By Bob Katzen

Another bill before the Higher Education Committee would freeze the tuition and fees at all state colleges. Continue reading FREEZE COLLEGE TUITION AND FEES (H 1463) →

By Bob Katzen

Legislation heard by the Higher Education Committee would allow children 18 or older who are being raised by their grandparents or other relatives, except parents, to have their tuition and fees waived if attending a state college.
Continue reading FREE PUBLIC COLLEGE TUITION (H 1428) →

By Bob Katzen

Another proposal before the Public Health Committee would eventually end the sale of all nicotine and tobacco products in the Bay State. The proposal will not take away the right to purchase nicotine and tobacco products from anyone who is already legally able to do so. Instead, the measure would prohibit people under 21 who are not currently old enough to legally purchase nicotine and tobacco products, to ever be lawfully able to purchase these products in Massachusetts.
Continue reading BAN NICOTINE AND TOBACCO (S 1568) →

By Bob Katzen

The Public Health Committee held a hearing on a measure that would prohibit the online sale of any tobacco products by requiring any sale of tobacco to be done in-person with both the buyer and seller physically present at the time and location of the purchase. The buyer’s age would have to be verified at the time of purchase through a valid government-issued photo ID. Continue reading PROHIBIT ONLINE TOBACCO SALES (H 2482) →

By Bob Katzen

ByAaron Singer, the producer and director of “Shadows on the Hill,” an upcoming documentary that he says asks why common-sense bills don’t pass the Massachusetts Legislature, announced the unveiling of his GoFundMe website to raise money for the production. Continue reading DOCUMENTARY “SHADOWS ON THE HILL” CREATES GOFUNDME PAGE →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 5-34, rejected an amendment that would create a “Yellow Envelope Program,” that would give drivers 62 and older, who have a chronic illness, the option to be given a special yellow envelope that holds a recent photograph, the driver’s name, emergency contact information, physicians’ names and contact information, medical conditions, recent surgeries, allergies, medications and any other information the Registrar decides is relevant information to emergency responders in the case of emergency.
Continue reading YELLOW ENVELOPE PROGRAM (S 2565) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 39-0, approved an amendment that would require all police officers in Massachusetts to complete training every five years on the Blue Envelope Program. Continue reading TRAIN POLICE OFFICERS ON THE BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM (S 2565) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill designed to improve interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder during traffic stops. The measure, dubbed the “Blue Envelope Bill” would create a program giving people with the disorder the option to be given a special blue envelope that holds the person’s driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance cards. Continue reading AUTISM AND POLICE STOPS (S 2565) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 40-0, approved and sent to the House legislation that would abolish some archaic laws that are still on the books in Massachusetts. These laws include prohibiting adultery, sodomy, blasphemy, “common nightwalking” and being a vagabond.
Continue reading REPEAL ARCHAIC LAWS (S 2564) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 40-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that would modernize and remove archaic language in state laws to reflect the evolution of terminology relating to persons with disabilities.

Continue reading CHANGE ARCHAIC LANGUAGE REFERRING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (S 2563) →

Your thoughts on how much of this will be used on wasteful spending before it reaches where it’s originally supposed to go?

By Bob Katzen

House 157-0, approved and sent to the Senate a $1.2 billion transportation bond bill that includes authorizing $300 million in one-time funding for the maintenance and repair of local roads and bridges in cities and towns across the state — a 50 percent increase over last year’s funding. The measure provides that $200 million be distributed to all cities and towns based on the standard Chapter 90 Program distribution formula while $100 million would be distributed to all municipalities based solely on road mileage.
Continue reading $300 MILLION FOR LOCAL ROADS AND BRIDGES (H 4307) →