What's ahead in state government this week
Bump at AFL-CIO Convention in Hyannis; Mannal's bill on restraining students; Peake poses poet laureate
ARTICLE | POLITICS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2015 06:00 AM | BY STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
- See more at: https://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/09/26/226373-Whats-ahead-state-government-week#sthash.6UADCIsQ.dpuf
Addicts seeking treatment services to turn their lives around are set to benefit from a new law that kicks in Thursday and affords insurance coverage for up to 14 consecutive days of medically necessary treatment and stabilization services. According to behavioral health care providers, until now insurers have not been required to cover detox or detox step-down care at all and if they do, they determine the length of stay. The new law allows the treating clinician to determine medical necessity and the appropriate length of stay for up until 14 days. Implementation of the new law comes as the state Senate on Thursday plans to take up legislation focused on prevention and education efforts that senators hope will dim demand among Massachusetts residents for heroin and addictive prescription painkillers associated with a continuing spike in overdose deaths.
The energy debate is also set to surge with a hearing Tuesday on clean power bills, including plans from Gov. Charlie Baker to draw more hydroelectricity into Massachusetts and boost the state's production of solar power. The House is the big unknown on the energy front since the Senate has already attached its solar power proposal to a climate change adaptation bill and Baker has laid some of his cards on the table with his two clean energy bills and by publicizing his work regionally to bring more natural gas into Massachusetts. House Speaker DeLeo says he wants a comprehensive energy bill but that it's possible that a solar-only bill may advance.
While senators are gearing up for their third formal session since ending their summer recess, the House has extended its summer break into the fall. The last formal House session was in late July and House Speaker Robert DeLeo has called House members back to Beacon Hill for a formal session on Wednesday, with action possible on a spending bill to close the books on fiscal 2015. Executive and legislative branch leaders have been in talks about this bill and state Comptroller Thomas Shack told the News Service the closeout deadline, for practical purposes, is the end of October when he needs to file the state's Statutory Basis Financial Report.
On the political front, Massachusetts will get visits from two of the Democrats running for president as both Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders are planning campaign events next week. And everyone has their eyes on Washington again as Congress is up against another government shutdown threat, with Thursday as the deadline for a funding bill.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26, 2015
FRIENDS OF HOWARD ZIFF REUNION: The UMass Amherst Journalism Department invites friends of founding department chair Howard Ziff, who died in 2012, back to campus to see new facilities and participate in the dedication of the Howard Ziff Gallery. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal plans to attend. The event includes a dinner with keynote speech from Boston Globe columnist and reporter Kevin Cullen. (Saturday, S414 Integrative Learning Center, 650 North Pleasant St., Amherst)
MASS MEDIA EXPO: The Massachusetts Production Coalition presents the third-annual Massachusetts Media Expo, showcasing the state's film and media companies. A keynote panel will feature personnel and local crew members from the Massachusetts-filmed Whitey Bulger movie Black Mass. Other scheduled events include a screening of Massachusetts-made short films and a panel on the evolving use of drone technology in film. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for MPC members. (Saturday, 11 a.m., WGBH Studios, 1 Guest St., Boston)
FUNERAL FOR AMHERST TOWN MANAGER: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will attend the funeral of Amherst Town Manager John Musante. (Saturday, 10 a.m., Grace Episcopal Church of Amherst, 14 Boltwood Ave., Amherst)
WESTERN MASS COLLEGE DEMS KICKOFF: Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will speak to a kickoff event for the western region of College Democrats of Massachusetts. (Saturday, 3 p.m., University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Commonwealth Honors College Building, Room 160E)
FOSTER KIDS OF MERRIMACK VALLEY: The 10th anniversary celebration for Foster Kids of the Merrimack Valley will include remarks from Senate President Stanley Rosenberg. (Saturday, DiBurro's Function Facility, 887 Boston Road, Haverhill)
CHICOPEE SCHOOL DEDICATION: Gov. Charlie Baker attends the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the new First Sergeant Kevin A. Dupont Memorial Middle School, at the site of the former Chicopee High School. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal is also scheduled to attend. Dupont, a Chicopee High School graduate, died June 17, 2009, at the age of 52, from wounds sustained in an IED explosion in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The school will be open for public tours after the ceremony. (Saturday, 9:45 a.m., 650 Front St., Chicopee.)
JOHNNY APPLESEED FESTIVAL: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito pays tribute to the state's official folk hero at the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Appleseed's hometown of Leominster. (Saturday, 1 p.m., 7 Park St., Leominster)
SHREWSBURY FALL FESTIVAL: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the Shrewsbury Fall Festival in her hometown. (Saturday, 11:30 a.m., 45 Oak St., Shrewsbury)
KENNEDY AT KENNEDY SCHOOL: Congressman Joe Kennedy III will attend the Harvard Institute of Politics' National Campaign Conference where he will participate in a discussion on engaging millennials in the 2016 election. (Saturday, 9 a.m., Harvard Kennedy School, 79 JFK Street, Cambridge)
GEORGETOWN SCHOOL: Massachusetts School Building Authority Executive Director Jack McCarthy attends a ribbon cutting ceremony at Penn Brook Elementary School in Georgetown. The MSBA is contributing up to $20,117,006 of eligible expenses towards the new school. (Saturday, 10 a.m., 68 Elm Street, Georgetown)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 2015
SHREWSBURY FALL PARADE: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito takes part in the Shrewsbury Fall Festival Parade, which begins at the Beal Early Childhood Center and ends at Oak Middle School. (Sunday, 1 p.m., Begins at 1 Maple Ave. and ends at 45 Oak St., Shrewsbury)
HEALEY ON THE RECORD: Moderators Ed Harding and Janet Wu welcome Attorney General Maura Healey as a guest for On the Record. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
BAKER WON'T RUN: Gov. Charlie Baker will "meet and greet" runners and spectators at the Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Road Race. (Sunday, 12 p.m., South and Washington streets, Roslindale)
KENNEDY AT GROSSMAN BRUNCH: The Newton Democratic City Committee hosts a fundraising brunch honoring former Treasurer Steve Grossman. Congressman Joseph Kennedy III is scheduled to speak. Individual tickets are $25. (Sunday, 11:30 a.m., American Legion Post 44, 295 California St., Newton)
GOLDBERG ON BUSINESS WEEK: Treasurer Deb Goldberg appears on NECN Business Week with Mike Nikitas. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.)
WARREN AT EMK INSTITUTE: Sen. Elizabeth Warren joins the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for their "Getting to the Point" series to discuss current issues and "challenges our government is facing." (Sunday, 4 p.m., Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Columbia Point, Boston)
CONGRESSMAN NEAL AT ROAD RACE: U.S. Rep. Richard Neal attends the 25th annual SIDS Race for Life in Springfield, which he sponsors along with the John Boyle O'Reilly Club and others. Registration is $30 on race day, with all proceeds benefitting the Massachusetts Center for SIDS. A post-race party will feature food trucks and entertainment. (Sunday, 10 a.m., 33 Progress Ave., Springfield)
MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2015
LEGISLATURE: The House and Senate are set to meet in informal sessions at 11 a.m.
MSBA ROUNDTABLE: The Massachusetts School Building Authority hosts a joint designer and owner's project manager roundtable discussion. The agenda includes a presentation by Ryan Maciej, architectural historian and preservation planner at the Massachusetts Historical Commission. (Monday, 9 a.m. India Street Conference Room, 2nd floor, 40 Broad St., Boston)
MARKEY, PAPAL ADVISOR TALK CLIMATE CHANGE: Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, a chief advisor to Pope Francis, and John Holdren, a science and technology advisor to President Barack Obama, will join Sen. Edward Markey to kick off a four-day conference examining the pope's climate changes encyclical and its impact on global faith, environmental policy and social justice. Cardinal Turkson, the president of the Pontifical Council on Peace and Justice at the Vatican, played a leading role in writing the encyclical earlier this year. (Monday, 12 p.m., Yawkey Center, Murray Room, 140 Commonwealth Ave., Boston)
METROWEST PLANNING: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the MetroWest Regional Collaborative annual meeting. The MetroWest Regional Collaborative is a think tank that facilitates inter-local collaborative planning and problem solving to enhance the quality of life in the metrowest region. (Monday, 6:30 p.m., Aegean Restaurant, 257 Cochituate Road, Framingham)
HOMELAND SECURITY ADDRESS AT AVIATION SUMMIT: Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will deliver keynote remarks at the Airlines for America Annual Commercial Aviation Industry Summit in Washington D.C., discussing the department's efforts to protect the aviation system while facilitating legitimate trade and travel. Credentialed media planning to attend must register at: http://summit.airlines.org. (Monday, 12:05 p.m., National Press Club, 13th floor, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.)
JAY ASH ON "OPEN HOUSE" | Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash will appear on Rep. Jay Kaufman's television show "Open House." Ash was city manager of Chelsea from 2000 until he was appointed to the governor's cabinet. Ash was also staff director to former Massachusetts House Majority Leader Richard Voke. (Monday, 7 p.m., 13 Depot Square in Lexington Center)
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary travels to Springfield for a public hearing of 14 bills. Two bills - one of which has 50 cosponsors - establish civil and criminal penalties for female genital mutilation and create an education, prevention and outreach program. H 1293, sponsored by Rep. Michael Finn, defines what makes one guilty of homicide by a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating substance. Sen. James Welch has sponsored a bill (S 952) increasing penalties for assault, assault and battery, stalking and criminal harassment at youth sporting events. Other bills define the crime of stolen valor (H 1641), establish the Murder Victims Families Assistance Fund (S 951), and detail registration with the office of probation for crimes against seniors (H 1346). All bills have been or will be heard in regularly scheduled hearings at the State House, and committee co-chairs Rep. John Fernandes and Sen. William Brownsberger ask that anyone wishing to testify only do so once. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2240&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Monday, 1 p.m., Western New England School of Law, Moot Court Room, 1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield)
SOLAR INDUSTRY CALL: A solar lobbyist, an official at a California nonprofit called Vote Solar and Easton Town Administrator David Colton will participate in a conference call, as they push for a lift in the amount of business-and-government solar megawatts that can be sold to the grid for the retail price. The so-called net metering cap has been hit in some regions, and the solar industry will want to pressure House lawmakers to pass a cap lift. Gov. Charlie Baker proposed a lift and the Senate already passed a bill aimed at continuing net-metering until the state reaches its goal of 1,600 megawatts of solar. Participating in the call are Fred Zalcman, a registered lobbyist and managing director of government affairs for the Northeast states at Sun Edison, and representative of the Solar Energy Industries Association; Nathan Phelps, program manager of DG regulatory policy for Vote Solar; and Colton, who participated in the Net Metering Task Force. (Monday, 11 a.m., For call-in information, please reach out to Stephen Eisele at seisele@melwoodglobal.com or Dave Guarino at dguarino@melwoodglobal.com)
THE "BIG THREE" MEET: Gov. Charlie Baker, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo plan to meet. This will be their first meeting since July 27. (CLOSED PRESS) (Monday, 2 p.m., Senate President's Office, State House)
HUSKIES MEET AT STATE HOUSE: House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a 1972 graduate of Northeastern University, and NU President Joseph Aoun will host a reception for NU alumni. Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will also attend. (Monday, 6 p.m., Hall of Flags, State House)
FOUNDATION BUDGET REVIEW COMMISSION: The Massachusetts Foundation Budget Review Commission, tasked with reviewing the way school districts' foundation budgets are calculated, holds a meeting that is scheduled to include a methodology discussion and presentation on in-district special education costs. The commission includes legislators, state education officials and representatives from Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association, Stand for Children, Strategies for Children and the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators and the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools. (Monday, 9:30 a.m., Hearing Room A-1)
MARKEY MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Before speaking at a Boston College conference on Pope Francis' climate change encyclical, U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and White House Office of Science and Technology Director John Holdren hold a media availability. Contact Ed Hayward in the BC Office of News and Public Affairs at ed.hayward@bc.edu or 627-552-4826 to attend. (Monday, 11:30 a.m., Murray Room, Boston College Yawkey Center, 140 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2015
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DISCUSSION: The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) hold a town hall meeting where physicians plan to discuss concerns about poorly designed electronic health records (EHR). The criticism is that government rules require EHR systems to perform too many functions and that it's difficult to share information between systems, according to a statement from AMA. The AMA will discuss its initiatives to encourage better designed EHRs and reframe government regulations. Tickets for the free meeting, which can be attended in person or online, are available here. (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Massachusetts Medical Society, 860 Winter St., Waltham)
LECTURE AT JFK LIBRARY: Bruce Riedel, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, speaks at a forum at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. He will discuss his new book, "JFK's Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and the Sino-Indian War." The event is free and open to the public but reservations are strongly recommended. They can be made at http://www.jfklibrary.org/Events-and-Awards/Forums or by calling 617-514-1643. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Columbia Point, Boston)
DIGITAL MEDIA ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Peter Hamby, head of news at Snapchat and author of the study "Did Twitter Kill The Boys On The Bus," will talk "Digital Media on the Campaign Trail," at the Kennedy School. (Tuesday, 12 p.m., Kennedy School)
TOURISM COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development holds a hearing on 18 bills. Rep. Benjamin Swan has sponsored a bill (H 2930) calling for the creation of a center in Springfield's Mason Square on the Underground Railroad, Civil Rights Movement and black heritage. Division Chair Sarah Peake and Rep. Denise Provost have sponsored a bill (H 2927) creating the position of poet laureate for the Commonwealth. Also on the agenda are two now outdated bills regarding Boston's 2024 Olympic bid. Other bills designate the quahog as the official shellfish of the Commonwealth (S 1803), establish the Massachusetts Artists Disaster and Emergency Aid Fund (H 2932), and establish a commission to research opportunities to enhance tourism at the State House (H 2926). Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2239&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room 437)
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Financial Services holds a hearing on 22 bills, including S 530 and H 903 which clarify conditions in which automobile and homeowners insurers can and cannot cancel policies. Assistant Majority Leader Cynthia Creem has sponsored a bill (S 488) requiring the commissioner of insurance to establish a central registry containing insurance policy information of living and deceased Holocaust victims. H 810, sponsored by Rep. James Cantwell, requires the commissioner to investigate every two years how flood insurance rates are set. Rep. Robert Koczera has sponsored a bill (H 896) prohibiting companies from denying coverage to an innocent spouse for a loss that occurred due to the criminal act of the other spouse. Other bills deal with insurance for fire, travel and self-storage. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2241&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Room 222)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy holds a hearing on 11 bills on clean energy, including two from Gov. Charlie Baker. S 1965 authorizes long-term contracts for hydroelectric power to help the Commonwealth procure 1,200 megawatts of hydroelectric power and meet its goals for 2020, as laid out in the Global Warming Solutions Act. The other bill (H 3724) increases the net metering cap for solar generators in an effort to more quickly meet the 2020 goal of 1,600 megawatts of solar generation. Rep. Mark Cusack has sponsored a bill (H 2861) requiring distribution companies to solicit additional proposals from renewable energy developers and enter into long-term contracts. H 3532, sponsored by Rep. Paul Mark, creates the Massachusetts Green Energy Development Bank, which would coordinate financing for energy improvements and provide loans to energy technologies. Other bills address waste-to-energy facilities, bonding authority for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, and offshore wind energy. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2216&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Gardner Auditorium)
MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS: The Massachusetts Municipal Councillors' Association holds a meeting and breakfast. Association President Robert Logan of Waltham gives welcoming remarks, followed by a keynote address from Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and legislative update from Massachusetts Municipal Association Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. (Tuesday, 8:15 a.m., Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose)
WOMEN OF COLOR IN POLITICS: The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators host a release of the publication, "Profiles in Leadership: Women of Color Elected to Office in Massachusetts." The guide is a joint publication of UMass Boston's Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy and the Women's Pipeline for Change, and it features 94 women of color elected in the Commonwealth. Event attendees include Karen Holmes Ward of WCVB (emcee), Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, Rep. Gloria Fox, Rep. Keiko Orrall, and MassVOTE executive director Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, among others. (Tuesday, 1:15 p.m., Room 248)
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Public Health holds a hearing on 20 bills. H 1961, which is sponsored by Rep. Denise Garlick and has more than 50 cosponsors, aims to reduce the Health Safety Net Trust Fund's shortfall by establishing a new Large Physician Organizations Assessment. Sen. Daniel Wolf has sponsored a bill (S 1231) establishing a commission on acupuncture and wellness. H 1882, sponsored by Rep. Bruce Ayers, instructs the Department of Public Health to conduct a feasibility study on transferring oversight of all memory care units in assisted living facilities from the Department of Elder Affairs to the DPH. Other bills would let health insurers provide coverage for telemedicine services (H 1944), establish a program to provide monthly compensation to family caregivers (H 3472), and set qualifications for the new level of Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (H 249 and S 1118). Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2238&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room B-2)
FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE BOARD: The Fisheries and Wildlife Board holds its monthly meeting at Tyringham Town Hall, and then at 1:30 p.m. presents its 2015 Francis W. Sargent Award at the Berkshire Natural Resources Council's Stedman Pond Reserve. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 116 Main Road, Tyringham)
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING: The Massachusetts Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative holds a meeting scheduled to include discussions of objectives from the manufacturing caucus and the Baker administration, industry priorities and a draft plan for 2016. The collaborative also plans to discuss its activities for Massachusetts Manufacturing Month, celebrated in October. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., One Ashburton Place, 21st floor, conference room 2)
MASS HOME CARE CONFERENCE: Mass Home Care holds its 2015 network conference, "New Visions For Long Term Supports." Elder Affairs Secretary Alice Bonner delivers the morning keynote address. There will be a panel discussion on improving long-term supports, featuring assistant secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Daniel Tsai, Dr. Rob Schreiber of Hebrew SeniorLife's Healthy Living Center of Excellence, and Mass Home Care President Dan O'Leary. There will also be 20 workshops. The cost is $90, and registration is available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mass-home-cares-2015-network-conference-new-visions-for-long-term-supports-registration-17482128517 (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Holiday Inn Boxborough, 242 Adams Place, Boxborough)
AUTISM COMMISSION: The Autism Commission will meet to receive an overview of the commission's statutory responsibilities and to review open meeting and state ethics laws. If time allows, the commission will also get an update on the MassHealth Program. (Tuesday, 10:15 a.m., 600 Washington St., Training Rooms 7007 and 7008, Boston)
DeLEO ATTENDS DRUG COURT SESSION: House Speaker Robert DeLeo plans to attend a 2 p.m. Tuesday session of drug court at the East Boston Municipal Court.
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture holds a hearing on 28 bills. H 697, which is sponsored by Rep. Jay Kaufman and Sen. Kenneth Donnelly and has more than 35 cosponsors, requires the Administrative Council of the Toxics Use Reduction Act to publish the chemicals in children's consumer products list. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr has sponsored a bill (S 466) requiring local approval for low level radioactive waste sites. H 645, sponsored by Rep. Claire Cronin, increases from $3,000 to $5,000 the annual stipend for members of hazardous material response teams. Other bills promote safer alternatives to toxic chemicals (S 453), establish the Department of Environmental Protection Appeals Board (H 695), and restrict the use of certain pesticides around children (S 395). Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2248&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room B-1)
HOUSING COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Housing holds a hearing of seven bills. Rep. Kevin Honan and Sen. James Eldridge have sponsored a bill requiring the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to create a small-scale housing development demonstration that creates at least 1,000 units within four years. H 1105, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Hecht and Sen. Patricia Jehlen, establishes a special commission to study the need for accessible homes for the elderly, returning veterans with disabilities and households that include persons with disabilities. Sen. Harriette Chandler has sponsored a bill that would repeal a law mandating repayment of funds for construction in smart growth zoning districts if the construction has not begun. Other bills address equal access to housing, growth controls, multi-family housing construction and housing permitting. Full agenda:https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2165&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Room B-2)
COMMUNITIES HOLD PRELIMINARY ELECTIONS: The cities of Gloucester, Lowell, Newburyport, Peabody and Salem will hold preliminary elections for various elected positions. (Tuesday)
STATE BUILDING AUTHORITY AUDIT: The Massachusetts State College Building Authority will hold a meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee to discuss the fiscal 2015 audit and a fall 2015 report on state university occupancy of residence halls. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., UMass Club, 225 Franklin St., Boston)
MASS. COLLEGE BUILDING AUTHORITY: The Massachusetts College Building Authority will meet to approve the fiscal 2015 audit and take up declarations of intent and contract authorizations for Bridgewater State University residence hall renovations, Fitchburg State University residence hall renovations, Mass. College of Liberal Arts residence hall renovations and student activity facilities, Salem State University's Ellison Center, and an addition at Westfield State University. The authority will meet in executive session to discuss a Framingham State University property acquisition. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., UMass Club, 225 Franklin St., Boston)
GOLDBERG IN D.C.: Treasurer Deb Goldberg participates in a public plenary session as part of the sixth annual SAIS Global Conference on the Status of Women in the Boardroom in Washington, D.C. The session focuses on "levers of power that can accelerate the selection of women directors." (Tuesday, 8 a.m., Caucus Room, House of Representatives Cannon Office Building, Washington, D.C.)
CREDIT UNION HEROES HONORED: The Warren Group and Banker & Tradesman honor the 2015 Credit Union Heroes at a dinner, with Rosie's Place executive director Sue Marsh as the keynote speaker. The recipients will also be featured in the Sept. 28 issue of Banker & Tradesman. The winners are John Feitor of Naveo Credit Union, Susan Franklin and Donna McCullen of Workers' Credit Union, Kathy Fratamico of Pioneer Valley Credit Union, George Hardiman and Hicham Naciri of Tremont Credit Union, Paul Marotta of Hanscom Federal Credit Union, Diana Moreno of Metro Credit Union, Mike Ostrowski of Arrha Credit Union, and Jodi Rathbun-Briggs of Greylock Federal Credit Union. (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Courtyard Marriott Boston, 275 Tremont St., Boston)
GAMING COMMISSION ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY: The Massachusetts Gaming Commission Access and Opportunity Committee meets. On the agenda are discussions of management and laborer diversity reporting and lower-tier subcontractor diversity participation, as well as reports on design and construction activity for the MGM Springfield casino and Wynn Everett casino. Full agenda: http://massgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/Meeting-Notification-and-Agenda-9-29-15-AOC.pdf (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., 101 Federal St., 12th floor, public meeting room B/C)
ELEVATOR REGULATIONS: The Board of Elevator Regulations meets to conduct a code review and discuss several petitions for variance. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., One Ashburton Place, 6th floor)
LGBT/Q PEOPLE OF COLOR CAMPAIGN: TOD@S Collaborative kicks off a public awareness campaign about domestic violence and partner abuse between LGBT/Q people of color, timed with the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The campaign will feature ads in print, online, and on public transit depicting healthy relationships. It will also direct domestic violence survivors to resources and support. Speakers at the event will include survivors of partner abuse and leaders of domestic violence service agencies. TOD@S Collaborative is a coalition including the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition, The Network / La Red, Renewal House Shelter, and The Violence Recovery Program at Fenway Health. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, 10 Putnam St., Roxbury)
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE: The Public Service Committee will hear bills concerning individuals' retirement benefits, including a Rep. William Galvin effort to provide additional benefits to several retired Capitol Police officers injured in the line of duty. Another bill would credit Old Rochester Regional School District employee Thomas Richard Kinsky with credit for his service as a teacher at the Marianas School District in Saipan from 1995-1999. Other legislation would retire a former State Police officer injured while serving as an undercover narcotics officer; and direct the teachers' retirement board to credit Gary Tirrell for his 1970s service as an elected member of the Westfield parks and recreation commission. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Room A-2)
HANNA AWARDS: Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will offer remarks at the Hanna Awards ceremony. Police who recently displayed heroism will receive Hanna Awards in honor of Trooper George Hanna, who was shot and killed in February 1983 while searching three suspects during a traffic stop in Auburn. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., House Chamber)
BAKER VS. WALSH ON THE DIAMOND: Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will be on hand as their administration takes on Boston Mayor Martin Walsh's team in a friendly game of softball. Team Baker will be the visiting team under the lights at McConnell Park in the Savin Hill section of Walsh's neighborhood of Dorchester. (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., McConnell Park, Springdale and Denny streets, Dorchester)
CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure holds a hearing on 21 bills on alcohol brewers, consumer protection issues and check cashing. H 245, which is sponsored by Rep. Alice Peisch and has more than 80 cosponsors, provides rules for a supplier discontinuing sale of alcoholic beverages to a wholesaler. Rep. Dennis Rosa has sponsored a bill requiring credit card issuers to notify cardholders at least 120 days before the expiration of any credit agreement. H 210, sponsored by Rep. Louis Kafka, establishes a commission to study equitable costs in cemeteries, burials and crematories. Other bills deal with the purchase by non-profits of alcohol from retail package stores for charitable events, regulate the granting of temporary liquor licenses at auctions, require pawnbrokers to photograph and catalog items, and prohibit banks from charging fees to customers for cashing or processing checks. Full agenda: https://malegislature.gov/Events/EventCurrentDetail?eventId=2199&eventDataSource=Hearings&isCurrent=True (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Room A-1)
FLANAGAN ON GREATER BOSTON: Sen. Jennifer Flanagan is scheduled to appear on Greater Boston with host Jim Braude. The show will also include a charter school discussion with Boston NAACP President Michael Curry and William Lee, one of three attorneys who this month filed a class-action lawsuit seeking to lift the cap on charter schools. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., WGBH-TV)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2015
HOUSE - FORMAL SESSION: House Democrats plan to attend a closed caucus at noon in Room A-1 and then hold a 1 p.m. formal session, their first since July. Members have been advised to be prepared to consider "items printed on the Calendar, reports of committees and papers from the Senate, as may be received." A fiscal 2015 supplemental spending bill has been rumored as a likely focus, should the bill be ready for floor debate.
MEGAN'S HOUSE OPEN HOUSE: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will deliver the keynote address at the open house celebration of Megan's House, a residential treatment home for women overcoming addiction. Rep. Thomas Golden will also attend. (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., 32 Berry Road, Lowell)
BAKER AT CHARTER RIBBON-CUTTING: Gov. Charlie Baker will attend a ribbon-cutting at Phoenix Charter Academy Springfield, which opened its doors last year. Baker sat on the board of Phoenix Charter Academy Network, which serves students in Chelsea, Lawrence and Springfield, until he stepped down after his election. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the school in Springfield this year has 122 students in ninth and tenth grade. The network "targets students who have traditionally failed in the public school system." Baker wants to increase number of charter schools that can operate in Massachusetts and says he plans to file charter legislation. (Wednesday, 4 p.m., 65 Lincoln Street, Springfield)
BUMP ADDRESSES SENIORS: Auditor Suzanne Bump is the featured speaker at a meeting of Holyoke's Golden Senior Club. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Holyoke Council on Aging, 291 Pine St., Holyoke).
AMERICAN, CANADIAN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: The New England Canada Business Council hosts a briefing on the outlook for U.S. and Canadian economies. Panelists include Katharine Bradbury from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and Brian Lee Crowley from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute Canada. Registration is $25 for NECBC members at $35 for non-members. Register athttp://www.eventbrite.com/e/canada-new-england-economic-outlook-forum-tickets-18532344742. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., Burns & Levinson offices, 125 Summer St., Boston)
EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Education holds a hearing on 19 bills. Rep. James Dwyer has sponsored a bill (H 351) forming a study group on all present mandates imposed upon local public schools and districts. It also puts a moratorium on all new mandated education programs and/or expenses until July 1, 2016, while Rep. Sean Garballey's bill (H 376) puts the moratorium at Dec. 31, 2016. Rep. Brian Mannal has sponsored a bill (H 3397) stating that a student can only be physically restrained if the parent or guardian has previously consented, unless there is a threat of violence. H 3398, s