BOSTON – Senator Michael R. Knapik (R-Westfield) joined his colleagues on Thursday in voting to approve legislation to stimulate job growth and boost economic development in the Commonwealth. The bill targets grants programs to facilitate job training and to address the middle skills gap and well as assist small businesses, the manufacturing industry, and invest funds to promote research and development.
“I am please with the Commonwealth’s commitment to job creation and the innovative approach this legislation takes to promote economic development,” Knapik remarked. “The Massachusetts economy remains fragile and I think we have a long way to go to fully address the needs of our state, especially in areas outside of metro-Boston. That being said, I am confident this initiative will provide adequate resources to employers, employees, and our cities and towns to continue to invest in our state,” Knapik continued.
Notably, the Senate plan includes $50 million for the Scientific and Technology Research and Development Matching Grant Fund to support matching grants for research and development projects sponsored by the Commonwealths many universities and research and development institutions. Eligible projects must receive $3 from outside sources for every $1 the state invests.
Recognizing the entrepreneurial spirit in the state, the proposal appropriates $2 million for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to provide paid internships to new technology companies, provided half of the funds are spend to establish an entrepreneur and startup venture capital mentoring program. The bill requires a 1:1 match on investment of public dollars.
In an effort to address the Commonwealth’s middle skills gap, the bill recapitalizes the Workforce Competitive Trust Fund with $5 million. A portion of these funds will support grants to provide training to employees for jobs that require a high school diploma, but less than a 4-year degree (middle-skill jobs).
“I commend the work that has been done on middle skills. This is a great initiative and precisely where the Commonwealth needs to be assisting businesses and community colleges with workforce development opportunities on a regional basis,” Knapik said. “It is no secret to us in Western Massachusetts and those outside of the greater Boston area that the recovery has been uneven. Unemployment in many cities and towns in our area remains well above the state-wide average. It is programs like these that will allow communities in Western Mass to enjoy a robust economic recovery,” continued Knapik.
The Legislation also authorizes a sales tax holiday to be held on August 11 and 12, which is estimated to bring $20 million in tax relief to Massachusetts consumers. Despite the fact that this will be the seventh consecutive year the Commonwealth has held such a weekend, the legislature rejected an amendment offered by the GOP caucus to make the event permanent.
The plan spurs local improvement projects by eliminating certain state-level reviews of local improvement financing plans; streamlining requirements surrounding the permitting process; eliminating a provision that allows property owners to opt-out of business improvement districts (BIDs); authorizing public parking garages to qualify for funds under the Infrastructure Investment Incentive Program (I-Cubed); consolidating six infrastructure grant programs under the MassWorks programs and directing the unexpended balance of certain funds to the program; and by including $1 million to fund the community investment grant program, which supports community development corporations and community support organizations.
Other notable provisions include an amendment filed by Senator Knapik to establish a special commission to to study the actions and effectiveness of the department of unemployment insurance on unemployment insurance claims; a two-year extension of the Brownsfields Tax Credits; increasing the cap on the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits from $50 million to $55 million; $250,000 to support the Small Business Association of New England’s layoff aversion program; and the establishment of a yearly economic development summit to, among other things, discuss the disparity of economic activity across the state.
In other legislative action, the Senate unanimously voted to override the Governor’s veto on the human service salary reserve, which assists non-profits in providing wage increases to employees in direct care who earn less than $40,000 per year in the FY13 state budget. Governor Patrick had reduced the line item to $10 million, and the Legislature’s vote yesterday will allow for $20 million to be expended on these wage increases. The Senate also unanimously overrode the Governor’s veto for $1.75 million for the Department of Fire Services.
“I am particularly pleased the Legislature has provided this funding to allow for direct-care workers to receive well-deserved and modest wage increases,” Knapik said. “These workers perform vitally important work on behalf of some of our neediest citizens, and it is important we recognize their efforts,” he continued.
Finally, the Senate also gave final approval to a bill creating a new violent felony habitual criminal statute that denies parole eligibility to habitual offenders upon the third offense of crimes listed in the statute if the person served at least three years for the previous two offenses. The current habitual offender statute allows those previously convicted and sentenced twice to become eligible for parole at two-thirds of the maximum sentence upon conviction of a third felony sentence.
“This bill further demonstrates Massachusetts’s continued commitment to public safety by addressing these long-overdue problems. This bill revamps the parole board, addresses non-violent drug offenses, and reforms sentencing laws to ensure the most violent habitual offenders are kept off the streets of the Commonwealth,” Knapik noted.
Under the bill, which awaits approval from the Governor, the trial court and the probation department will work in conjunction with the director of the state police crime laboratory to streamline collection of DNA evidence and communication among public safety agencies on such matters.
The bill toughens parole eligibility thresholds to a two-thirds vote of the Board for anyone serving a life sentence. It allows judges to set an imprisonment term between 15-25 years before an initial parole eligibility date, and inmates with life sentences arising from separate and distinct incidents would not be eligible for parole.
The legislation also modifies the rules under which the Parole Board operates by giving the governor the ability to remove parole board members; requiring the Board to complete a risk/needs assessment before granting parole; requiring on-the-record votes on board matters; increasing notification requirements for parole hearings; and requiring eight hours of annual training for Board members.
Additionally, the bill reduces mandatory minimum sentences for certain non-violent drug offenses under the Controlled Substance Act. Those who are convicted of selling drugs within 300 feet of a school will face a mandatory two-year minimum sentence.
The formal legislative session is set to end on July 31, and all controversial matters before the General Court would need to be acted upon prior to that deadline. The Senate is scheduled to meet in four formal sessions prior to the end of July.
