What's ahead in state government this week
Cape young professionals meet; Peake & Wolf on Eversource and cormorants; deMacdeo fundraiser
ARTICLE | POLITICS | OCTOBER 17, 2015 06:00 AM | BY STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
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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