Term One Legislation

Filed: February 10, 2010
The bill provides a tax credit for small businesses to create thousands of new jobs, as well as reducing business costs generally by freezing unemployment insurance rates for all Massachusetts businesses, by proposing essential long-term reforms of our unemployment insurance system, and by including tools for easing the burden of health care costs on small businesses.

Filed: January 27, 2010
Supplemental funding requests for FY 2010 of $229 million to fund obligations.

Filed: January 27, 2010
This proposal will centralize all community supervision of adult offenders, from the early pretrial stages of the criminal process through release to the community after incarceration, within one agency in the Executive Department: the Department of Community Supervision. This legislation eliminates the parallel system of parole and probation officers for adult criminal offenders.

Filed: January 27, 2010
This legislation, as required by federal law, requires DOR to take its role one step further with respect to addressing the health care needs of children.

Filed: January 27, 2010
This legislation restructures certain state agencies to make them more cost effective and responsive to needs of the Commonwealth by consolidating services and program staff.

Filed: January 26, 2010
Following last year's pension reforms, this proposal further overhauls the benefits plan including placing a cap on earnings and raising retirement age to make system fair for tax payers and state employees.

Filed: January 22, 2010
This legislation proposes a pension funding relief plan to help local pension systems address unprecedented asset losses in a fiscally responsible and manageable way without the significant increases in payments that would otherwise be required.

Filed: December 31, 2009
This legislation provides a comprehensive approach by requiring the City to fulfill conditions to get back on a path to responsible budgeting and to avoid the need for the state to implement a control board in Lawrence.

Filed: October 29, 2009
Within this letter to the Legislature and the supporting documents, Governor Patrick lays out a series of spending reductions and savings.

Filed: June 29, 2009
This legislation recommends supplemental appropriations.

Filed: June 4, 2009
This legislation allows victims and witnesses of rape, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, and enticement of children under 16 to seek criminally enforceable protection orders.

Filed: May 7, 2009
Fiscal Year 2009 supplemental appropriations totaling $173.6 million in order to address immediate deficiencies.

Filed: May 7, 2009
This bill calls for mandatory post-release parole supervision of state prison inmates who would otherwise return to their communities without any supervision or assistance.

Filed: May 7, 2009
This bill will align the Commonwealth with the national trend towards de-mystifying criminal records, and will enable us to capture a new revenue stream as well.

Filed: May 6, 2009
This legislation tackles the problem of violence and illegal firearm possession in several ways.

Filed: April 24, 2009
This legislative proposal enables the Commonwealth to take full advantage of federal stimulus funding for broadband deployment initiatives.

Filed: March 20, 2009
This legislation builds on the work and ideas of the more than 275 people who participated in task forces that this administration established to plan for and maximize the Commonwealth's receipt of federal funds available through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 ('ARRA').

Filed: February 24, 2009
A safe, efficient, and cost-effective transportation system is critical to building a strong Commonwealth. To get there from where we are today, we will need both comprehensive reform and a new infusion of revenue. This bill addresses both needs.

Filed: January 28, 2009
This legislation is based on a balanced framework that has enabled us to protect important services and minimize harmful cuts. The Emergency Recovery Plan relies on a balanced approach, using a number of different tools to prioritize and preserve key functions of government: spending restraint emphasizing reforms and more efficient government; prudent use of state reserves and other one-time resources; and responsible approaches to identifying additional recurring revenues.

Filed: January 28, 2009
This package of ideas, together with the Emergency Recovery bill, is aimed at diversifying the local revenue base and empowering cities and towns to more effectively use the funds they do have. This legislation includes tools to manage through current fiscal challenges and beyond, including provisions raising revenue from sources other than the property tax, supporting collaboration among communities, and modernizing out-dated and overly restrictive regulations and laws.

Filed: January 28, 2009
The Administration is pursuing wide-ranging Article 87 reforms that will transform the face of state government, restructuring agencies and revamping services to make them more cost-effective and responsive to the needs of our citizens.

Filed: January 28, 2009
The Administration is filing legislation to convert the seven existing county sheriffs into state sheriffs (the other seven sheriffs offices are already state agencies). Making county sheriffs into state sheriffs would provide more stable and predictable budgeting for these sheriffs and a clearer and more immediate picture of their fiscal needs. It would also achieve cost savings by allowing the Group Insurance Commission to provide their employees' health care.

Filed: January 28, 2009
The Administration is also filing legislation to establish a new, expedited process for disposing of surplus state land based on 'smart growth' land use policies. This bill reflects a balanced approach to disposing of surplus state land that is fair to the communities in which the property is located while also allowing state government to generate needed revenues. Half of the proceeds from the sale of surplus state land would be dedicated to the Smart Growth Fund, with the remainder allocated to a Capital Projects Fund to meet the capital improvement needs of the Commonwealth.

Filed: January 28, 2009
This proposal provides sick leave bank accountability and uniformity by requiring persons who are in need of a sick leave bank to apply to their supervisor, and agencies to apply the uniform regulations governing the criteria for eligibility and the operation of the sick leave banks established by the Secretary of Administration and Finance. With this legislative reform state employees suffering catastrophic illnesses will no longer be forced to obtain legislative support and the governor's approval, a burdensome and inefficient process.

Filed: January 7, 2009
This proposed legislation is the culmination of 60 days of thoughtful and diligent work by the Task Force on Public Integrity, a 13-member bi-partisan group which included my Chief Legal Counsel, eight members of the public, and four legislators representing the Senate and House Ethics Committees.

Filed: January 7, 2009
This legislation is necessary to enable the Governor to distribute any additional 9C cuts needed for fiscal year 2009 equitably among governmental functions.

Filed: October 15, 2008
Within this letter to the Legislature and the supporting documents, Governor Patrick lays out a series of spending reductions and savings as part of implementing a Fiscal Action Plan that includes more than $1 billion in immediate cuts and spending controls across state government, identifying additional revenues and a responsible draw on reserves.

Filed: July 13, 2008
This legislation recommends Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental appropriations totaling $21.5 million to address immediate deficiencies and $45.4 million for certain spending in Fiscal Year 2009, as set forth below.

Filed: June 21, 2008
This legislation provides the spending authorization to maintain necessary services through July 12, 2008, pending the passage of the General Appropriation Act

Filed: May 23, 2008
This legislation recommends Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental appropriations totaling $113.3 million.

Filed: May 13, 2008
This legislation will accelerate the repair and replacement of approximately 250 to 300 Massachusetts bridges identified as structurally deficient.

Filed: April 22, 2008
This legislation specifies the maximum terms for certain bonds authorized in Chapter 86 of the Acts of 2008, An Act Financing Improvements to the Commonwealth's Transportation System.

Filed: April 15, 2008
This legislation will recommend Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental appropriations totaling $267.6 million for immediate needs across the Commonwealth.

Filed: February 1, 2008
Among other investments, the legislation provides $2.7 million for newly ratified collective bargaining contracts, and $41.2 million for snow and ice removal costs at the Massachusetts Highway Department and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Filed: January 29, 2008
This legislation recommends a new, expedited process for disposing of surplus state real property based on smart growth land use policies.

Filed: January 28, 2008
This bill to allows the City of Salem either to borrow or to amortize to cover its school budget deficit.

Filed: January 23, 2008
The Administration's $28.165 billion state budget for fiscal year 2009, a fiscally and socially responsible plan that makes critical investments key to promoting economic growth and opportunity across the Commonwealth.

Filed: January 22, 2008
This legislation will close unintended corporate tax loopholes that primarily benefit larger multistate businesses and substantially reduce the business tax rate.

Filed: January 22, 2008
This legislation will promote more efficient government by transferring to the Commonwealth the seven sheriffs who are still county officers.

Filed: January 11, 2008
By reforming access to CORI reports, this bill will simultaneously create economic opportunity and enhance public safety by increasing employment opportunities for rehabilitated individuals with criminal records.

Filed: January 10, 2008<
This Article 87 legislation creates an Executive Office of Education, headed by a cabinet secretary, to improve policy coordination across all educational sectors.
- Article 87 Details
- Article 87 Questions and Answers

Filed: January 4, 2008
The bill provides for targeted investments to support local economic growth, well-maintained buildings and facilities, modern and secure information technology systems and state-of-the-art equipment.

Filed: December 21, 2007
This bill authorizes the Commonwealth to issue $1.4 billion in general obligation bonds to fund the Commonwealth's energy and environmental capital needs over the next five years.

Filed: November 29, 2007
An important first step toward the level of investment needed to adequately address the needs of our transportation system.

Filed: November 19, 2007
A bill recommending Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental appropriations totaling $57.1 million. This legislation is necessary to address $23 million for newly ratified collective bargaining contracts and $34.1 million immediate needs for FY08 for specific agencies.

Filed: November 16, 2007
A five-year, $1.090 billion investment in affordable housing related programs, based on the Administration's five-year capital investment plan and the related debt affordability analysis published last August.

Filed: November 5, 2007
A bill to strengthen our clean energy sector and enable our universities and technology companies to continue leading the nation in biofuels development. This bill also maximizes the Commonwealth's opportunity to grow our clean energy sector, play to our established strength in biotechnology and improve our environment in several ways

Filed: October 30, 2007
This legislation is necessary to provide additional heating assistance to low-income residents across the Commonwealth during the winter months of 2007 and 2008.

Filed: October 18, 2007
The legislation authorizes targeted investments in broadband infrastructure in Massachusetts communities currently without high-speed Internet access, and the creation of a Massachusetts Broadband Institute within the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

Filed: October 10, 2007
The legislation authorizes a historic, 10-year, $2 billion investment in higher education in Massachusetts, including new building or renovation projects at every one of the Commonwealth's community and state colleges and at each of the University of Massachusetts's campuses.

Filed: October 11, 2007
Legislation to authorize up to three destination resort casinos, a proposal that would create more than 20,000 jobs across the Commonwealth and generate millions of dollars in revenue to make critical transportation improvements and provide immediate property tax relief to more than a million homeowners.

September 17, 2007
Recommendations to fund the Fiscal Year 2007 and 2008 incremental costs contained in collective bargaining agreements

Filed: September 13, 2007
The legislation restructures and consolidates the Labor Relations Commission, Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, and Joint Labor-Management Committee into a new Division of Labor Relations located within the Department of Labor.

Filed: August 15, 2007
The rights of disabled persons to work, shop and enjoy recreational activities are vital to ensuring their full participation in society and enjoyment of life.

Filed: July 25, 2007
This legislation provides tax relief to affected Uxbridge taxpayers by setting the value of the real and personal property for tax purposes as the value immediately after the fire.

Filed: July 19, 2007
The legislation is a comprehensive plan solidify and expand Massachusetts' role as a global leader in the life sciences industry.

Filed: June 11, 2007
A plan to protect Massachusetts residents from predatory lending and home foreclosure.

Filed: May 18, 2007
This legislation builds on the success of a 2005 law that created state income tax credits to encourage motion picture production in Massachusetts and also established a sales tax exemption. With a proven track record, this legislation will further grow the state's film and television economy.

Filed: May 10, 2007
This legislation is necessary to address $70.3 million in immediate deficiencies in addition to the $23.5 million in Fiscal Year 2007 appropriations be made available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2008 for collective bargaining costs, the Summer Jobs program and the Public Safety initiatives.

Filed: April 30, 2007
The bill enhances the prohibitions on the sale of illegal guns and initiates the process of ending gun violence by shrinking the supply of illegal guns, limiting gun buyers to one firearm purchase per month, reducing gun trafficking by ¿straw purchasers¿ who purchase firearms for prohibited buyers, and empowering prosecutors to charge, and judges to sentence, those who possess a firearm during a crime of violence with tougher penalties.

Filed: April 12, 2007
This legislation provides for mandatory post-release supervision for all individuals serving time in a state prison, jail or house of correction. The period of post-release supervision will be 25 percent of the maximum term of incarceration imposed at sentencing, but in no case will be less than nine months.

Filed: April 12, 2007
This legislation shrinks the supply of illegal firearms, toughens penalties for those who would carry and use illegal guns in our streets, and makes sure that every person who is released from incarceration is monitored during a period of post-release supervision.

Filed: April 5, 2007
This legislation provides the department of environmental protection with the authority to exempt certain landlocked tidelands from the waterways licensing requirements of chapter 91 of the Massachusetts General Laws.

Filed: March 26, 2007
This legislation specifies the maximum terms for certain bonds authorized in Chapter 27 of the Acts of 2007, An Act Providing for the Immediate Capital Improvement Needs of the Commonwealth.

Filed: March 14, 2007
This legislation authorizes the Commonwealth to issue up to $1,469,500,000 in general obligation bonds to fund the following immediate capital needs of the Commonwealth.

Filed: February 28, 2007
This legislation creates a commission to recommend longer-term changes to modernize and simplify our current tax laws so as to promote tax fairness and equity, encourage business growth and innovation, and strengthen our global competitiveness.

Filed: February 15, 2007
This legislation will encourage cooperation between the Commonwealth and its communities to strengthen municipal authority and provide local governments with increased flexibility to address their unique challenges.

Filed: February 9, 2007
This Article 87 plan will bring together agencies that operate in related spheres, thereby enhancing the efficiency and responsiveness of governmental agencies and tying responsibility and authority to accountability.

Filed: February 6, 2007
This legislation is necessary to address $13.3 million in immediate deficiencies, and $5.7 million in new collective bargaining agreement obligations.

Filed: January 31, 2007
This legislation creates the Commonwealth Corps, an organization that provides Massachusetts residents with the opportunity to do volunteer work in communities across the state, both full- and part-time.