanics Association and the Mechanics Hall Annual Celebration of Excellence. The meeting will include an update on the Mechanics Hall master plan and a presentation of the Master Mechanic Award to the Crowley family, which operates Polar Beverages and Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. (Monday, 5 p.m., Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester)
PORT LANDING: Rep. Marjorie Decker, Cambridge City Manager Richard Rossi, Cambridge Mayor David Maher, MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones celebrate the groundbreaking of Kendall Square affordable housing development Port Landing, along with the project's financing partners (Monday, 9:30 a.m., 50 Hampshire St., 9th floor, Cambridge)
DONG ENERGY: Assistant Secretary of Business Development Nam Pham attends an event welcoming DONG Energy to the United States. A Danish offshore wind developer, DONG Energy is taking over the Massachusetts offshore wind lease area previously awarded to RES Americas. (Monday, 6 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave., Boston)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2015
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE - FOOD LABELING HEARING: The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture holds a hearing on two bills - H 3242 and H 761 - related to the labeling of food and seed. H 3242, which has more than 150 sponsors, defines "genetically engineered" and requires that any product fitting this criteria be labeled "genetically engineered" or "produced with genetic engineering." Over 150 farms support the bill, according to the Massachusetts Coalition for GMO Labeling. Similar laws have already been passed in Connecticut, Maine and Vermont. A coalition of state and national groups opposes the bill on the grounds that additional costs will hurt farmers and small businesses, GMOs are as safe and nutritious as crops from traditional seed, and any labeling changes should be made at the federal level. The coalition includes the Massachusetts Food Association, Retailers Association of Massachusetts, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and others. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Gardner Auditorium)
CONTROL BOARD REPORT DUE ON MBTA PROBLEMS: The MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board is required to submit a preliminary report to Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore and legislative committees. The initial report is required to include a "preliminary analysis of and management plans to address the authority's structural operating deficit and its capital and maintenance needs over the 5 years," according to the state budget law. The report will be submitted Sept. 22, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. Board member Steve Poftak said the report will include the state of good repair database. (Tuesday)
EARLY CHILDHOOD FORUM: A forum on "The Crucial Early Childhood Years" will be the first of three of three fall forums sponsored by the Boston Foundation to focus on early childhood education, jobs and the skills needed to fill them, and income inequality in Boston. Boston Foundation President Paul S. Grogan will deliver remarks and Jessica Martin, director of the foundation's Boston Indicators Project, will make a data presentation. The forum will also include a panel discussion featuring Renée Boynton-Jarret, found Director of Vital Village Network at Boston Medical Center; Cherie Craft, executive director of Smart from the Start; Jason Sachs, the director of Early Childhood for the Boston Public Schools; and Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber. The panel will be moderated by Mary Jo Meisner, vice president for communications, community relations and public affairs at the Boston Foundation. (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., The Boston Foundation, 75 Arlington St., 10th Floor, Boston)
DOCUMENTARY SCREENING: LStar Communities will host a reception and screening of a new documentary on the history of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station established during WWII. SouthField, a residential and commercial community developed by LStar, is located on the same grounds as the former air base. Veterans groups, elected officials and the general public are invited to attend. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., Shea Fitness Center building at SouthField, 495 Shea Memorial Drive, Weymouth)
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMENT PERIOD: The Department of Public Health will hold a public hearing regarding proposed amendments to the state regulations that govern licensure of substance abuse treatment programs. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Department of Public Health, 2nd floor, 250 Washington St., Boston)
NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Gov. Charlie Baker attends the groundbreaking of a $21.1 million addition to the Lynn campus of North Shore Community College. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., 300 Broad St., Lynn)
WELCOME CABO VERDE PM: Gov. Charlie Baker will host a ceremony welcoming Cabo Verde Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves to Massachusetts. (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., front steps, State House).
BAKER MEETS WITH CABO VERDE PM: Gov. Charlie Baker meets with Cabo Verde Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves. Baker and Neves will hold a media availability following their meeting. (CLOSED PRESS, with camera spray) (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Senate Reading Room)
SENATE HEARING ON HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE RATES: Citing recent approvals of rate increases of more than 8 percent, a Senate committee plans a public hearing Tuesday on homeowner's insurance premiums. The Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, chaired by Lexington Democrat Sen. Michael Barrett, plans to inquire about the state's rate-setting process and the reasonableness of rates. The committee cited Division of Insurance approval this year for rates hikes of 8.9 percent for Mapfre USA Corp., 9.1 percent for Safety Insurance, and 7.7 percent for Bunker Hill Insurance. Expected to testify, according to the committee, are Insurance Commissioner Dan Judson, someone from Attorney General Maura Healey's office, Sen. Dan Wolf and Rep. Jim Cantwell, former State Rating Bureau Director Steve D'Amato, Citizens for Homeowners Insurance Reform President Paula Aschettino, Massachusetts Insurance Federation Executive Director John Murphy, and insurance industry officials. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Room 428)
COMMONWEALTH COMMENTARY WITH SECRETARY LEPORE: The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus holds a breakfast reception with Kristen Lepore, Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. The free event is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. (Tuesday, 8 a.m., 101 Huntington Ave., Boston)
CITIES HOLD PRELIM ELECTIONS: The cities of Brockton, Chelsea, Fall River, Fitchburg , Holyoke, Lawrence, North Adams and Pittsfield will hold preliminary elections for various elected positions. (Tuesday)
MEDFORD CHAMBER: Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash is the guest speaker at the Medford Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. The cost to attend is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Carroll's Restaurant, 21 Main St., Medford)
HEALTH CARE FINANCING COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing holds a hearing on 32 bills related to provider and payer policies. Health care workers from Boston Medical Center, Quincy Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance and a former North Adams hospital worker are all expected to testify on a Sen. Ben Downing (S 574) bill that would require private health insurers to negotiate new contracts with expensive providers, such as Partners Healthcare, in an effort, they say, to bring greater fairness to healthcare prices. Two bills (H 1032; S 1125) call for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to design a pilot program improving early childhood oral health, specifically among MassHealth patients. Sen. Michael Rodrigues has sponsored a bill (S 629) requiring a premium impact statement to be filed prior to the adoption, amendment or repeal of any health care regulation. Other bills change the definition of 'sole community provider,' specify how health care providers must receive payment, and reduce payment disparities among health care providers. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2228&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Room B-2)
CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure holds a hearing on 15 automotive bills, along with two bills related to alcohol licenses in Salem. Rep. Alice Peisch has sponsored a bill (H 246) making municipalities eligible to send agents to motor vehicle auctions. Sen. Viriato deMacedo has sponsored a bill (S 134) prohibiting repair shops from voiding a motor vehicle warranty, and two bills aim to increase fuel price transparency. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2198&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room A-1)
HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION: The Health Policy Commission's Quality Improvement and Patient Protection Committee will be asked to vote on regulations that ensure further consumer protections through the Office of Patient Protection (OPP). Committee members will also hear a presentation on OPP's 2014 Annual Report, which includes data on health insurance external review appeals. Members will also discuss HPC's bulletin on nurse staffing quality measures, released in conjunction with the HPC's ICU nurse staffing regulation. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 50 Milk St., Boston)
DIVERSIFYING THE BOARD ROOM: Kim Crawford Goodman, director of Alcatel-Lucent, shares her experience as a corporate director and top executive at a breakfast hosted by The Alliance for Business Leadership. (Tuesday, 7:30 a.m., The Offices of Flybridge Capital Partners, 500 Boylston Street, 3rd Floor, Boston)
RADIO HOST McPHEE INTERVIEWED: Candy O'Terry is scheduled to interview 1510 WMEX radio host and author Michele McPhee, according to Boston Women in Media & Entertainment. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., The Lenox Hotel, Boston)
UTILITIES COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy holds a hearing on 27 bills pertaining to utility reliability, poles and meters. Six bills deal with fines for when the removal of an existing pole is not completed within a designated time frame after the installation of a new one. Another (S 1775) sponsored by Sen. Brian Joyce establishes a microgrid grant and loan pilot program to support the development of clean energy. Rep. William Galvin has sponsored a bill (H 2877) requiring gas stations to be equipped with alternate power generation devices. Sen. James Timilty's bill (S 1796) requires provisions for police details on construction and work sites for gas and electric, telecommunications and cable television companies. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2215&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room B-1)
REVENUE COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Revenue holds a hearing on 35 bills relating to corporate tax credits. State Auditor Suzanne Bump is scheduled to testify on bill H 6, an Act to Enhance the Work of the State Auditor. Rep. Marjorie Decker filed a bill (H 3501) to create the Massachusetts Robotics Center under the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. Reps. Nick Collins and Paul McMurtry have sponsored a bill (H 2471) establishing a live theater tax credit program to support pre-Broadway and pre- off-Broadway shows. A bill (H 3508)sponsored by Rep. Daniel Hunt would incentivize businesses through tax credits to remove billboards, signs and other advertising that detracts from open space. Other bills relate to tax credits for mill properties, hiring recent graduates, video games, low-income housing and hospitals providing charitable care. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2217&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Room A-1)
LABOR COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development holds a hearing on 27 bills about employee rights and benefits. Assistant Majority Leader Cynthia Creem has sponsored a bill (S 962) mandating that an educational institution not require a student or applicant to disclose a username or password for a personal social media account, or compel a student to add a school employee to his or her contacts on such an account. Sen. James Timilty has a bill (S 1019) that would provide rules for restoring an employee who has taken a military leave for training purposes to his or her position. There are two bills to prevent wage theft and promote employer accountability, one of which (H 1748) has more than 75 cosponsors. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2219&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room A-2)
COALITION FOR GMO LABELING PRESS CONFERENCE: The Massachusetts Coalition for GMO Labeling holds a press conference preceding the hearing held by the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. The group is in favor of one of the bills to be discussed at the hearing (H 3242) establishing the genetic engineering transparency food and seed labeling act. The press conference will include representatives from MassPIRG, MA Right to Know GMOs, Consumers Union, Northeast Organic Farming Association and Dean's Beans. Members of the press are asked to RSVP to Conor Yunits atconor@libertysquaregroup.com or 617-695-0369. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Boston Common, near Brewer Fountain and Park Street Station)
POPE FRANCIS ARRIVES: Pope Francis arrives from Cuba at Joint Base Andrews for multi-state visit. This is Pope Francis' first time visiting the United States. Papal Visit Schedule: http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/2015-papal-visit-schedule.cfm (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Joint Base Andrews, Washington D.C)
FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE BOARD: Transactions by MassDevelopment, MassHousing and the MBTA will all be reviewed by the State Finance and Governance Board. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room 373)
CHIA BOARD MEETS: Health Information and Analysis Oversight Council holds its inaugural meeting. Agenda items include the election of officers, an overview of the Center for Health Information and Analysis, and the CHIA's FY17 budget submission. In the fiscal 2016 budget, the Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker created a new board to oversee CHIA. (Tuesday, 10 a.m.,Center for Health Information and Analysis, 501 Boylston St., 5th Floor, Boston)
BOARD OF EDUCATION: The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education holds its regular meeting, with agenda items to include continuing discussion of student assessment, an update on the Holyoke Public Schools, discussion of the fiscal 2017 budget process and timeline, an update on Level 5 schools, and votes on an amendment to charter school regulations and regulations on autism endorsements for educator licensure. Associate Education Commissioner Carrie Conaway is slated to discuss a recent study looking at assessment practices in Massachusetts schools, conducted for the department by the American Institutes for Research. Full agenda: http://www.doe.mass.edu/boe/docs/2015-09/default.html (Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., 75 Pleasant St., Malden)
CHARTER SCHOOL ACCESS KICK OFF: A newly-formed coalition of parents, education advocates, public charter schools and community organizations will kick off a campaign to increase access to public charter schools in Massachusetts. Members of the coalition, calling itself Great School Massachusetts, last month filed a ballot petition to allow the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to authorize up to 12 new public charter schools or existing school expansions each year. While the proposed change would leave existing caps on charter school seats by district in place, the board could license charter schools in excess of the cap in certain districts if it determines the need for choice is great enough. The coalition says it is "committed to providing families stuck on waiting lists with the schools they need, whether through a ballot measure or a legislative solution." The kick-off event will feature speeches from public school parents and public charter school alumni. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., State House front steps)
UMASS BUILDING AUTHORITY: A meeting of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority is scheduled to include a report on the status of current capital projects and the annual election of UMBA board officers. A vote is also scheduled on room rates at the Dartmouth and Lowell campuses. Members will go into executive session for an update on real estate issues and to authorize UMBA staff to proceed with the negotiation of real estate for UMass Boston. Full agenda: http://www.umassba.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/UMBA-Board-Meeting-Agenda-for-9_22_15.pdf (Tuesday, 9 a.m., UMass Lowell Allen House, 2 Solomont Way, Lowell)
LOTTERY COMMISSION: The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission meets to discuss extending the lease of its retail facility in Worcester and to update the regulations for the Powerball game. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., One Ashburton Place, 12th floor, west conference room, Boston)
OPIOID OVERDOSE REDUCTION ACT: U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno hold a press conference with first-responders and leaders from American Medical Response. AMR, along with representatives from the American Ambulance Association and the Massachusetts Ambulance Association, will show support for Neal's bipartisan Opioid Overdose Reduction Act of 2015, a bill that would protect first responders, health professionals and family members from civil liability if they administer an opioid overdose prevention drug like naloxone in an emergency situation. The American Ambulance Association will present Neal with an award recognizing his support for emergency medical services. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., AMR Springfield, 95 Cottage St., #1, Springfield)
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