BOSTON – Senator Sal DiDomenico and his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate recently passed legislation to invest in municipal transportation projects and establish a new leadership board for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).  

The bill, An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges, authorizes $300 million in municipal roads and bridges through bonding, an $80 million increase over the 2019 Chapter 90 appropriation. The legislation also establishes a new seven-member MBTA Board of Directors to succeed the current oversight body, known as the Fiscal Management and Control Board. The MBTA Board of Directors will be responsible for governing and exercising corporate powers of the MBTA.    

“This $300 million dollar investment will not only help us meet our immediate transit needs, but also ensure we can continue working on long-term projects and improvements to our transportation system that were needed long before COVID-19 began,” said Senator DiDomenico. “This bill is a win-win: by funding local improvement projects now, we can kick start our economy, all while moving forward with the development of a safe and equitable transit system for decades to come.  I would like to thank Senate President Karen Spilka, Senate Ways & Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues, and Senate Transportation Chair Joe Boncore for their work and leadership on this legislation.”

The bill includes the following components:  

·         Increases the Chapter 90 bonding to $300 million, an increase of $80 million over the 2019 investment. This funding will support transportation infrastructure projects in cities and towns.    

·         Creates a professional, and diverse MBTA Board of Directors by requiring the Governor’s five appointments to include a member with experience in transportation operations and safety, a member with experience in public or private finance, a member with experience in transportation or urban planning, a member who is a representative of a labor organization, and a member who has municipal government experience in the service area constituting the authority. The Secretary of Transportation will serve as an ex-officio member, and one member will be appointed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board. Additionally, at least two members of the MBTA Board of Directors must also serve on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.  

·         Keeps the MBTA Board of Directors transparent and accountable by improving the public meeting process by requiring the Board to meet at least once per month and 20 times per calendar year. Members of the MBTA Board of Directors, except the Secretary of Transportation, will serve for four-year terms and have a stipend of $12,000 per year. 

·         Provides greater autonomy and authority to the MBTA Board of Directors by empowering the Board to make decisions over hiring the MBTA General Manager, and delegate specific powers and responsibilities to the General Manager. Affirmative hiring votes will require at least five members if the Transportation Secretary is not in the voting majority. Voting on financial decisions by the MBTA Board of Directors on matters related to construction and acquisition that uses bonds or debt service payments must also have at least five members voting in the affirmative if the Transportation Secretary is not in the voting majority.  

The legislation must now be reconciled with the Massachusetts House of Representatives. 

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BOSTON-- Senator Sal DiDomenico and his colleagues in the Massachusetts State Senate have passed legislation that will help protect residents from Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), a mosquito-borne arbovirus that is rare, but can be fatal. The legislation comes as the state prepares for what is expected to be another active season for mosquitos across the state.

“Mosquito season has already begun, which is why my colleagues in the Senate and I felt it was critical we take preventative measures now to safeguard our residents from EEE and its dangerous effects,” said Senator DiDomenico. “This bill will establish a comprehensive and coordinated approach to controlling mosquitos, and I am confident that these actions will not only help to protect public health, but also ensure environmental protection.”

Last year, Massachusetts saw a resurgence of EEE, with more than two hundred communities designated as moderate to critical risk by the Department of Public Health (DPH). The virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and can impact humans of any age as well as animals. Massachusetts typically experiences outbreaks every 10-20 years, and the outbreak can last for two to three years. In late September 2019, the DPH confirmed three people died due to EEE. Prior to 2019, the most recent outbreak, according to state health officials, began in 2010.

The bill authorizes the State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board (SRMCB) to take actions to reduce the mosquito population if the Department of Public Health determines there may be an elevated risk of EEE.

These actions include public education, surveillance of the mosquito population, elimination of standing water and application of larvicides that safely prevent mosquitoes from becoming adults. The SRMCB would also be authorized to conduct aerial pesticide spraying, subject to notifying the public and putting in place procedural safeguards.. Certain landowners, such as owners of organic farms, may apply to opt-out of spraying, and a municipality may opt-out of spraying if the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs approves an alternative mosquito management plan provided by the municipality. The bill also creates a Mosquito Control for the 21st Century Task Force to recommend reforms to modernize and improve the state’s mosquito control system.

The bill now moves to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

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BOSTON – Senator Sal DiDomenico recently announced that the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives passed legislation to provide governance and fiscal flexibility for municipalities grappling with public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation has now been signed by Governor Baker. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our local communities, and delivering for our cities and towns has remained a top priority for all of us in the Legislature,” said Senator DiDomenico. “I am proud that my colleagues and I in the Senate and House have taken action to pass this bipartisan bill and give our municipalities additional flexibility to ensure they can continue serving the immediate need of our residents.”

Building off of other legislation that gave municipalities operating flexibility during the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis, the bill further protects public health and preserves the town meeting structure from continued disruptions caused by the state of emergency. 

The bill includes the following provisions:

• Permits representative meetings to take place virtually;

• Permits quorum reduction for open meetings to no less than 10% and extends the quorum reduction to representative town meeting;

• Allows meetings to be held outside the geographic limits of the municipality; and

• Permits a municipal election scheduled through June 31 to be extended to August 1 at the latest.

By providing our municipalities with this much-needed flexibility, the bill preserves public access to the proceedings of town governance and protects the public from the continued health risks associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The bill also provides our city governments with fiscal relief by allowing mayors to delay their normal budget submission deadline for FY 2021 in light of the state of emergency.

Finally, among other provisions, the bill strengthens the prohibition on terminating essential services for residents during the COVID-19 emergency and provides municipalities and regional school districts flexibility in paying school bus and other vendor contracts. 

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