As I write my column this week I am distracted by the scenes from the London Olympic Games showing on my television: swimming, rowing, volleyball, and gymnastics. I’m not a huge sports fan, but I love catching as much of the summer and winter Olympics as I can.
Not many of you know this but I have a 2nd degree Brown belt in Judo and am a life member of the United States Judo Association. I try to watch all the Olympic Judo matches online.
This week, a 22-year old Massachusetts woman named Kayla Harrison won the first Gold medal any American has ever won in Judo. Her coach, Jimmy Pedro, is from the North Shore of Boston and is a two-time Olympic Bronze medal winner. I attended tournaments and clinics with him when I was younger. I am so excited for Team USA and Kayla. I hope to get a chance to meet her if she comes to the State House. I’m a huge fan.
The formal sessions of the 187th General Court of the Commonwealth are done. The House and Senate were in session Monday and Tuesday. We adjourned early in the morning on Wednesday. It was a difficult week for many of us, both here in Westfield and on Beacon Hill in Boston.
Due to roll calls and formal session, I was regrettably unable to be in town for the wake and funeral of Officer Jose Torres. I requested that the House of Representatives hold a special moment of silent prayer in honor and memory of Jose during the final day Tuesday. I had a photo of him that I put on my desk in the House Chamber all day in tribute so my colleagues could see it and learn about him.
I had intended to do a wrap up of all the things the Legislature did in the final days of session. Then I read the Westfield News on Thursday and there was Senator Mike Knapik’s column that contained a comprehensive list of everything we voted on before the clock ran out. Oh well. Let me just touch briefly on a few of the things we did.
The House passed An Act Relative to Infrastructure Investment, Enhanced Competitiveness, and Economic Growth in the Commonwealth, 153-1. I voted YEA. This bill contained the annual 6.25% Sales Tax Free Holiday Weekend for Saturday and Sunday, August 11 and 12. Cigarettes, gasoline, and purchases on items over $2500 are excluded.
The House passed a re-drafted Right to Repair compromise bill. It passed unanimously. This issue had been before my Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure for several sessions. If the Governor signs this into law it will avert a divisive ballot question campaign this November.
We passed a Transportation Bond Bill. I voted YEA. It will allocate over $1 billion for infrastructure improvements and rail, road, and bridge projects. Senator Knapik and I were successful in earmarking $3 million for construction of a parking garage in downtown Westfield.
The House passed a bill aimed at addressing Communication between Public Utilities, their Customers, and Emergency Service Responders during storms and power emergencies. I voted YEA. This bill is in response to the dismal cleanup response times and lack of communication after the October snowstorm and Tropical Storm Irene last August.
The House passed a Supplemental Budget to close out the books on FY 2012. I voted YEA.
One bill the House took up that I voted against was An Act Improving the Quality of Health Care and Reducing Costs through Increased Transparency, Efficiency, and Innovation. The vote was 132-20. I voted NAY. Although I supported a similar bill when it came to the House floor last month, legislators did not receive the report of the Conference Committee on this bill until 10PM on Monday night. We were asked to vote on it Tuesday afternoon. The bill was 350 pages long. It had several “one-time assessments,” created a new health care bureaucracy, and cost over $200 million. While I support many parts of the sweeping legislation, I guess I was just gun-shy about voting on such a massive bill with such little advance time. It will dramatically impact one sixth of the Massachusetts economy. I truly hope the cost savings are realized.
Governor Patrick had invited all of us legislators to his mansion in Richmond Sunday for his annual summer picnic but on Friday I received word from his office that the picnic was unexpectedly cancelled. No reason was given. I am speculating it either has to do with the First Lady’s visit and fundraiser at his home or the Westover Air Show and the accompanying traffic jams on the MassPike. I guess I will just have to mow my lawn instead.
Please tune in and watch the newest installment of my new cable show, “From the State House to your House,” which this month features Tina Gorman, Director of the Westfield Council on Aging, as my guest. It airs on the Westfield Community Programming channel 15 on Sundays at 4:30PM, Wednesdays at 8:30PM, Thursdays at 10:30AM and 10:30PM, and Fridays at 2:30PM.
People who want to register to vote in time for the Thursday, September 6 primary election must register by August 18. You can get a form from my office, the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, or online at the Secretary of State’s office.
It’s late. I’m done. Have a good week!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield News.
Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Maura Cassin may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366.
Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803.
Email address: [email protected]
Website: www.DonHumason.org
