Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1820 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1123 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1820
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Paul R. Feeney
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
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve to establish a commission to report on the Moral Budget.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk 1 of 5
17	17	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1123 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
18	18	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1820
19	19	By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1820) of Paul R. Feeney that
20	20	provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including members
21	21	of the General Court) to evaluate and report on the impact that passage of the People’s Budget
22	22	would have on Massachusetts. Revenue.
23	23	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
24	24	SEE SENATE, NO. 1866 OF 2021-2022.]
25	25	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
26	26	_______________
27	27	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
28	28	(2023-2024)
29	29	_______________
30	30	Resolve to establish a commission to report on the Moral Budget.
31	31	1 Resolved, whereas we live in the richest country in the history of the world and have
32	32	2abundant resources to ensure dignity and health of people and the country, the coronavirus
33	33	3pandemic and its consequences have revealed the need to dramatically change our priorities and
34	34	4reallocate funding to preserve the future of the people of this Commonwealth and the country as
35	35	5a whole;
36	36	6 According to 2010 US Census categories some 10% - close to 700,000 people - are living
37	37	7below the poverty level in Massachusetts. Many more are struggling with high housing costs,
38	38	8student debt, and inability to afford adequate healthcare. The number of persons experiencing
39	39	9homelessness last year was at least 20,000. 2 of 5
40	40	10 Before the pandemic about 30% of the Massachusetts budget derived from Federal
41	41	11Government funds. With the CARES Act and additional federal stimuli, even more of the state
42	42	12budget is coupled to the federal budget.
43	43	13 Therefore, be it resolved that the Members of the Massachusetts Legislature call upon the
44	44	14MA members of the U.S. Congressional Delegation and the President to support the Moral
45	45	15Budget for America (developed by the Poor People’s Campaign and the Institute for Policy
46	46	16Studies) to revive, repair and renew our national and state economies.
47	47	17 Education: The Moral Budget invests $24.4 billion per year in K-12 schools and teachers
48	48	18to boost academic performance among poor and struggling children. This would bring $480
49	49	19million to Massachusetts for public education, sufficient to hire more than 6,000 well trained
50	50	20teachers. This would significantly contribute to the $2 billion needed to fully fund the State Fund
51	51	21Our Future Education initiative.
52	52	22 The Moral Budget also invests about $70 billion per year for the federal and state shares
53	53	23of providing four years of free public college. This would bring about $1.4 billion into
54	54	24Massachusetts, and lift up the prospects of completing their education for the 260,000 students in
55	55	25the public colleges and universities.
56	56	26 Housing: The Moral budget provides $44 billion per year in investments in a housing
57	57	27trust fund to build, maintain, and preserve affordable rental homes. The sums coming to
58	58	28Massachusetts cold be used to end Homelessness in the Commonwealth.
59	59	29 Healthcare: Whereas the largest expenditure in the Massachusetts budget is for
60	60	30healthcare, and 379,000 people are still uninsured, the Moral Budget contributes funding for
61	61	31States to transition to lower cost single payer health care; 3 of 5
62	62	32 Family Services: As an immediate measure, The Moral Budget restores $8.9 billion for
63	63	33Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to previous funding levels, to provide a
64	64	34modicum of relief to poor families who deserve a fully functional safety net. TANF has not been
65	65	35adjusted for inflation since the Clinton administration. The restored budget would bring
66	66	36$180,000,000 to poor families in Mass.
67	67	37 Veterans Services: Whereas some 20% of veterans in Massachusetts are living on less
68	68	38than $35,000 a year and one in five are living in poverty, the Moral Budget eliminates veteran’s
69	69	39homelessness, expands access to mental health care and expands job training for veterans ;
70	70	40 Transportation: The Moral Budget increases in federal transportation spending would
71	71	41bring about $1.2 billion/year for Massachusetts. This would enable re-establishing train service
72	72	42for “South Coast Rail” to New Bedford and Fall River; begin design for the North Station -
73	73	43South Station Connector, which would unify the nearly entire east coast rail while also fixing
74	74	44many confusing commutes; extending the Blue Line to Lynn; and expanding Regional Bus
75	75	45Service for Central and Western MA.
76	76	46 Right to Vote and Mass Incarceration: Whereas almost 3,000 black adults in
77	77	47Massachusetts cannot vote due to felony voting restrictions, the Moral Budget increases funding
78	78	48for voter protection and legal assistance programs and funds public financing of campaigns.
79	79	49 Clean Water: By Investing $37.2 billion a year in water infrastructure, the Moral Budget
80	80	50would create up to 945,000 jobs while providing safe drinking water to thousands of
81	81	51communities that don’t have it. Some 18,000 of these jobs would be provided to Massachusetts
82	82	52residents, enabling upgrades in water systems of cities and towns throughout the
83	83	53Commonwealth. 4 of 5
84	84	54 Climate Protection: Given that in Massachusetts 10,450 tons of NOx are emitted yearly, a
85	85	55leading cause of respiratory problems, the Moral Budget invests $200 billion in transitioning to
86	86	56clean renewable energy, crumbling roads, bridges, and a Green New Deal to build a fully
87	87	57modernized electric grid and create about 50,000 high-quality jobs in Massachusetts.
88	88	58 Fair Wages: A $15 federal minimum wage enacted immediately would raise pay for 49
89	89	59million workers nationally by a combined $328 billion per year. This would benefit about a
90	90	60million Massachusetts workers, raising their purchasing power by $600 million.
91	91	61 Peace and Security: Hundreds of Massachusetts residents have been wounded or lost their
92	92	62lives fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond since 2001. Pursuing these military adventures
93	93	63have diverted funds from sectors that will make us more resilient and safer such as healthcare,
94	94	64education, the transition to renewable energy, and increased protection of vital natural resources
95	95	65in
96	96	66 The Moral Budget saves as much as $350 billion per year in the federal budget by cutting
97	97	67current Pentagon spending for fighting endless wars, maintaining a worldwide network of 800
98	98	68military bases, stoking dangerous arms races, and subsidizing for-profit corporate contractors,
99	99	69leaving a military budget that would still be larger than that of China, Russia, and Iran combined.
100	100	70These savings would finance many of the investments listed above.
101	101	71 There shall be a Moral Budget commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter
102	102	724 of the General Laws, referred to in this section as the Commission. The Commission shall
103	103	73evaluate and report on the impact that passage of the People’s Budget would have on
104	104	74Massachusetts, including currently underfunded sectors such as environment, education,
105	105	75healthcare, transportation, and the arts. 5 of 5
106	106	76 The Commission shall consist of 15 members: 2 of whom shall be members of the House
107	107	77of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of representatives; 1 of whom shall be
108	108	78a member of the House of Representatives appointed by the minority leader of the House of
109	109	79Representatives; 2 of whom shall be members of the Senate appointed by the President of the
110	110	80senate; 1 of whom shall be a member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the
111	111	81Senate; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the governor of which one shall be a member of the
112	112	82Executive Office of Administration and Finance; 1 of whom shall be a member of Massachusetts
113	113	83Peace Action; 1 of whom shall be a member of the Mass Taxpayers Association; 1 of whom
114	114	84shall be a member of Mass Budget and Policy Center; 1 of whom shall be a board member of the
115	115	85Associated Industries of Massachusetts; 1 of whom shall be a member of the SEIU Executive
116	116	86Council; 1 of whom shall be a board member of the Alliance of Business Leadership; 1
117	117	87appointed by the Treasurer of the Commonwealth
118	118	88 The Commission shall submit its final report to the governor, the House and Senate
119	119	89chairs of the Joint Committee on Revenue not later than six months after enactment which shall
120	120	90include: (i) an evaluation of the potential impacts of the resolution upon the standard of living of
121	121	91Massachusetts residents.