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Ms.
Chandler moves to amend the bill in Section 602 (e) by striking out the words
"(3) conduct a public hearing in the locality in which the property is located
to consider potential reuses and appropriate restrictions if the property parcels
exceeds two acres or if the commissioner determines that a hearing should be held
for a smaller parcel and shall provide reasonable public notice in advance of
the hearing;" and inserting in place thereof the following wording:-
"(3)
conduct a public hearing in the locality in which the property is located to consider
potential reuses including, but not limited to, the production of affordable housing
and appropriate restrictions if the property parcels exceeds two acres or if the
commissioner determines that a hearing should be held for a smaller parcel and
shall provide reasonable public notice in advance of the hearing;".
Ms.
Chandler moves to further amend the bill in Section 602 (g) by inserting after
the words "processes and procedures." the following sentence:-
"Proposals
that would produce a significant number of units of affordable housing, as determined
by the commissioner and by the director of the department of housing and community
development, may receive a preference in any competitive process."
Floor Number: 352 Clerk Number: 281
GRANTING LOCAL LICENSING BOARDS THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGE LICENSES ISSUED IN A COMMUNITY
Mr. Nuciforo moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section 425, the following
new Section:-
"SECTION 425A. Chapter 138 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2000
Official Edition is hereby amended by striking out sections 17 to 17C, inclusive,
and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sections:-
Section 17. Local licensing authorities shall grant licenses issued under sections
12 and15, including seasonal licenses, and shall grant license transfers under
section 23 without the approval of the commission. Approval by the local licensing
authority shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Section 17A. The number of licenses issued in a city or town under sections
12 and 15 and in force and effect at any 1 time during a license year shall
be determined by the city council in cities and the board of selectmen in towns."
Floor Number: 353 Clerk Number: 117
SUNDAY AND HOLIDAY PREMIUM PAY
Messrs. Lees, Havern, Tarr, Knapik and Mrs. Sprague
move to amend the bill by inserting, after Section ______, the following new Section:-
"SECTION ______. Section 1A of Chapter 151 of the General Laws, as appearing
in the 2000 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after the word "production"
in line 7 and before the word "shall" in line 8 the following phrase:
- and extra compensation paid to employees pursuant to chapter one hundred thirty-six
for work performed on Sundays and certain holidays
Said section shall also be amended by adding after the second sentence the following new sentence: - Such extra compensation as required by chapter one hundred thirty-six for work performed on Sundays and certain holidays shall be creditable toward overtime compensation due under this section."
Floor Number: 354 Redraft Clerk Number: 156
CLAIMS AND INDEMNITY PROCEDURE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH, ITS MUNICIPALITIES,
COUNTIES AND DISTRICTS AND THE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES THEREOF
Mr.
Baddour moves to amend the bill by inserting the following new section:
SECTION
. In any claim made against the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the
Massachusetts Port Authority, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, or a regional
transportation authority, for injury or loss of property or personal injury or
death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of such
authority while acting within the scope of his office or employment, such authority
shall not be liable for any amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars.
Floor Number: 355 Clerk Number: 401
AN AMENDMENT RELATIVE TO THE CLAIMS AND INDEMNITY PROCEDURE LAW
Mr. Tarr moves to amend the bill (Senate bill 2004) by
adding, at the end thereof, the following new section: -
SECTION _____. Section
1 of chapter 258 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the definition
of "Public employer" as most recently amended by chapter 537 of the
acts of 1983, and inserting in place thereof the following definition: -
"Public
employer", the commonwealth and any county, city, town, educational collaborative,
or district, including any public health district or joint district or regional
health district or regional health board established pursuant to the provisions
of section twenty-seven A or twenty-seven B of chapter one hundred and eleven,
or including any mosquito control district or project established pursuant to
the provisions of section 5A of chapter 252 and located within the department
of food and agriculture, and any department, office, commission, committee, council,
board, division, bureau, institution, agency or authority thereof which exercises
direction and control over the public employee, but not a private contractor with
any such public employer, the Massachusetts bay Transportation Authority, the
Massachusetts Port Authority, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, or any other
independent body politic and corporate. With respect to public employees of a
school committee of a city or town, the public employer for the purposes of this
chapter shall be deemed to be said respective city or town.
Floor Number: 356 Clerk Number: 17
ADMINISTRATIVE SIMPLIFICATION OF DUPLICATIVE REPORTING
Messrs.
Moore, Joyce, Knapik and Ms. Melconian move to amend the bill by adding at the
end thereof the following new Section:- SECTION________.
"To reduce the
administrative duplication in financial reporting by health care providers, the
executive office of Administration and Finance and the Executive Office of Health
and Human Services, in consultation with the Massachusetts Hospital Association
and other provider associations, shall conduct a study of financial and operational
reporting requirements by said providers to state agencies. The study shall identify
and recommend methods for minimizing duplicative reporting requirements, including,
but not limited to, those found in the Uniform Financial Statements and Independent
Auditor's Report (UFR) and the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy 403
cost report. By January 1, 2004, said agencies shall file the findings of the
study, together with their recommendations for minimizing reporting requirements,
with the House and Senate clerk's offices, House and Senate Committees on Ways
and Means and the joint committee on health care."
Floor Number: 357 Clerk Number: 95
COMMONWEALTH BID LIST
Messrs. Lees, Tisei,
Tarr, Hedlund and Knapik and Mrs. Sprague move to amend the bill by inserting
at the end thereof the following section:-
"SECTION ____. Notwithstanding
any general or special law to the contrary, the Secretary of Administration and
Finance shall post daily on the Commonwealth's website a list of all public projects
for which there is an open bid process. The list shall include the name of each
bidder and, if appropriate, the incorporated entity placing a bid and the location
of the bidder's principle place of business. The secretary shall also clearly
indicate on the website the process by which a prospective bidder may bid on any
project, and shall provide detailed instructions and contact information in order
to allow for all business entities in the Commonwealth to bid on projects."
Floor Number: 358 Clerk Number: 112
ROLLOVER
Messrs. Lees, Tisei,
Tarr, Hedlund, Knapik and Mrs. Sprague move to amend the bill by including the
following section at the end thereof:-
"SECTION ____. Notwithstanding
any general or special law to the contrary, the city council of any city may,
on recommendation of the mayor, transfer any amount appropriated for the use of
any department to the appropriation for any other department; provided, however,
that such transfers may not, in the aggregate, exceed 5% of the annual budget
of the department from which the transfer is made. In a town, the selectmen or
town council with concurrence of the finance committee or other entity established
under section 16 of chapter 39 of the General Laws, may transfer any amount appropriated
for the use of any department to the appropriation for any other department; provided,
however, that such transfers may not, in the aggregate, exceed 5% of the annual
budget of the department from which the transfer is made. Nothing in this section
shall be construed to alter the net school spending requirements of chapter 70
of the General Laws."
Floor Number: 359 Clerk Number: 118
TAX APPELLATE BOARD
Messrs. Lees, Tarr, Knapik, Hedlund and Mrs. Sprague move to amend the bill
by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:-
"SECTION ___. Chapter 58A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000
official edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 5 in its entirety."
Floor Number: 360 Clerk Number: 134
MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION PROCEDURES
Mr. Shannon moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section
610, the following new Section:
"SECTION ____.
Section 5 of chapter
151B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby
amended by striking out all lines from line 23 beginning with the words "If
such" through line 66 ending with the words "conciliation and persuasion"
and inserting in place thereof the following language:--
"If such commissioner
shall determine after such investigation that no probable cause exists for crediting
the allegations of the complaint, the commission shall, within ten days from such
determination, cause to be issued and served upon the complainant written notice
of such determination, and, and the said complainant or his attorney may, within
ten days after such service, file with the commission a written request for a
preliminary hearing before the commission to determine probable cause for crediting
the allegations of the complaint, and the commission shall allow such request
as a matter of right; provided, however, that such a preliminary hearing shall
not be subject to the provisions of chapter thirty A.such determination shall
not be subject to the provisions of chapter thirty A. If such commissioner shall
determine after such investigation that probable cause exists for crediting the
allegations of a complaint relative to a housing practice, the commissioner shall
immediately serve notice upon the complainant and respondent of its their right
to elect judicial determination of the complaint as an alternative to determination
in a hearing before the commission. If a complainant or respondent so notified
wishes to elect such judicial determination, he shall do so in writing within
twenty days of receipt of the said notice. The person making such election shall
give notice of such election to the commission and to all other complainants and
respondents parties to whom the probable cause finding relates. The commission,
upon receipt of such notice, shall dismiss the complaint pending before it without
prejudice and the complainant shall be barred from subsequently bringing a complaint
on the same matter before the commission. If any complainant or respondent in
a complaint alleging discrimination in housing elects judicial determination as
aforesaid, the commission shall authorize, and not later than thirty days after
the election is made the attorney general shall commence and maintain, a civil
action on behalf of the complainant in the superior court for the county in which
the unlawful practice occurred. Any complainant may intervene as of right in said
civil action. If any complainant or respondent in a complaint of discrimination
other than housing elects judicial determination as aforesaid, the commission,
shall authorize, and not later than thirty days after the election is made, the
attorney general shall shall either commence and maintain, a civil action on behalf
of the complainant in the superior court for the county in which the unlawful
practice occurred, or notify complainant in writing of his or her right to commence
such an action. Such civil action shall not be barred by any statute of limitations
provided that it is filed within ninety (90) days of the date that the respondent
elects judicial determination. Any complainant may intervene as of right in said
a civil action brought by the Commission and the Commission may intervene as of
right in any civil action brought by any complainant. The Commission may prosecute
the complaint in court by one of its attorneys. If the court in such civil action
finds that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur,
the court may grant any relief which a court could grant with respect to such
discriminatory housing practice in a civil action under section nine. Any relief
so granted that would accrue to an aggrieved person in a civil action commenced
by that aggrieved person under said section nine shall also accrue to that aggrieved
person in a civil action under this section. If such commissioner shall determine
after such investigation that probable cause exists for crediting the allegations
of any complaint and no respondent has elected judicial determination of the matter,
he shall immediately endeavor to eliminate the unlawful practice complained of
or the violation of said clause (e) of said section thirty-two or said sections
ninety-two A, ninety-eight and ninety-eight A by conference, conciliation and
persuasion.
Floor Number: 361 Clerk Number: 322
NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS
Mr. Rosenberg moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section ______.
The following new Section:-
"SECTION ____. There is hereby established
a Collective Bargaining Reserve in the Office of Administration and Finance, into
which there shall be deposited at the end of each quarter of the fiscal year any
revenues collected by the Commonwealth that are above projected revenues for that
quarter. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the funds
contained therein shall be used to fund collective bargaining agreements that
were approved and signed by both the Commonwealth and the employee's representative
prior to December 31, 2001 and have not yet been funded. Collective bargaining
agreements eligible for this funding will be funded in the order in which they
were signed. When there are sufficient funds to honor the agreements, the Collective
Bargaining Reserve will be terminated and all remaining funds will revert to the
general fund.
Floor Number: 362 Clerk Number: 480
REVENUE OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM
Mr. Knapik moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section___
, the following new Section:-
" SECTION___. Chapter 29 of the General
Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after section 29 I the following
new section:-
Section 29J. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or
special law to the contrary, except for sections 52 to 55, inclusive, of chapter
7 of the General Laws, the commissioner of administration shall in each fiscal
year identify and pursue projects to optimize non-tax revenue management and collections
by the commonwealth.
For the purposes of this section, "department"
or "participating department" shall refer to any department, agency,
board, commission, office, or institution under the executive control of the governor
or other constitutional officer and determined by the commissioner to be participating
in the revenue optimization projects authorized by this section; allocations to
participating departments for the successful implementation of revenue optimizing
projects, as determined by the commissioner, shall be known as "department
incentive payments"; payments to private vendors for services in identifying
and pursuing projects to optimize revenue shall be known as "vendor participation
payments"; and non-tax revenue payments, and other charges directed to the
Maximization Fund established by section 2R, shall be known as "net additional
revenue."
The commissioner or his designee is authorized to contract with
private vendors and to enter into interdepartmental service agreements to identify
and pursue said projects. Private vendors shall be compensated from the non-tax
revenues collected by such projects in excess of the non-tax revenues established
by said contracts as the minimum to be collected by each such project.
Departments
shall be awarded department incentive payments pursuant to this section only if
both (1) the collection of a fee or any other non-tax revenue during the fiscal
year is greater than the amount of revenue collected from said fee or other non-tax
revenue during the preceding year, the base period, so called, and (2) the total
non-tax revenue collected by such department in the fiscal year is in excess of
the amounts projected for each department in section 1B of the general appropriation
act of the fiscal year, or alternatively in excess of the most recent revenue
estimate, should there be one, from the fiscal affairs division. Revenues that
are attributable to a new fee or a newly reimbursable service or clientele shall
be considered to have base period revenue of zero.
The comptroller shall deposit
in the Maximization Fund all revenue pursuant to the provisions of this section
and may allocate from said fund without further appropriation at the direction
of the commissioner, department incentive awards to participating departments
an amount not to exceed 20 per cent of the total net additional revenue. Seventy-five
per cent of said allocations shall be distributed to participating departments
in proportion to the revenue collected by each individual department as a per
cent of the total revenue collected under the provisions of this section. The
remaining 25 per cent shall be distributed to participating departments at the
discretion of the commissioner, regardless of the amount of revenues collected
by the individual departments. The comptroller shall transfer to the General Fund
at the close of the fiscal year any balance remaining in the Maximization Fund
after providing for said allocations to participating departments, vendor participation
payments, and other charges to said Maximization Fund; provided, however, that
no expenditure shall be made from said Maximization Fund that would cause said
fund to be in deficit at the close of the fiscal year.
Departments may expend
department incentive payments without further appropriation after obtaining the
written approval of the commissioner or his designee of a plan detailing proposed
expenditures, allocations, and reallocations provided that approved plans must
be filed with the house and senate committees on ways and means not less than
ten days in advance of any such allocation or reallocation. All expenditures made
pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be for one-time expenses that
shall not recur in the current or a subsequent fiscal year, and shall not be used
to supplant purposes authorized in any other item or appropriation act enacted
in the current or a subsequent fiscal year. Any unexpected balance from said allocations
at the end of each fiscal year shall, at the discretion of the commissioner or
his designee, revert to the General Fund except to the extent that said approved
spending plan includes multi-year expenditures.
The comptroller and the commissioner
shall report, not later than January 31 of each year, to the house and senate
committees on ways and means on the status of the revenue optimization projects
authorized by this section for the six-month period ending the preceding month.
Said report shall detail, by vendor, project, and department, the amount of vendor
participation payments, the net additional revenue retained by the commonwealth,
the amounts allocated or reallocated to each participating department, and the
estimated receipts, payments, and allocations for the fiscal year.
The comptroller
and the commissioner shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and
means, not later than September 30 of each year, the preceding detailed information
for the fiscal year just ended, and include a plan detailing, by executive office
and department, the net additional revenue estimated to be collected in the fiscal
year under the provisions of this section."
Floor Number: 363 Clerk Number: 489
STATE EMPLOYEE EFFICIENCY AND COST-SAVINGS INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Mr.
Knapik moves to amend the bill by inserting after Section ____ the following Section:-
"SECTION
____. The secretary for administration and finance shall develop and implement
a state employee efficiency and cost-savings incentive program, herein referred
to as the incentive program, to encourage agency managerial personnel to identify
innovative approaches to current state government methodology and procedures.
The secretary shall promulgate regulations for the implementation of the incentive
program, and shall post said regulations on the state website.
For the
purposes of this section, "agency" shall mean that state entity at which
the applicant is employed. "Applicant" shall mean those employees determined
to be managerial level personnel by the division of human resources. All managerial
personnel at any state entity shall be eligible for the incentive program.
Any
state managerial personnel wishing to submit a proposal for consideration by the
secretary shall do so in writing. The proposal must meet with criteria as determined
by the secretary, and must include a time frame for implementation. If approval
is granted as feasible, the secretary shall notify the applicant as well as the
director of the applicant's agency.
Savings from any measure implemented shall
be documented by the agency and submitted to the secretary by January 15 of any
given year, regardless of the status of the implementation process. Any savings
attributed to the measure shall be transferred from the subsidiary in which the
savings were incurred to the AA subsidiary for disbursement. The secretary shall
submit a report of statewide savings due to the incentive program to the clerks
of the senate and the house by March 15 of any given year.
Upon receipt of
the detailed cost-savings and efficiency achieved by the applicant's plan, the
secretary may authorize an incentive bonus of fifty percent of the savings attributed
to the applicant's cost-saving plan, not to exceed $1000. Employees may submit
multiple proposals, but shall only receive two incentive payments per fiscal year
for two separate proposals. No applicant shall receive more than one payment over
a period of one or more fiscal years for the cost-savings realized from a single
proposal.
The secretary may authorize payment of the bonus in the fiscal year following the implementation if the savings from the measure were determined to reach fruition at the end of the current fiscal year, or if the proposal were to require more than one fiscal year to realize completion of implementation."
Floor Number: 364 Clerk Number: 533
PROMOTING THE PURCHASE OF MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Mr. Pacheco moves to amend the bill by inserting,
after Section ______, the following new Section:-
"SECTION ___ . Chapter
7 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
section 23A the
following section:-
Section 23B. (a) Notwithstanding sections 22 to 23A, inclusive,
and to the extent permitted by federal law, a state agency or a state authority
may, when purchasing agricultural products, including but not limited to fruits,
vegetables, eggs, dairy products and crops, make a preference for such products
produced or harvested in the commonwealth, all other considerations being equal.
(b)
Where a state agency or state authority makes a preference for agricultural products
produced or harvested in the commonwealth, the state purchasing agent responsible
for procuring such agricultural products on behalf of the state agency or state
authority shall effectuate such preference unless the agent determines that:
(1)
procurement of agricultural products produced or harvested outside of the commonwealth
is essential;
(2) an agricultural product is not produced, harvested or otherwise
available from any producer in the commonwealth at the time of the procurement;
or
(3) compliance with this section would eliminate the only bid or offer of
an agricultural product or would result in inadequate competition.
SECTION
2. Chapter 30B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section
19 the following section:-
SECTION 20. (a) Notwithstanding sections 1 to 19,
inclusive, and to the extent permitted by federal law, a government body may,
by a majority vote, make a preference for agricultural products, including but
not limited to fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy products and crops, produced or
harvested in the commonwealth when procuring such products pursuant to its authority,
all other considerations being equal.
(b) Where a government body by a majority
vote makes a preference for the procurement of agricultural products produced
or harvested in the commonwealth, the chief procurement officer or procurement
officer responsible for procuring such agricultural products on behalf of the
government body shall effectuate such preference unless the officer determines
that:
(1) procurement of agricultural products produced or harvested outside
of the commonwealth is essential;
(2) an agricultural product is not produced,
harvested or otherwise available from any producer in the commonwealth at the
time of the procurement; or
(3) compliance with this section would eliminate
the only bid or offer of an agricultural product or would result in inadequate
competition.
Floor Number: 365 Clerk Number: 538
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
Mr. Lees of East Longmeadow moves that the bill be amended by inserting
after section 194 the following section:
SECTION 194A. Chapter 30A of the General
Laws, as appearing the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after
section 9 the following new section:-
Section 9A. (a) Notwithstanding any general
law, special law or regulation to the contrary, there is hereby established within
the executive office for administration and finance, but not subject to its control,
an office of administrative hearings, hereinafter designated the office. The said
office will serve as an independent agency within the executive office for administration
and finance for purposes of conducting all administrative hearings in contested
cases, excluding permitting, licensing and rate setting functions, before those
state agencies and other governmental entities that may be expressly included
herein.
(b)(1) In addition to the foregoing, the office:
(i) shall conduct
such alternative dispute resolution procedures as shall be required hereunder;
(ii)
shall conduct administrative hearings in matters for which the office is required
to conduct such hearings under other provisions of law;
(iii) may, for a fee
and under contract, engage in administrative hearings or alternative dispute resolution
procedures in matters voluntarily referred to the office by any state, county
or local governmental entity.
(2) All functions, duties, authority and jurisdiction
heretofore exercised (a) by the division of administrative law appeals under section
4H of chapter 7 and other applicable statutes and regulations; (b) by the appellate
tax board under chapter 58A and other applicable statutes and regulations; (c)
by the office of dispute resolution pursuant to section 51 of chapter 7 and other
applicable statutes and regulations; and (d) by the civil service commission pursuant
to chapter 31 and other applicable statutes and regulations are hereby transferred
to and vested in the said office. The agencies specified in this section shall
have no separate existence apart from the office of administrative hearings. Commencing
with the effective date hereof, all cases heard pursuant to this paragraph shall
be subject solely to the provisions and procedures set out in this chapter and
all cases pending before the agencies prior to the effective date of this act
shall be transferred for hearing to the office.
(c)(1) The office shall be
under the general supervision and direction of a chief administrative law judge
who shall be an attorney-at-law of the commonwealth for no less than six years
and who shall otherwise be suited for the position by virtue of his experience.
The chief administrative law judge will be appointed by the governor for a term
of six years and shall be eligible for reappointment.
(2) In addition to other
duties the chief administrative law judge shall:
(i) protect and ensure the
decisional independence of each mediator, hearing officer and administrative law
judge;
(ii) adopt a suitable code of conduct, and monitor the quality of all
alternative dispute resolution and administrative hearings conducted by the office;
(iii)
initiate proceedings for the removal of any mediator, hearing officer or any administrative
law judge on grounds that shall include misconduct, material neglect of duty,
inability to perform required duties, or incompetence in the conduct of office;
(iv)
promulgate rules for reasonable sanctions, including the assessment of fines,
costs and attorney's fees which may be imposed on a party, an attorney, or other
representative of a party who, without just excuse, fails to comply with any procedural
order or with any standard or rule applying to a contested case, or exhibits misconduct
that obstructs or tends to obstruct the conduct of any contested case;
(v)
promulgate rules to insure an appropriate level of confidentiality in administrative
hearings as may be warranted by extraordinary circumstances; and
(vi) promulgate
such rules of procedure as required to implement the provisions of this chapter.
(3) There will be an executive director who shall be the administrative head
of the office. In consultation with the director, chief hearing officer and chief
administrative law judge, as appropriate, and except as otherwise provided herein,
the executive director shall:
(i) administer and cause the work of the office
to be performed in such manner and pursuant to such programs as may be appropriate;
(ii)
organize the office and establish such administrative units as may be required
or appropriate;
(iii) hire, assign and reassign administrative and support
personnel within the office;
(iv) enter into contracts on behalf of the office;
(v)
establish training programs and continuing education for mediators, hearing officers,
and administrative law judges;
(vi) establish a schedule of fees and chargebacks
for entry and other purposes as well as criteria under which a claimant may seek
the waiver of fees predicated upon hardship;
(vii) establish criteria upon
which to perform an annual review of each mediator, hearing officer and administrative
law judge; and
(viii) to the extent not otherwise provided herein, prescribe
such time standards as needed to assure prompt hearing and resolution of all pending
matters.
(d)(1) There shall be within the office: (a) a division of alternative
dispute resolution under the supervision of a director; (b) a division of hearing
officers under the supervision of a chief hearing officer; and (c) a division
of administrative law appeals, under the supervision of a chief administrative
law judge, that will sit as a board of appeals as provided herein.
(2) Unless
otherwise specified, mediators, hearing officers and administrative law judges
of the agencies to which this chapter is made applicable, shall become employees
of the office of administrative hearings.
(3) There shall be within the office,
a division of alternative dispute resolution under the supervision of a director
who shall be appointed by the secretary for administration and finance with the
approval of the governor to a term of six years, and who shall be eligible for
reappointment. The director shall be a person who is suited for the position by
virtue of education and experience. Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired
term in the same manner as the original appointment. The director shall appoint
such mediators as may be necessary to carry out the duties and functions of the
division. Said division shall seek to resolve by means of mediation all disputes
in advance of any administrative hearing, and shall perform such other duties
as the chief administrative law judge may from time to time propose. Parties to
contested matters filed with the office shall be required to participate in alternative
dispute resolution proceedings prior to hearing; provided however, that an option
shall be provided by rule, to forego such alternative dispute resolution proceedings
where not permitted by collective bargaining agreements or otherwise.
(4)
There shall be within the office, a division of hearing officers under the supervision
of a chief hearing officer who shall be appointed by the secretary for administration
and finance with the approval of the governor to a term of four years and who
shall be eligible for reappointment. The chief hearing officer shall be a person
who is suited for the position by virtue of education and experience. Any vacancy
shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
All contested hearings shall be conducted by hearing officers who shall be appointed
by the chief administrative law judge in consultation with the chief hearing officer,
and who shall be persons suited for the position by virtue of education and experience.
The said hearing officers shall conduct hearings in accordance with this chapter
and shall have the following additional authority in connection with contested
administrative hearings:
(i) to administer oaths to any and all persons;
(ii)
to compel by subpoena the attendance of witnesses and the production of books,
records, accounts, papers, and documents of any person or persons;
(iii) to
entertain objections to subpoenas;
(iv) to rule upon objections to subpoenas
except, that an order of any hearing officer may be reviewed by a three member
board of administrative appeals before the completion of the contested case in
accordance with procedural rules adopted by the chief administrative law judge;
and
(v) to examine an individual under oath.
(5) There shall be within
the office a division of administrative law appeals whose associate administrative
law judges shall be attorneys-at-law of the commonwealth for no less than 5 years
and who shall otherwise suited for their positions by virtue of their experience.
The said associate members shall appointed by the secretary for administration
and finance with the approval of the governor for terms of six years and shall
be eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term
in the same manner as the original appointment. The division shall consist of
a chief administrative law judge and associate administrative law judges who shall
serve on three-member panels, as shall be designated by the chief administrative
law judge, to hear appeals from the division of hearing officers.
(6) Contested
hearings hereunder shall be conducted by a designated hearing officer pursuant
to such rules of procedure as the chief administrative judge shall cause to be
made and promulgated. The parties shall not be bound by the rules of evidence.
All relevant evidence shall be admissible, except as otherwise provided herein.
The hearing officer may in his discretion exclude any evidence if he determines
that its probative value is substantially outweighed by the risk that its admission,
will either necessitate undue consumption of time, or create substantial danger
of undue prejudice or confusion. The hearing officer will give effect to the rules
of privilege recognized by law. Any party in a contested case may present his
case by oral or documentary evidence, submit rebuttal evidence and conduct such
cross examination as may be required in the discretion of the hearing officer,
for a full and true disclosure of the facts.
(7) A board of appeals consisting
of three administrative law judges shall convene as soon as may be practicable
to hear the appeal from the division of hearing officers. The board shall affirm
the decision of the hearing officer unless it finds after consideration that such
decision is clearly erroneous based upon all the evidence and relevant law.
(8) The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction of appeals from the board of appeals
in all matters in which the amount claimed exceeds $25,000 in accordance with
chapter 30A. The District Court shall have jurisdiction of appeals from the board
of appeals in all matters in which the amount claimed is $25,000 or less. Appeals
to the District Court shall proceed in the same manner as appeals in the Superior
Court under chapter 30A.
(9) The office may provide services on a contract
basis to any state, county or local governmental entity, including districts and
authorities, to provide alternative dispute resolution services or conduct any
hearing not otherwise covered by this chapter. To this end, the executive director
may enter into contracts with such entities and they may contract with him. Such
services shall be provided pursuant to an established fee schedule developed by
the executive director, and updated as circumstances warrant.
(10) Commencing
July 1, 2004, this chapter shall be made applicable to each of the following state
agencies to the extent that it employs or engages one or more commissioners, hearing
officers, administrative law judges or other personnel in the adjudication of
contested cases, unless specifically exempted herefrom by executive order:
(i)
Department of Employment and Training;
(ii) Department of Education, Bureau
of Special Education Appeals;
(iii) Department of Environmental Protection;
(iv)
Department of Social Services;
(v) Department of Telecommunications & Energy;
(vi)
Department of Youth Services;
(vii) Division of Insurance;
(viii) Division
of Medical Assistance;
(ix) Division of Professional Licensure;
(x) Energy
Facilities Sitting Board;
(xi) Massachusetts Highway Department.
(11) Except
as provided otherwise within this chapter, commencing July 1, 2005 this chapter
shall be made applicable to each agency that employs or engages one or more commissioners,
hearing officers, administrative law judges, or other personnel in the adjudication
of contested cases, unless specifically exempted by executive order.
(12)
Initial appointments upon the effective date of this act shall be on a staggered
basis as follows:
(i) Director of the Division of Alternative Dispute Resolution,
2 years;
(ii) Chief hearing officer, 3 years; and
(iii) Chief administrative
law judge, 4 years; associate administrative law judges, one-third to be appointed
to 4 year terms, one-third to 5 year terms and one-third to 6 year terms.
Thereafter,
reappointments or new appointments, other than those to fill a vacancy, shall
be for 6 year terms; provided, however, that all existing administrative law judges
upon the effective date of this act shall continue to serve the remainder of their
terms.
Mr. Lees of East Longmeadow moves that the bill be amended in section
2 by striking out items 1108-1011, 1100-1103, 1110-1000, and 1310-1000 and inserting
in place thereof the following item:
1110-1000 For the operation of the office
of administrative hearings
$2,448,145
Mr.
Lees of East Longmeadow moves that the bill be amended in section 2 by striking
out item 1100-1104 and inserting in place thereof the following item:
1100-1104
The office of administrative hearings may expend an amount not to exceed $436,381
in revenues collected from fee charged to cities, towns or public instrumentalities
and other political subdivisions of the commonwealth or to corporations and individuals
for the costs of mediation and related services; and provided further, that for
the purpose of accommodating discrepancies between the receipt of retained revenues
and related expenditures, the office of administrative hearings may incur expenses
and the comptroller may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the lower of
this authorization or the most recent revenue estimate as reported in the state
accounting system, including the cost of personnel
$436,381
Mr.
Lees of East Longmeadow moves that the bill be amended in section 2, in item 1310-1001,
in line 1, by striking out the following "The appellate tax board"
and
inserting in place thereof the following:- "The office of administrative
hearings."
Mr. Lees of East Longmeadow moves that the bill be
amended in section 2, in item 1310-1001, in line 3, by striking out the following
"The board".
and inserting in place thereof the following: "The
office".
Mr. Lees of East Longmeadow moves that the bill be amended
in section 2, in item 1100-1108, in line 1, by striking out the following:- "the
office of dispute resolution"
and inserting in place thereof the following:-
"the office of administrative hearings"
Floor Number: 366 Clerk Number: 544
BROAD TRANSFERABILITY
Mr. Lees hereby moves to amend the bill by inserting after section 610 the following section:
Section
_____: "Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the
contrary, cabinet secretaries, the secretary of the commonwealth, and the treasurer
and receiver-general, are hereby authorized to transfer the following amounts,
subject to the following conditions, between any budgetary direct appropriations
in section 2 of this act under said secretariat or constitutional office:
up
to 5 per cent or $1,000,000, whichever is less, with 10 day prior notification
to the secretary of administration and finance;
an additional 20 per cent or
$4,000,000, whichever is less, with prior approval by the secretary of administration
and finance and prior notification to the chairmen of the house and senate committees
on ways and means;
an additional 25 per cent or $5,000,000, whichever is less,
with prior approval by the secretary of administration and finance and not sooner
than 20 days after notification to the chairmen of the house and senate committees
on ways and means, provided no written denial of said transfer has been received
from either of said chairmen, and;
an additional 50 per cent or $10,000,000,
whichever is less, with prior written approval from the secretary of administration
and finance and the chairmen of the house and senate committees on ways and means;
provided,
that said cabinet secretaries, the secretary of the commonwealth, and the treasurer
and receiver-general certify to the secretary of administration and finance and
the chairmen of the house and senate committees on ways and means that any such
transfer will not cause a reduction in non-tax revenue credited to the Commonwealth,
and any such transfer will not cause an account to be insufficient to meet its
intended purposes."
Floor Number: 367 Clerk Number: 39
NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Mr. Berry moves to amend the bill by adding
at the end thereof the following new Section:-
SECTION . Section 191 of Chapter
159 of the Acts of 2000 is hereby amended by striking, in Section 22, in lines
6 and 7, the phrase "and the payment of reasonable charges by said college
for such use" and inserting in place thereof the following:-
"provided,
however, that the assets of said institute that are associated with said program
shall be available, at no cost, to said college."
Floor Number: 368 Clerk Number: 123
CLARA BARTON NURSE EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
Mr. Moore moves to amend the bill by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:- SECTION_______.
SECTION 1. Chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 19E, the following sections:
Section 19F. The board of higher education is authorized and directed to establish a student loan repayment program, to be known as the Clara Barton Nursing Loan Repayment Program, for the purpose of encouraging outstanding students to work in the profession of nursing or to teach nursing within the commonwealth by providing financial assistance for the repayment of qualified education loans, as defined herein. The board shall adopt guidelines governing the implementation of the program, which shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
(1)
eligibility for the program shall be limited to persons who have graduated in
the top twenty-five percent of their practical or diploma nursing program, undergraduate,
or graduate class, as certified by the college, university, or school of nursing
attended by such applicant;
(2) eligibility shall be limited to persons licensed
to practice nursing in the commonwealth and entering the nursing profession after
September first, two thousand one, or to persons entering the teaching of nursing
profession at a college, university, or school of nursing within the commonwealth
after such date;
(3) the commonwealth shall repay a participants' student loan
at a rate not to exceed two hundred dollars per month for a period not to exceed
forty-eight months. Participants who work less than full time shall receive loan
repayment amounts in direct proportion to the percentage of full time worked;
(4)
repayment shall be made to the participant annually upon the presentation by the
participant of satisfactory evidence of payments under the loan;
(5) payments
by the commonwealth shall cover only loan payments made by the participants in
the months during which the participant is employed as a nurse in, but not limited
to, acute care hospitals, public health hospitals, psychiatric and mental health
clinics or hospitals, community or neighborhood health centers, rehabilitation
centers, nursing homes, or as a home health, school or public health nurse in
the commonwealth, or is employed to teach nursing at a college, university, or
school of nursing in the commonwealth. Payments by the commonwealth shall not
commence until participants have been employed as nurses in the commonwealth,
or teachers of nursing at a college, university, or school of nursing in the commonwealth,
for a period of one year. Participants must be employed as nurses in the commonwealth,
or as teachers of nursing at a college, university of school of nursing in the
commonwealth, for a minimum period of four years during the loan repayment period,
or reimburse the commonwealth for the expense incurred during the repayment period.
(6) in the case of those employed as nurses, the board may limit the program
to those who work in communities designated by the department of public health,
in consultation with the federal department of health and human services and the
center for health professions at Worcester State College, as underserved communities;
(7) the program shall set forth an affirmative action policy and specific
annual affirmative action goals. The board shall annually publish a report detailing
its efforts to publicize the loan repayment program in order to advance the goals
of this affirmative action policy and its success in meeting those goals.
The term "qualified education loan" shall mean any indebtedness including
interest on such indebtedness incurred to pay tuition or other direct expenses
incurred in connection with the pursuit of a practical or diploma nursing program,
an associate's, baccalaureate, or graduate degree by an applicant, but shall be
limited to any loan which was or is administered by the financial aid office of
a practical or diploma nursing program, two year or four year college, university,
or school of nursing at which the applicant was enrolled as a practical or diploma
nursing school student, or as an undergraduate or graduate student, and which
loan has been secured through a state or federal student loan program, or which
was or is administered by a commercial or institutional lender.
Section 19G.
The board of higher education is authorized and directed to establish an expert
nursing corps program, to be known as the Clara Barton Expert Nursing Corps Program,
for the purpose of building a group of recognized nurses of high achievement in
the profession who shall serve to mentor incoming or novice nurses and to further
the goals of the nursing profession. The board shall adopt guidelines governing
the implementation of the program. Such guidelines shall include, but need not
be limited to, the following provisions:
(1) the board may select expert nurses
who achieve such status by obtaining specialty, modular, or advanced practice
certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, who remain in good
standing with the board of registration in nursing, who are current on their continuing
education units, and who agree to mentor incoming or novice nurses. The board
may develop and include alternatives to such American Nurses Credentialing Center
program provided such alternatives maintain equivalent or higher standards of
excellence in the practice of nursing;
(2) the board may provide expert nurses
with partial or full reimbursement for the assessment costs of said American Nurses
Credentialing Center certification. The board shall provide expert nurses with
ongoing salary bonuses. Such ongoing salary bonuses shall be limited to $5,000
per year not to exceed ten years; provided, that such expert nurses continue to
remain in good standing with the board of registration in nursing and employed
in nursing in the commonwealth, and continue to mentor incoming or novice nurses.
The board may authorize a nominal payment, in addition to the bonus to the expert
nurse, to the health care facility, school district, local health agency, home
health agency, or nursing home in Massachusetts of such expert nurse to facilitate
time for the expert nurse to engage in mentoring activity; provided further, that
said health care facility, school district, local health agency, home health agency,
or nursing home in Massachusetts shall continue the expert nurse's salary at a
level irrespective of the expert nurse's salary bonus;
(3) the board shall
set forth an outreach plan to attract underrepresented populations and nurse specialists
in the nursing profession in areas which are designated by the department of public
health, in consultation with the federal department of health and human services
and the center for health profession at Worcester State College, as underserved
communities.
Section 19H. The board of higher education shall make available
grants to institutions of higher education and health care institutions in the
commonwealth for the purpose of fostering partnerships between higher education
institutions and clinical agencies that promote the recruitment and retention
of nurses. Such grants may also be made available to such institutions for the
purpose of establishing and maintaining nurse mentoring or nursing internship
programs. The board shall adopt guidelines governing the implementation of this
section.
Section 15I. The board of higher education is authorized and directed
to establish a scholarship program, to be a known as the Clara Barton Scholarship
Program, to provide students in approved Massachusetts' colleges, universities
and schools of nursing with scholarships for tuition and fees for the purpose
of encouraging outstanding Massachusetts' students, to work as nurses in, but
not limited to, acute care hospitals, psychiatric and mental health clinics or
hospitals, community or neighborhood health centers, rehabilitation centers, nursing
homes, or as a home health, school or public health nurse in the commonwealth,
or to teach nursing in colleges, universities, or schools of nursing in the commonwealth.
The board shall adopt guidelines governing the implementation of the program.
Colleges, universities, and schools of nursing in the commonwealth may administer
the Clara Barton Scholarship Program and select recipients, in accordance with
guidelines adopted by the board. Scholarships may be made available to full or
part time matriculating students in courses of study leading to a degree in nursing
or the teaching of nursing. Recipients shall be residents of the commonwealth
and outstanding prospects based on objective measures such as leadership skills,
clinical knowledge, class rank, test scores, grade point average, income need
and such other criteria as the board may determine. In any given year, the board
may target awards to students from geographic and nurse specialty areas in the
commonwealth determined by the department of public health, in consultation with
the federal department of health and human services, and the center for health
professions at Worcester State College, to be areas experiencing an acute shortage
of nurses. Scholarship recipients at any public or private institution of higher
education in the commonwealth shall receive no more than a $3,500 scholarship
for each academic semester that the recipient remains enrolled at such institution
and remains in good standing. The names of recipients of such scholarships shall
remain confidential, unless the recipient waives such confidentiality in writing.
The board may also provide a scholarship recipient with a housing voucher, in
such form and manner as the board may determine, which shall be equal to not more
than two hundred dollars per month, that may be utilized by the recipient to assist
in paying housing costs, including rent or mortgage payments, while such recipient
is enrolled in good standing in the college, university, school of nursing.
The board, in coordination with the board of education and Massachusetts' colleges,
universities and schools of nursing, shall aggressively market the existence of
the program to high school students and to non-traditional students to encourage
outstanding candidates to apply to nursing or the teaching of nursing programs
in institutions of higher education in the commonwealth. Such marketing shall
focus on candidates who would otherwise not consider a career in nursing or the
teaching of nursing. The board shall set forth an outreach plan to attract underrepresented
populations to the nursing profession.
Recipients must be employed as a nurse
in the commonwealth, or teacher of nursing at a college, university, or school
of nursing in the commonwealth, for a minimum period of two years following graduation.
Recipients who participate in the program but do not complete their college education
within seven years of entering college, or who fail to complete their two year
nursing commitment within seven years following graduation from college, or whose
license to practice in Massachusetts is not maintained in good standing, or those
who fail to complete their two year teaching commitment within seven years following
graduation from college or from a graduate school, if such is required for teaching
nursing at a college, university or school of nursing, shall be obligated to repay
the commonwealth any tuition, fees, and housing voucher payments advanced to them,
with interest set by the board.
SECTION 2. Chapter 10 of the General Laws,
as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following
section:
Section 64. There shall be established and set up on the books of
the commonwealth a separate fund, to be known as the Clara Barton Nursing Excellence
Trust Fund. Said fund shall consist of all revenues from public and private sources
as appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, and from the federal government as
reimbursements, grants-in-aid or other receipts to further the purposes of said
fund in accordance with the provisions of sections 19F through 19I, inclusive,
of chapter 15A, and any interest or investment earnings on such revenues. All
revenues credited to said fund under this section shall remain in said fund and
shall be expended, without further appropriation, for applications pursuant to
sections 19F through 19I, inclusive, of chapter 15A. The state treasurer shall
deposit and invest monies in said fund in accordance with the provisions of sections
34, 34A and 38 of chapter 29 in such a manner as to secure the highest rate of
return consistent with the safety of the fund. Said fund shall be expended only
for the purposes stated in said sections 19F through 19I, inclusive, of said chapter
15A, at the direction of the chancellor of the system of public higher education,
hereinafter referred to as the chancellor. On February 1 of each year, the state
treasurer shall notify the chancellor of any projected interest and investment
earnings available for expenditure from said fund for each fiscal year.
SECTION
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary,
any state or community college, or the University of Massachusetts may enter into
employment contracts for a minimum period of five years with faculty members who
teach nursing at such institutions, unless both parties agree to a shorter term
of employment.
SECTION 4. The board of higher education shall establish an
advisory committee consisting of seven members whose membership shall be comprised
of professionals representing the nursing profession. At least one half of the
membership of the committee shall be nursing educators from higher education institutions
and the remaining members shall be nurses in practice. The advisory committee
shall advise the board as to the practice of nursing and how to implement the
provisions of this act in a manner that would best benefit the profession of nursing
and fulfill the goals of recruiting and retaining people to the profession of
nursing.
Floor Number: 369 Clerk Number: 306
MASS HEFA ENABLING STATUTE
Mr. McGee moves to amend the bill by inserting after Section __ the following new Section: -
SECTION 1. Section 11 of chapter 614
of the acts of 1968, as most recently amended by section 4 of chapter 268 of the
acts of 1980, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting
in place thereof the following new sentence: - In the discretion of the authority,
any revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this act may be secured by a
trust agreement by and between the authority and a corporate trustee or trustees,
which may be any trust company or bank chartered or incorporated in the United
States and having the powers of a trust company or bank.
SECTION 2. Section 11 of chapter 614 of the acts of 1968, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the fourth sentence and inserting in place thereof the following: Any bank or trust company or such savings bank which may act as depository of the proceeds of bonds or of such revenues or other moneys may furnish such indemnifying bonds or pledge such securities as may be required by the Authority.
Floor Number: 370 Clerk Number: 548
APPROPRIATION FOR TUITION - STATE AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Mr. Rosenberg moves to amend the bill by inserting after Section 58 the following new section:-
"SECTION 58B. There is hereby
appropriated from the general fund $37,300,000 for a reserve to support the operation
and maintenance of public state and community colleges in the commonwealth. Said
amount shall be in addition to, and subject to the same terms and conditions of,
appropriations for said operation and maintenance made in Section 2 of this Act.
Such funds shall be disbursed to each campus, by the state comptroller, in an
amount equal to the amount projected to be received in tuition by each campus
during fiscal year 2004; provided, that this section shall not take effect if
Section 58 of this act, or any other provision of law which provides for full
tuition retention by said public state and community colleges, becomes effective
as part of the General Appropriation Act for fiscal year 2004.
Floor Number: 371 Clerk Number: 116
SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY
Messrs. Lees,
Knapik and Hedlund move to amend the bill by inserting at the end thereof the
following new section:-
"SECTION ____. Section 19C of chapter 78 of the
General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by
inserting after clause (4) the following clause:-
(4A) In addition to the sums
provided in clause (3) the Springfield Public Library, as the library of last
recourse for reference and research services for the western regions of the Commonwealth,
shall be entitled to receive in state aide the sum of $1.06 for each resident
of western Massachusetts; consisting of the counties of Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire
and Franklin."
Floor Number: 372 Clerk Number: 149
NORTHERN ESSEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE TECHNOLOGY BOND APPROPRIATION
Mr. Baddour moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section ___ the following
new Section: -
"SECTION ___. Not withstanding any special law or act to the contrary,
the Secretary of Administration and Finance shall authorize funding from the
full state capital bond appropriation of $7,500,000.00 under Chapter 267 of
the Acts of 1995, line item 7510-7961, for the Northern Essex Community College
Fine Arts and Technology Building, and related site work, all to be located
at the College's Haverhill, Massachusetts Campus. Said Secretary of Administration
and Finance shall proceed and provide all necessary authorizations to complete
this capital building project and accordance with approvals provided on December
23, 2002 by the Division of Capital Asset Management and accordance with the
provisions of Massachusetts general laws Chapter 7.
Floor Number: 373 Clerk Number: 336
CAPITAL AND FACILITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE
NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Mr. McGee moves to amend the bill by adding, at the end thereof, the following new Section: -
SECTION ___ Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general or special law to the contrary, not less than $300,000 of the amount appropriated in line-item 7511-7961 in section 2 of Chapter 267 of the Acts of 1995 shall be expended for the purpose of conducting a study to create a master plan that would assess the capital and facility needs of the T.W. McGee Building and other buildings located on the Lynn campus of North Shore Community College and that would analyze the feasibility of allowing North Shore Community College to enter a multi-year agreement with private entities relative to capital and facility needs at the aforementioned site.
Floor Number: 374 Clerk Number: 243
AMENDING LINE ITEM IN TRANSPORTATION BOND BILL:
Mr. Tisei and Mr. Shannon move to amend
the bill by adding at the end thereof the following section:-
SECTION . Chapter
246 of the Acts of 2002 is hereby amended by adding in section 2 in line item
6033-9015 after the words "allocated for" the following:-
"land
acquisition and relocation costs and"
Floor Number: 375 Clerk Number: 320
AN AMENDMENT RELATIVE TO THE DUNN PROPERTY IN THE TOWN OF WEST NEWBURY
Mr.
Tarr moves to amend the bill (Senate 2004) by adding, at the end thereof, the
following new sections: -
"SECTION ____. Item 2000-2013 of section 2 of
Chapter 236 of the acts of 2002 is hereby amended by inserting after the words
"in the city of Woburn" the following words: -; provided further, that
not less than $1,750,000 shall be expended for the acquisition of the Dunn property,
- so-called, in the town of West Newbury, however, in the event that the town
expends its own funding for acquisition of said property, it will be reimbursed;
- and by striking out the figure "$21,250,000" and inserting in place
thereof the following figure: - $23,000,000.
SECTION ___. Item 2100- 2011 of said section 2 of said chapter 236 is hereby amended by striking out the words "; provided further, that $1,750,000 shall be expended for the acquisition of the Dunn property, so-called, in the town of West Newbury; - and by striking out the figure "$46,425,000" and inserting thereof the following figure: - $44,675,000."
Floor Number: 376 Clerk Number: 337
CLARIFY THE LIMITS OF ENVIRONMENTAL BOND EXPENDITURES
Ms. Resor moves to amend the
bill by inserting, after Section 520, the following new Section:-:
SECTION
520A. Chapter 236 of the Acts of 2002 is hereby amended in line item 2200-2013,
by inserting after the words "expended for such personnel," the following:-
"and/or contractors". Said chapter 236 is hereby further amended in
line item 2200-2015 by inserting after the words "shall not exceed the level
expended for such personnel", by inserting the following:- "and/or contractors."
Floor Number: 377 Clerk Number: 384
FINANCING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND
Mrs.
Chandler, Mr. Berry, and Mr. Barrios move to amend the bill by inserting after
Section 580 the following Section:-
"SECTION 580A. (a) To provide five-year
funding for the capitalization of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established
by chapter 121D of the General Laws, the sums set forth in subsection (b), for
the purposes set forth in said chapter 121D and subject to the conditions specified
in this section, are hereby authorized for expenditure from the General Capital
Projects Fund unless specifically designated otherwise, subject to the laws regulating
the disbursement of public funds and the approval thereof.
(b)
DEPARTMENT
OF
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
7004-8020 For the capitalization
of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established by chapter 121D of the General
Laws
.. $100,000,000.
(c) To meet
the expenditures necessary in carrying out subsection (b), the state treasurer
shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth
in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding,
in the aggregate, $100,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth, as aforesaid,
shall be designated on their face, Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bond Act of 2003,
and shall be issued for a maximum term of years, not exceeding 20 years, as the
governor may recommend to the general court pursuant to Section 3 of Article 62
of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds shall be payable not later
than June 30, 2031. All interest and payments on account of principal on such
obligations shall be payable from the General Fund. Bonds and interest thereon
issued under this section shall, notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
be general obligations of the commonwealth. The department of housing and community
development may expend an amount not to exceed 2 per cent of these authorizations
for administrative costs directly attributable to the purposes of this section,
including costs of clerical and support personnel. The director of the department
shall file an annual spending plan with the fiscal affairs division and the house
and senate committees on ways and means detailing, by subsidiary, all personnel
costs and administrative costs charged to expenditures made pursuant to this section.
(d) The director of the department of housing and community development shall
submit annually to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint
committee on housing and urban development and the house and senate committees
on long term debt and capital expenditures, a five-year capital plan for fiscal
years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 for capital funds authorized by this section.
This capital spending plan shall reflect a balanced allocation of capital funds
authorized by this section."
Floor Number: 378 Clerk Number: 446
DATE CHANGE
Ms. Melconian moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section
____, the following new section: -
"SECTION ___. Item 2120-8882 of section
2 of chapter 564 of the acts of 1987 as amended by section 18 of chapter 236 of
the acts of 2002 is hereby further amended by striking "2003" and replacing
it with "2005."
Floor Number: 379 Clerk Number: 483
ROUTE 2 VISITORS' CENTER
Mr. Antonioni moves to amend the bill by inserting, after
Section 609, the following new Section:-
"SECTION ____. Notwithstanding
section 40F1/2 of chapter 7 of the General Laws or any other general or special
law to the contrary, the Commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management
and Maintenance shall be prohibited from declaring as surplus or from conveying
state owned real property located in the town of Lancaster on which is located
the Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center."
Floor Number: 380 Clerk Number: 18
Behavioral Health Services Provided through the Division of Medical Assistance
Mr. Moore moves to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-
"Outside Section________: " Notwithstanding
the provision of any general or special law to the contrary, the Executive Office
of Health and Human Services shall pursue Administrative Savings in the Behavioral
Health Program of the Division of Medical Assistance. Such administrative savings
shall seek to reduce duplication in the oversight of service provision, and shall
include but not be limited to a reduction in the approval process of patients
who need to be hospitalized; the development and implementation of self-management
models for inpatient providers; and a recognition of national accreditation and
Medicare status for licensure of inpatient behavioral health providers. Such Administrative
savings shall also include initiatives to reduce the number of hospitalized children
and adolescents who do not require inpatient hospital level of care, including
but not limited to an expedited approval process for appropriate residential step-down
programs; the enforcement of a No-Eject policy for residential settings; allowance
for out-of-state placements for extraordinary circumstances; and a requirement
that the department of social services visit hospitalized youths within one business
day of hospitalization. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall
also examine and make recommendations regarding whether there should be a financial
assessment to offset the cost of providing hospital care on state agencies who
have clients in hospitals who no longer require hospital level care. The Executive
Office of Health and Human Services shall also examine and pursue appropriate
models for increasing federal financial participation for the costs of the behavioral
health program administrative vendor.
The Secretary of the Executive Office
of Health and Human Services shall report to the House and Senate Committees on
Ways and Means and the Committee on Medicaid the results of said Administrative
Savings initiatives no later than September 1, 2003, which shall include a list
of the Administrative Savings adopted and the projected amount of savings from
such initiatives."
Floor Number: 381 Clerk Number: 21
Medicaid Prospective Payment Demonstration Project
Mr. Moore moves to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof the following new Section:- SECTION__________.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the division of medical assistance may enter into contracts with certain home health agencies to provide home health services to medical assistance recipients. The division may enter into such contracts with only those home health agencies that: (i) are organized as not-for-profit entities; (2) according to the most recent agency-specific utilization data collected from the division, delivered twenty five per cent of MassHealth reimbursed skilled nursing visits within a county designation, and more than 15 per cent of all MassHealth reimbursed home health aide services within a county designation and (3) in the determination of the division, provide services that are essential to ensure access to home health services for medical assistance recipients. The division shall ensure that any home health agency that is a party to any such contract shall comply with any performance measures, outcome goals, cost effectiveness standards and other terms and conditions established by the division. In defining a prospective payment amount under this subsection the division shall consider each agency's specific date to determine an appropriate unit of service and the number, type and duration of visits provided within that unit and a general system design that provides for continued access to quality services through appropriate adjustments based upon a clinical assessment of each patient's needs. In addition, the department of public health shall establish procedures to ensure appropriate access and quality of services provided under this system. The department shall conduct an assessment of this demonstration after six months and shall report the findings to the house and senate committees on ways and means.
Floor Number: 382 Clerk Number: 24
PROMOTING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
Messrs. Moore and Montigny move to amend the bill by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:-
SECTION ____________.
Section 12 of Chapter 118E of the general Laws, as appearing in the 2000 official edition is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the first paragraph thereof the following sentence:- The division shall adopt and amend regulations, in accordance with Chapter 30A, for the administration of its duties and powers and to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this chapter. Regulations which restrict coverage or covered services shall be adopted only after public notice and hearing.
Floor Number: 383 Clerk Number: 34
HEALTH CARE ONLY AMENDMENT
Mr. Pacheco of Taunton moves
to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof, the following section:-
SECTION
_. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary,
no funds from the Health Care Quality Improvement Trust Fund established in section
2EEE of chapter 29 of the General Laws or appropriated in items 4000-0600 of any
general appropriation act shall be used directly or indirectly by a recipient
nursing home or health care facility for political contributions, lobbying activities,
entertainment expenses or efforts to assist, promote, deter or discourage union
organizing. As a condition of receiving monies from the fund or item 4000-0600,
a nursing home or health care facility shall provide a certification to the division
of medical assistance that no funds shall be used for such activities. If the
division determines that a recipient of monies from the fund or item 4000-0600
has spent such monies in violation of this section, the recipient nursing home
or health care facility shall be required to document the cost of such activity.
The division of medical assistance shall conduct an investigation or audit if
a complaint is filed by any person alleging a violation of this section. The division
shall consider that there is a rebuttable presumption that such activities were
funded in part from such monies and shall require the recipient nursing home or
health care facility to provide all appropriate information and documentation
showing that no such monies were used for activities in violation of this section.
An expense, including legal and consulting fees and salaries of supervisors and
employees, incurred for research for, preparation, planning or coordination of,
or carrying out an activity to assist, promote or deter union organizing shall
be treated as paid or incurred for that activity. An expense incurred in connection
with:
(1) addressing a grievance or negotiation or administering a
collective
bargaining agreement;
(2) performing an activity required by federal or state
law or by a
collective bargaining agreement; or
(3) obtaining legal advice
about rights and responsibilities under
federal or state law shall not be treated
as paid or incurred for activities
to assist, promote, deter or discourage
union organizing.
Monies spent in violation of this section shall be reimbursed
to the fund or the division of
medical assistance as appropriate.
Floor Number: 384 Clerk Number: 54
PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FOR MEDICATIONS
Mr.
Berry and Ms. Creem move to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof the following
new Section:-
SECTION . Section 12 of Chapter 118E is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following: -
"Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the division shall not require prior authorization or impose any other restriction on medications used to treat mental illnesses including but not limited to, schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorder, or attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The division shall make available medications for persons with mental illnesses including atypical antipsychotic medications, conventional antipsychotic medications, and other medications used for the treatment of mental illnesses without restriction or without preference for one medication over another or one class of medications over another."
Floor Number: 385 Clerk Number: 137
HAVERHILL HALE HOSPITAL
MR. BADDOUR MOVES TO AMEND
THE BILL BY INSERTING, AFTER SECTION ___, THE FOLLOWING NEW SECTION: -
"SECTION
___. $1,500,000 to the city of Haverhill over a period of two years for the severe
financial hardship resulting from maintaining critical health services through
the operation of the former municipally-owned Hale Hospital. Said funds may be
utilized for the expenses relative to health insurance and pension costs attributable
to retirees of Hale Hospital retirees during fiscal years 2004 and 2005.
Floor Number: 386 Clerk Number: 143
AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MARTHA'S VINEYARD
Mr.
O'Leary moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section 609, the following
new Section:-
SECTION___. Notwithstanding the provisions of any federal or
special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the Division of Medical Assistance
may on a Demonstration basis in the area defined and limited under the federally
funded DOHHS HRSA CAP Grant 1-G92-OA 00005-02 provide benefits described in section
9C of chapter 118E to employees and employers who are described and limited under
the terms of the program set forth in said Demonstration, and may expend monies
from any appropriation for benefits provided under said section 9C to also provide
benefits specified in said Demonstration expanding the income limits set forth
in section 9C from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level, provided that the
Division will seek to obtain a modification of its Demonstration, as defined in
subsection (1) of section 9A of chapter 118E, that would allow for federal reimbursement
for some or all of the expenditures for providing the benefits specified in the
Demonstration; further provided that said Demonstration, without expenditure of
monies from any appropriation for benefits provided under said section 9C, also
be permitted to offer health coverage to employees between 300% and 400% of the
federal poverty level. The provision of M.G.L.c.176J, sections 3-8, inclusive,
and 211 CMR 66.00 shall not apply to health coverage provided by carriers pursuant
to this section."
Floor Number: 387 Clerk Number: 145
ACT RELATIVE TO HEALTH INSURANCE
Messrs. Baddour, Hart, Barrios and Shannon move to amend the bill, in subsection 35 of section 151 of Chapter 127 by inserting the following: - "Subsection 35. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, each employee in a plan for group, general or blanket hospital, medical, dental or other health insurance, either by purchase of a policy or policies from one or more insurance companies, or nonprofit hospital, medical, dental or other service corporations, including health maintenance organizations, or by means of a self-insurance plan or preferred provider arrangement plan of the authority shall contribute to the total monthly premium or rate applicable to said coverage in accordance with the current collective bargaining agreement."
Floor Number: 388 Clerk Number: 147
MEDICAID AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Mr.
Baddour moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section ___ the following
new Section: -
"Section ___. Each state and community college shall require
that all students enrolled in nine or more credits submit written documentation
evidence of adequate medical insurance coverage. A list of the names, addresses,
and social security numbers of all students indicating any form of MassHealth
insurance coverage shall be forwarded to the Division of Medical Assistance for
evaluation of alternative insurance options.
The Division shall purchase or assist in the purchase of group health insurance, including insurance offered through a college or university, on behalf of an eligible MassHealth member, provided that the Division has determined that the purchase of such insurance is cost-effective. The Division shall deny eligibility to any adult who refuses to enroll in other available insurance.
Floor Number: 389 Clerk Number: 148
MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES
LOCATED ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD
Mr. O'Leary of moves to amend the bill by inserting,
after Section 609, the following new Section:-
"SECTION___. Notwithstanding
the provisions of any general or special law or regulation to the contrary, the
division of health care finance and policy or successor agency thereto, in establishing
the rates effective January 1, 2002 and thereafter of Medicaid reimbursement for
long term care facilities located on Martha's Vineyard, shall recognize those
additional nursing, fixed and variable costs that result from operating a geographically
isolated nursing facility located on Martha's Vineyard. The division of medical
assistance or successor agency thereto, pursuant to the second paragraph of section
12 and 14 of Chapter 118E of the General Laws, is hereby authorized to enter into
contracts and amendments to the provider agreements with such long term care facilities
to implement the rate adjustment provided for by this section."
Floor Number: 390 Clerk Number: 169
NURSING HOME RESIDENT TAX WAIVER
Ms.
Fargo, Messrs. Joyce and Jacques move to amend the bill by inserting, after Section
__, the following new Section: -
"SECTION __. The Division of Medical
Assistance shall seek a waiver from the uniformity provisions of 42 U.S.C. 1396(w)(b)
to mitigate the impact of the user fee on non profit continuing care retirement
communities and non profit residential care facilities, provided that and facility
included in the waiver calculation shall be established as a non profit entity."
Floor Number: 391 Clerk Number: 311
AN AMENDMENT RELATIVE TO EXPANDED HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
Mr. Tarr, Mr. Lees, Mr. Tisei and Mr. Knapik move to amend the
bill (Senate bill 2004) by adding the following new sections: -
SECTION___
Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended in Section 9C by striking the
figure "200" in the second paragraph and replacing it with the figure
"250".
SECTION___ The Division of Medial Assistance shall develop a graduated system of eligibility based on levels for incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, from 201 to 225 percent of the federal poverty level, and from 226 percent to 250 of the federal poverty level. This system shall provide proportionally for levels of assistance, which shall decrease progressively for those categories of eligibility above 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Floor Number: 392 Clerk Number: 351
HOLYOKE HOSPITAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFER
Mr.
Knapik moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section___, the following new
Section:-
"Section___. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or
special law or regulation to the contrary, the division of medical assistance
shall negotiate and implement an intergovernmental transfer agreement for hospital
fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 with Holyoke Hospital. Pursuant to the
agreement, the division shall expend from the medical assistance intergovernmental
transfer account within the Uncompensated Care Trust Fund for Title XIX payments
to Holyoke Hospital an amount not to exceed $30,000,000, equal to the variance
between the hospital's Medicaid charges and Medicaid payments for such years.
The payments shall be established in accordance with Title XIX of the federal
Social Security Act, or any successor federal statute, any regulations promulgated
hereunder, the Commonwealth's Title XIX state plan, and the terms and conditions
of agreements reached with the division for such payments. No such funds shall
be expended unless (1) Holyoke Hospital has executed the Division of Medical Assistance's
current Acute Hospital Request for Application and Contract and any necessary
amendments for prior year contracts, and (2) intergovernmental funds transfers
are made by the City of Holyoke, recently designated the poorest city in the Commonwealth,
or the University of Massachusetts Medical School or both such public entities
in the amount equal to the amount specified in agreements with such entities,
which amount shall not be less than fifty percent of the Title XIX payments. All
revenues generated pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be credited
to the medical assistance intergovernmental transfer account and administered
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (o) of section 18 of chapter 118G
of the General Laws."
Floor Number: 393 Clerk Number: 395
AN AMENDMENT RELATIVE TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES ON CAPE ANN
Mr.
Tarr moves to amend the bill (Senate bill 2004) by adding, at the end thereof,
the following new section: -
"SECTION___. Notwithstanding the provisions
of any general or special law to the contrary, Network Health shall study the
feasibility of contracting with Northeast Health Services, Inc. and other relevant
medical procedures for the delivery of health care services on Cape Ann."
FLOOR NUMBER: 394 CLERK NUMBER: 409
EPILEPSY MEDICATION
Mr. Tolman moves
to amend the bill by inserting, after Section 610, the following new Section:-
"SECTION
611. All antiepileptic medications and treatments shall be available to patients
with epilepsy or seizures who participate in MassHealth; specifically, these products
shall be included on any preferred drug lists and exempted from prior authorization
requirements as a condition of the receipt of these funds."
Floor Number: 395 Clerk Number: 6
FERNALD DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER LAND REUSE COMMITTEE
Ms.
Fargo moves to amend the bill by inserting, after Section __, the following new
Section: -
"SECTION __. Notwithstanding any general or special law to
the contrary, there is hereby established a Fernald Developmental Center Land
Reuse Committee. Said committee shall include the mayor of the city of Waltham
or his designee, the planning director of the city of Waltham, the commissioner
of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation, the ward councilor from
the city of Waltham representing the ward in which the campus is located, three
citizens of Waltham to be appointed by the mayor of the city of Waltham, the state
representative from the ninth Middlesex house district, the state representative
from the tenth Middlesex house district, and the senator from the third Middlesex
senate district. The commissioner of the division of capital asset management
and maintenance shall appoint a representative from the division to be a non-voting
member of the committee, and who shall attend each of the meetings of said committee.
Said committee shall be responsible for representing the interests of the town
in all deliberations with the division of capital asset maintenance and management
about the reuse and future development of the developmental center property. The
committee shall, with the assistance of the division, develop a Comprehensive
Reuse Consensus Plan for Fernald Developmental Center State Property, which shall
provide a detailed description, by parcel, of how said property is to be developed
upon closure of the Fernald campus. Said plan shall include a description of any
potential environmental degradation of the property, along with a proposal for
environmental remediation, and a proposed cost for said cleanup, including, but
not limited to, any building demolition required on said site. The goals of said
plan may include, but shall not be limited to, preservation of open space, creation
of affordable housing, development of new business, the creation of recreational
opportunities, the development of new community residences for the mentally retarded
consumers of Fernald Center, and any other applicable community priorities. Upon
approval by the reuse committee, said plan shall be presented to the Waltham City
Council for approval, and, if endorsed by majority vote of the council, filed
with the division of capital asset management and maintenance. Said plan shall
also be submitted to the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and
means, and to the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on state administration,
along with copies of authorizing legislation, if any, necessary to effectuate
the provisions of the reuse plan. If said reuse plan provides for the conveyance
of land from the state to the city of Waltham, said legislation shall provide
that the price paid for such parcel be for the full and fair market value of the
property determined by independent appraisal, for the uses described in the plan,
including, but not limited to, any restrictions or and requirements imposed by
said plan. Said reuse committee shall meet as necessary to complete said reuse
plan, but shall not meet less than once per month."
Floor Number: 396 Clerk Number: 217
RELATIVE TO DRUG MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES
Ms.
Creem and Mr. O'Leary move to amend the bill by inserting after Section 311, the
following new sections:
SECTION 311A. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 32, 32A, 32B, 32E, 32F, and 32J of chapter 94C of the General Laws, or any other general or special law to the contrary, persons serving mandatory minimum sentences in a state prison for violations of the above referenced sections as of July 1, 2003 shall be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of their maximum sentence.
SECTION 311B. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 32, 32A, 32B, 32E, 32F, and 32J of chapter 94C of the General Laws, or any other general or special law to the contrary, persons serving mandatory minimum sentences in a house of correction for violations of the above referenced sections as of July 1, 2003 shall be eligible for parole after serving one half of their maximum sentence.
SECTION 311C. Section 32H of chapter 94C, as appearing in the
2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 13, the word
"parole," and is hereby further amended by inserting at the end of said
section the following paragraph:-
Notwithstanding any general or special law
to the contrary, a person convicted of violating any provisions of sections 32,
32A, 32B, 32E, 32F, and 32J of chapter 94C of the General Laws shall be eligible
for parole after serving two-thirds of the maximum term of imprisonment to a state
prison imposed or after serving one-half of the maximum term of imprisonment to
a house of correction imposed.
Floor Number: 397 Clerk Number: 475
MEDIATION OF DISPUTES
Mr. Creedon moves to amend bill by inserting after Section 380,
the following new Section:-
"SECTION____. Chapter 127 of the General Laws,
as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after
Section 38H the following new Section:-
"Section 38I. Any complaint filed
with the court by an inmate in accordance with section thirty-eight shall, within
ten days of the filing, be referred by the court for mediation. The court shall
schedule mediation no later than sixty days from the date of the filing of the
complaint. Neither the inmate nor the defendants may refuse to mediate in good
faith the claims raised in the complaint. At the conclusion of mediation, the
mediator shall prepare a brief report setting forth which claims, if any, were
settled and which claims remain for the decision by the court. The report of the
mediator shall be filed with the Dispute Resolution Services Coordinator of the
court in which the action was filed. Mediations pursuant to this section may be
conducted by videoconference or at a correctional facility, and shall be subject
to the Uniform Rules of Dispute
Resolution promulgated by the Supreme Judicial
Court."
Floor Number: 398 Clerk Number: 1
COMPETENCY DETERMINATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Ms. Fargo and Mr. Wilkerson move to
amend the bill by inserting, after Section __, the following new Section: -
"SECTION
__. Section 1D, subsection (i) of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as so appearing
in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, each school district,
by vote of its School Committee, shall have the authority to award a high school
diploma to those students who are eligible for special education programs and
who have fulfilled all the requirements of that school district for graduation.
In addition, should a school committee elect to award diplomas to special education
students who have met all district requirements, the diplomas awarded to the students
in that district shall indicate that MCAS competency has been achieved where appropriate.
Nothing herein shall be construed to require any school district to award a high
school diploma to any student who has not achieved a MCAS competency determination.
Any school may vote to award such diplomas for any class scheduled to graduate
in FY 03 through FY 06."
Floor Number: 399 Clerk Number: 2
COMPETENCY DETERMINATION FOR VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Ms. Fargo and
Mr. Joyce move to amend the bill by inserting, after Section __, the following
new Section: -
"SECTION __. Section 1D, subsection (i) of chapter 69 of
the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended
by inserting after the first paragraph the following:-
"Competency determination
shall not be a condition for high school graduation for students of vocational-technical
education programs, as defined in Section 1 of chapter 74. High school graduation
requirements shall be determined by school districts for students of vocational-technical
education programs."
Floor Number: 400 Clerk Number: 3
COMPETENCY DETERMINATION FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS
Ms. Fargo moves to
amend the bill by inserting, after Section __, the following new Section: -
"SECTION
__. Section 1D, subsection (i) of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as so appearing
in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph
the following:-
"Competency determination shall not be a condition for
high school graduation for Limited English proficient students, as defined in
Section 1 of chapter 71A. High school graduation requirements shall be determined
by school districts for Limited English proficient students."