FREEZE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TAX RATES (S 8)
House 151-0, approved a bill that would freeze the unemployment insurance tax paid by employers at the current 2010 level through the end of 2011 instead of allowing a scheduled increase to take effect. The payments go into a fund that provides unemployment benefits to laid-off workers. The Senate later approved the measure on a voice vote and sent it to Gov. Deval Patrick.

The average 2010 employer contribution into the fund was $644 per employee. Without this proposed freeze, the 2011 per-employee assessment would jump by $233 to $877.

The contributions are based on a formula and even with this freeze, the contribution will increase by an estimated $61 per employee, from $644 to $705.

Supporters said the freeze would save businesses an estimated $500 million during this economic downturn and give them room to grow as the economy recovers. They argued that these funds are best left in the private sector which will use it for capital investment and job creation and retention.

Although no representative voted against the freeze, there are critics who say the increase should be allowed to take effect in order to ensure there is sufficient money in the fund to pay the unemployed. The chief opponent, Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes, said, "The business community has made this particular bed and they should be made to lie in it. The size of the scheduled rate increase is so high because business blindly and automatically whined and begged for rate freezes in good times and were handed hundreds of millions and probably billions of dollars by the elected leaders who deliver ill-advised rate freezes year after year. Freezing the rate is as shortsighted as it is irresponsible and fiscally reckless, and that's what has put us in this mess."

(A "Yes" vote is for the bill.)

Rep. Thomas Calter    Yes                                        

Rep. James Cantwell    Yes                                        

Rep. Geoff Diehl    Yes                                        

Rep. Daniel Webster    Yes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST TRANSGENDER PERSONS - Gov. Patrick quietly, without advance notice or a ceremony, signed an executive order that prohibits all state agencies from making employment decisions based on gender identity. The measure takes effect immediately and is designed to protect transgender persons from discrimination when applying for a state job.

Broader legislation that would prohibit discrimination against transgender persons by adding gender identity protection to the state's non-discrimination and hate crimes laws died in the Judiciary Committee last year. Supporters have refiled it this year. The bill goes beyond the governor's executive order and prohibits discrimination in many areas including public and private employment, housing, education and credit.

Supporters say Massachusetts should join 12 other states that have these pro-transgender laws. They noted that the bill would prohibit discrimination against transgender persons in many areas including employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and public education.

Opponents say this "bathroom bill" would put women and children at risk by allowing dangerous male predators, claiming to be transgender persons, to use women’s bathrooms.

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS - Legislators have filed several proposals to amend the state's constitution. Any measure that receives 25 percent (50 votes) of the 200 members of both the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 Legislature will appear on the 2014 state ballot.

FOUR-YEAR TERMS FOR LEGISLATORS (H 1114) Increases the terms of state legislators from two years to four years.

TERM LIMITS (S 10) - Limits the number of years a representative is allowed to serve to eight years and senators to four years.

GRADUATED INCOME TAX (S 18) - Establishes a graduated income tax that would allow the Legislature to impose higher income tax rates on taxpayers in higher income brackets and lower rates on those in lower income brackets. This controversial tax, similar to the federal government's income tax, would replace the state's current 5.3 percent tax.

LIMIT LEGISLATIVE SESSION (H 1825) - Prohibits the Legislature from meeting beyond June 30 unless called into a special session. Currently the constitution allows the Legislature to meet up to 12 months per year.

REPEAL AUTOMATIC PAY RAISE OR REDUCTION (H 1827) - Repeals the 1998 voter-approved constitutional amendment that requires the governor to biennially increase or decrease legislative salaries. The amendment, approved by a better than two-to-one margin, requires legislative salaries to be "increased or decreased at the same rate as increases or decreases in the median household income for the Commonwealth for the preceding two-year period, as ascertained by the governor."

INCREASE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES FOR INITIATIVE PETITIONS (H 1830) - Increases the number of signatures that citizen who are sponsoring a proposed law or constitutional amendment must collect in order to bring the proposal before the Legislature for consideration. Under current law, the required number of signatures must equal at least 3 percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. The bill raises the requirement to 7 percent.  Based on current law, 68,911 signatures would be required while under the proposal, 160,792 would be necessary.

LIMIT EMINENT DOMAIN (H 1824) - Prohibits private property from being taken for private commercial enterprise, economic development or for any other private use without the consent of the owner.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"He was bullied and called names all through middle school and high school. He was brave enough to know who he was. It didn't matter to him if people didn't agree with him." — Ken Garber, father of CJ Garber, his 20-year-old transgender son, who died in 2009. Garber and his wife Marcia were at the Statehouse to celebrate Gov. Patrick's signing of an executive order prohibiting state agencies from employment discrimination against transgender people.

"This is what I’ve worked for. I’ve committed 35 years here, knowing what the benefits are." — Retiring executive director Thomas Kinton on reports he will collect $459,616 for unused sick days from his 35-year tenure at Massport. He will also collect an annual $200,000 pension. Kinton was grandfathered in under Massport's old policy when the agency approved one in 2006 prohibiting employees from accruing more that 60 unused sick days and being paid only 20 percent of their value when they retire.

"This issue points to the misalignment between the fiscal realities faced by Massachusetts families and the compensation levels of some in government." — Senate Republican Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) commenting on Kinton's cash-out.

"I’m not going to rule it in or out." — Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray on whether he plans to run for governor in 2014.

"I wish I could tell you a great story. I was going out to take the rubbish out and I literally took one step and it just went under me." — House Speaker Robert DeLeo on how he broke his ankle.

"The Senate convened at 11 a.m., Sen. Tolman presiding and Sen. Hedlund present. The two senators and staff stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. After a brief recess, the Senate adopted an adjournment order and adjourned at 11:04 a.m. to meet next at 11 a.m. Tuesday in an informal session." — The State House News Service's description of last Thursday's brief Senate session.

HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK'S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature's job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session.

During the week of Feb. 14-18, the House met for a total of four hours and 7 minutes while the Senate met for a total of one hour and 42 minutes.

Mon. February 14   

House  11:03 a.m. to  11:10 a.m.

Senate 11:02 a.m. to  11:05 a.m.

Tues.  February 15   

House  11:03 a.m. to  11:08 a.m.

No Senate session

Wed. February 16   

House  11:00 a.m. to   2:44 p.m.

Senate  1:02 p.m. to   2:37 p.m.

Thurs. February 17   

House  11:02 a.m. to  11:13 a.m.

Senate 11:00 a.m. to  11:04 a.m.

Fri. February 18 

No Senate session

No Senate session

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