Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2875 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1795 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2875
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jay D. Livingstone
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to establish a commission to report on the moral budget.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jay D. Livingstone8th Suffolk1/18/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/8/2023Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/22/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/23/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/23/2023 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1795 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2875
18	18	By Representative Livingstone of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2875) of
19	19	Jay D. Livingstone and others for legislation to memorializing the Massachusetts congressional
20	20	delegation and the President of the United States to support the moral budget, and for an
21	21	investigation by a commission (including members of the General Court) on the impact of
22	22	passage of the moral budget. Revenue.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act to establish a commission to report on the moral budget.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Moral Budget Resolution
32	32	2 SECTION 1
33	33	3 Whereas we live in the richest country in the history of the world and have abundant
34	34	4resources to ensure dignity and health of people and the country, the coronavirus pandemic and
35	35	5its consequences have revealed the need to dramatically change our priorities and reallocate
36	36	6funding to preserve the future of the people of this Commonwealth and the country as a whole;
37	37	7 According to 2010 US Census categories some 10% - close to 700,000 people - are living
38	38	8below the poverty level in Massachusetts. Many more are struggling with high housing costs,
39	39	9student debt, and inability to afford adequate healthcare. The number of persons experiencing
40	40	10homelessness last year was at least 20,000. 2 of 5
41	41	11 Before the pandemic about 30% of the Massachusetts budget derived from Federal
42	42	12Government funds. With the CARES Act and additional federal stimuli, even more of the state
43	43	13budget is coupled to the federal budget.
44	44	14 Therefore, be it resolved that the Members of the Massachusetts Legislature call upon the
45	45	15MA members of the U.S. Congressional Delegation and the President to support the Moral
46	46	16Budget for America (developed by the Poor People’s Campaign and the Institute for Policy
47	47	17Studies) to revive, repair and renew our national and state economies.
48	48	18 Education: The Moral Budget invests $24.4 billion per year in K-12 schools and
49	49	19teachers to boost academic performance among poor and struggling children. This would bring
50	50	20$480 million to Massachusetts for public education, sufficient to hire more than 6,000 well
51	51	21trained teachers. This would significantly contribute to the $2 billion needed to fully fund the
52	52	22State Fund Our Future Education initiative.
53	53	23 The Moral Budget also invests about $70 billion per year for the federal and state shares
54	54	24of providing four years of free public college. This would bring about $1.4 billion into
55	55	25Massachusetts, and lift up the prospects of completing their education for the 260,000 students in
56	56	26the public colleges and universities.
57	57	27 Housing: The Moral budget provides $44 billion per year in investments in a housing
58	58	28trust fund to build, maintain, and preserve affordable rental homes. The sums coming to
59	59	29Massachusetts cold be used to end Homelessness in the Commonwealth.
60	60	30 Healthcare: Whereas the largest expenditure in the Massachusetts budget is for
61	61	31healthcare, and 379,000 people are still uninsured, the Moral Budget contributes funding for
62	62	32States to transition to lower cost single payer health care; 3 of 5
63	63	33 Family Services: As an immediate measure, The Moral Budget restores $8.9 billion for
64	64	34Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to previous funding levels, to provide a
65	65	35modicum of relief to poor families who deserve a fully functional safety net. TANF has not been
66	66	36adjusted for inflation since the Clinton administration. The restored budget would bring
67	67	37$180,000,000 to poor families in Mass.
68	68	38 Veterans Services: Whereas some 20% of veterans in Massachusetts are living on less
69	69	39than $35,000 a year and one in five are living in poverty, the Moral Budget eliminates veteran’s
70	70	40homelessness, expands access to mental health care and expands job training for veterans ;
71	71	41 Transportation: The Moral Budget increases in federal transportation spending would
72	72	42bring about $1.2 billion/year for Massachusetts. This would enable re-establishing train service
73	73	43for “South Coast Rail” to New Bedford and Fall River; begin design for the North Station -
74	74	44South Station Connector, which would unify the nearly entire east coast rail while also fixing
75	75	45many confusing commutes; extending the Blue Line to Lynn; and expanding Regional Bus
76	76	46Service for Central and Western MA.
77	77	47 Right to Vote and Mass Incarceration: Whereas almost 3,000 black adults in
78	78	48Massachusetts cannot vote due to felony voting restrictions, the Moral Budget increases funding
79	79	49for voter protection and legal assistance programs and funds public financing of campaigns.
80	80	50 Clean Water: By Investing $37.2 billion a year in water infrastructure, the Moral Budget
81	81	51would create up to 945,000 jobs while providing safe drinking water to thousands of
82	82	52communities that don’t have it. Some 18,000 of these jobs would be provided to Massachusetts
83	83	53residents, enabling upgrades in water systems of cities and towns throughout the
84	84	54Commonwealth. 4 of 5
85	85	55 Climate Protection: Given that in Massachusetts 10,450 tons of NOx are emitted yearly, a
86	86	56leading cause of respiratory problems, the Moral Budget invests $200 billion in transitioning to
87	87	57clean renewable energy, crumbling roads, bridges, and a Green New Deal to build a fully
88	88	58modernized electric grid and create about 50,000 high-quality jobs in Massachusetts.
89	89	59 Fair Wages: A $15 federal minimum wage enacted immediately would raise pay for 49
90	90	60million workers nationally by a combined $328 billion per year. This would benefit about a
91	91	61million Massachusetts workers, raising their purchasing power by $600 million.
92	92	62 Peace and Security: Hundreds of Massachusetts residents have been wounded or lost their
93	93	63lives fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond since 2001. Pursuing these military adventures
94	94	64have diverted funds from sectors that will make us more resilient and safer such as healthcare,
95	95	65education, the transition to renewable energy, and increased protection of vital natural resources
96	96	66in
97	97	67 The Moral Budget saves as much as $350 billion per year in the federal budget by
98	98	68cutting current Pentagon spending for fighting endless wars, maintaining a worldwide network of
99	99	69800 military bases, stoking dangerous arms races, and subsidizing for-profit corporate
100	100	70contractors, leaving a military budget that would still be larger than that of China, Russia, and
101	101	71Iran combined. These savings would finance many of the investments listed above.
102	102	72 SECTION 2
103	103	73 (a) There shall be a Moral Budget commission established pursuant to section 2A of
104	104	74chapter 4 of the General Laws, referred to in this section as the Commission. The Commission
105	105	75shall evaluate and report on the impact that passage of the People’s Budget would have on 5 of 5
106	106	76Massachusetts, including currently underfunded sectors such as environment, education,
107	107	77healthcare, transportation, and the arts.
108	108	78 (b) The Commission shall consist of 15 members: 2 of whom shall be members of the
109	109	79House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of representatives; 1 of whom
110	110	80shall be a member of the House of Representatives appointed by the minority leader of the House
111	111	81of Representatives; 2 of whom shall be members of the Senate appointed by the President of the
112	112	82senate; 1 of whom shall be a member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the
113	113	83Senate; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the governor of which one shall be a member of the
114	114	84Executive Office of Administration and Finance; 1 of whom shall be a member of Massachusetts
115	115	85Peace Action; 1 of whom shall be a member of the Mass Taxpayers Association; 1 of whom
116	116	86shall be a member of Mass Budget and Policy Center; 1 of whom shall be a board member of the
117	117	87Associated Industries of Massachusetts; 1 of whom shall be a member of the SEIU Executive
118	118	88Council; 1 of whom shall be a board member of the Alliance of Business Leadership; 1
119	119	89appointed by the Treasurer of the Commonwealth
120	120	90 (c) The Commission shall submit its final report to the governor, the House and Senate
121	121	91chairs of the Joint Committee on Revenue not later than six months after enactment which shall
122	122	92include: (i) an evaluation of the potential impacts of the resolution upon the standard of living of
123	123	93Massachusetts residents.