BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo planned to urge fellow House members to wade into contentious fights over charter schools and ride-hailing services in the coming months.
The Democrat, beginning his eighth year as House leader, was scheduled to outline his 2016 agenda during his annual address to members on Wednesday.
A DeLeo aide said the speaker wants the House to address charter schools in advance of a potential November ballot question that would allow up to a dozen new or expanded charters each year outside of existing caps.
It was not clear if DeLeo planned to seek an easing of the charter caps, but the aide said the approach would build on previous efforts to bridge an academic achievement gap that separates low-income and wealthier students in Massachusetts.
Charter schools are public schools that operate independently from local school districts. They have won praise for educational innovation but have also been criticized for draining financial resources from traditional schools.
Democratic Senate President Stan Rosenberg announced last week that he had formed a working group to develop legislation to reform charter schools. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, a longtime supporter of charters schools, has also filed a bill to ease the state’s charter school cap.
DeLeo, in his annual address, was also expected to call for action this year on legislation aimed at ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft.
A bill filed by Charlie Baker would require criminal background checks on all drivers and also require that drivers carry at least $1 million of insurance. Another bill, authored by two Democratic lawmakers, seeks more stringent rules, including the fingerprinting of drivers.
DeLeo also planned to discuss other issues, including energy, early education and the need to hold the line on taxes during Wednesday’s speech.
The formal legislative session runs through July 31.
