Ross Pushes for Educational Mandate Task Force

Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) submitted a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means yesterday asking for its immediate consideration of House Bill 3722, An Act establishing an educational mandate task force, which is intended to provide much needed relief to towns struggling to fund their schools and educational programs.

House Bill 3722 would establish a task force charged with reviewing all mandates on public schools and districts and assessing the feasibility of implementing a master reporting form.

“At a time when our school districts are struggling to meet all of the needs of their students, it is important that we take the time to assess the requirements we, as a legislature, are placing on schools to determine that resources are being used as efficiently and constructively as possible,” said Senator Ross.

As a member of the Joint Committee on Education, regulating these mandates has been a major priority for Senator Ross. In January 2013, Senator Ross sponsored a bill aimed at reducing paperwork and waste within the department of elementary and secondary education. The bill called for the elimination of wasteful publications by utilizing information technology in order to increase efficiency and responsiveness in the Massachusetts school system.

A new draft of this legislation was written in October, accompanying H3722. The legislation is now before the House Committee on Ways and Means.

“I am pushing for this legislation today in response to extensive feedback I have received throughout my district,” said Senator Ross. “With the new school year beginning for many this week, it is my hope that the committee will consider this soon to better serve our administrators, teachers, and students.” 

Please contact the office of Senator Ross with any questions or concerns at (617) 722-1555 or Richard.Ross@masenate.gov.

Senator Tarr’s Statement on the PAWS Act Being Signed into Law by Governor Patrick

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today regarding Governor Patrick signing S.2345, An Act protecting animal welfare and safety, AKA the PAWS Act, into law.  The bill was filed by Senator Tarr following several cases of animal abuse including the tragic death of Puppy Doe:

“The signing of the PAWS Act represents a victory for everyone who cares about animals in our state, and those who have worked tirelessly to champion this legislation. Now we have stronger penalties and a clear message that if you abuse an animal there will be serious consequences.

Puppy Doe and others have suffered from unthinkable brutality that never should have happened. Yet now, motivated by those cases, we have taken strong and continuing steps to prevent it from happening again.”

Tarr, Colleagues Secure Passage of the PAWS Act

The House and Senate today enacted Senate Bill 2345, An Act Protecting Animal Welfare and Safety, which includes many of the provisions of the original PAWS Act filed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) in October of 2013. The legislation was initially drafted last year in honor of Puppy Doe, a female pit bull who was euthanized on August 31, 2013 because of the extensive injuries she suffered from long term, irreversible damage to her body, which included a stab wound to her eye; the splitting of her tongue to look like a serpent; a dislocated shoulder, elbow, wrist, and ankle; burns; and signs of starvation.

“Animal abuse in our Commonwealth is simply unacceptable, and legislation to confront it has been a major priority in this session,” said Senator Tarr. “Now we have acted to increase penalties to send a clear and immediate message, and to create a task force that will build a foundation for further action.”

“Animals are defenseless and we must do everything within our means to protect them from senseless assault and mistreatment by some of the cruelest members of our society,” said Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), a Senate lead co-sponsor. “We must be vigilant to ensure that those serious offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Representative Louis Kafka (D-Stoughton) and Representative Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy) have also been championing legislation to strengthen the state’s animal abuse laws. A total of 76 legislators from both the House and Senate signed on to the original PAWS Act, including the entire Senate Republican Caucus.

“We’re very pleased that this crucial legislation has passed, and we extend our thanks to Senator Tarr and all of the bill’s supporters who championed these reforms,”said Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the MSPCA-Angell. “Animal lovers around the state can today celebrate these efforts and hopefully can find some peace knowing that from such tragic incidents, like Puppy Doe and others, awareness has been generated that will now prevent harm to other helpless animals.”

The Senate had initially approved the PAWS Act by a vote of 40-0 on July 31, the last day of formal sessions. The House subsequently adopted some minor technical amendments before passing the bill on a voice vote. The modified bill, which will give public safety officials the tools to meaningfully punish those who commit heinous acts of cruelty against animals, calls for:

• Increasing the possible fine for committing animal abuse from $2,500 to $5,000 for a first offense, and up to $10,000 for a second and any subsequent offenses;

• Raising the maximum time in prison from 5 years to 7 years for a first offense and up to 10 years for a second and any subsequent offenses;

• Requiring veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse (similar to the requirement for medical staff who suspect child abuse); and

• Creating a special task force of experts in law enforcement, animal protection, veterinary practice, legal professionals, and industry professionals to review methods to prevent animal abuse and punish those who commit animal abuse.

The bill now heads to Governor Patrick’s desk for his signature.

Animal Abuse Bill on the Move

Senate Bill 2345, An Act ProtectingAnimal Welfare and Safety, moved one step closer to final passage today, as the Senate concurred with a technical amendment the House made to the bill on the last day of formal sessions July 31^st.

The latest bill reflects many of the elements contained in the original PAWS Act (Senate Bill 1914), which Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and the Senate Republican Caucus filed in October of 2013 with the support of 75 legislative co-sponsors. Passage of this animal protection bill has been one of Senator Tarr’s top priorities for the 2013-2014 legislative session.

Like the original PAWS Act, Senate Bill 2345 provides for increased fines and jail time for individuals who maim, injure or kill an animal, and carries additional penalties for repeat offenders.  It also requires veterinarians to report suspected cases of animal cruelty, while creating a special taskforce of experts in law enforcement, animal protection, veterinary, legal professionals, and industry professionals to review methods to prevent animal abuse and punish those who commit these crimes.

If the House and Senate enact the bill on Thursday, Senate Bill 2345 could be on the Governor’s desk before the end of the week.

Media Alert: Senator Tarr On the Air with WBZ-TV’s Jon Keller Sunday Morning

Recently, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr was interviewed by WBZ-TV’s Political Reporter Jon Keller for his Sunday segment Keller@Large Report.  Jon and I discussed various political topics regarding the Commonwealth, including the situation the nation faces with the influx of immigrant children currently crossing the border and what that potentially means for Massachusetts, and Thursday’s Probation Department trial verdicts, where three former officials were found guilty of fostering a job-rigging scheme.

Please tune in to WBZ-TV on Sunday at approximately 8:30 a.m. to watch our lively discussion.

Media Alert: Sen. Tarr on “Broadside” Tonight

Please tune in to tonight’s “Broadside” at 6:00 p.m. on New England Cable News (NECN), where Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr will be discussing with host Jim Braude and State Senator Brian Joyce the potential political consequences of yesterday’s Probation Department verdicts, Governor Patrick’s plan to house border-crossing children in Massachusetts, and the recent Market Basket dispute.

“Broadside” re-airs at 7:30 p.m., 2:30 a.m., and again at 4:00 a.m.

Senator Richard Ross Secures Multiple Amendments to Housing Authority Legislation

Senator Richard J. Ross today successfully passed three amendments to the housing authority reform bill that will increase oversight of director salaries and enhance transparency in the application process.

Senator Ross spoke in support of his amendment that will require housing authorities to consult the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database when evaluating applications in order to protect the safety of their tenants. Ross filed the amendment in response to reports that Tamerlan Tsarnaev was listed on the terror watch list, and had been receiving public benefits. Ross was pleased to see the amendment passed.

“This is a commonsense amendment that will increase transparency within the housing authority application process, while protecting the public safety,” said Senator Ross. “We need to give housing authorities the tools they need to protect their residents. This additional information will put them in a better position when making application decisions.”

The Senate passed two additional amendments filed by Senator Ross. One amendment mandates that housing authorities give preference to residents of the town, as well as applicants who have lived in the town for at least twenty-five years, but not at the time of the application. This language was included in a further amendment, filed by Senator Robert Hedlund, to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving priority status over legal housing authority applicants.

Another successful Ross amendment will require the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to review any housing authority executive director’s contract that is worth more than $100,000 per year.

The bill was unanimously passed by the Senate. A conference committee will now be appointed to resolve differences between the bills that were passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Nearing the End of Formal Sessions

With July 31st nearing quickly, signifying the end of formal sessions, there is a great amount of work still to be completed by the legislature. Currently, there are several bills within conference committees, which are committees of six members (three from the House and three from the Senate) that are formed after the House and Senate engross their own respective versions of a particular bill and work together to produce a final version of the legislation.  Those bills in conference committee include:

•  An Act promoting economic growth across the Commonwealth;

•  An Act relative to the reduction of gun violence;

•  An Act enhancing protection for victims of domestic violence;

•  An Act financing information technology equipment and related projects; and

•  An Act providing for the preservation and improvement of lands, parks and clean energy in the Commonwealth.

Recently, the House and Senate also passed their own versions of a capital bond bill; however, a conference committee has yet to even be appointed.  Including today, there are only 8 days left of formal sessions for the conference committees to file their reports on the various bills in order for the legislature to have the opportunity to debate and possibly enact them.

Also of concern, there are several important measures still awaiting committee action before the legislation can be brought to the floors for a vote.  Those bills include:

•  An Act relative to the penalty for killing, maiming or poisoning of animals;

•  An Act establishing a Massachusetts seafood marketing program;

•  An Act relative to the expansion of the state DNA database; and

•  An Act relative to local housing authorities.

With time running out, the legislature needs to act swiftly to ensure these matters get the attention they deserve.  Keep checking back to read updates on these measures and others as the legislature continues to progress towards the July 31st deadline.

Tarr Amendment Increases Conservation Land Tax Credit in Environmental Bond Bill

On Thursday, July 10th, the Massachusetts State Senate passed its version of a $1.9 billion environmental bond bill, and a major amendment secured by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) seeks to expand the Conservation Land Tax Credit (CLTC) program.  Currently, the CLTC program provides a refundable tax credit of 50% of the appraised donation value, with a maximum cap of $50,000.  The Tarr amendment, which was co-sponsored by the Senate Republican Caucus and passed unanimously by a roll call vote of 38-0, would raise the max to $75,000 allowing for greater land conservation investments at a fraction of the cost, while benefiting both the general public and private land owners.

“Conserving and preserving open space is important for our environment, our quality of life and the character of our state,” said Senator Tarr.  “This tax credit has a proven track record of success, and strengthening it in the environmental bond bill will make a good tool even more powerful and effective.”

The Conservation Land Tax Credit was first signed into law in 2008; however, the application did not become available to the public until 2011.  Since then the program has conserved land for an average cost at just under $1,000 per acre, and for every $1 in tax credit provided by the Commonwealth, $5.60 has been generated for the state in land value. To date Massachusetts has conserved over 5,100 acres of land valued at over $21.3 million, while only costing the Commonwealth $3.8 million to purchase. 

The CLTC program has a $2 million cap limit for each calendar year, even though the tax credit has gained in popularity since becoming first available.  During the 2013 calendar year the program exhausted its cap limit from just 44 approved requests, and thus far, 2014 has at least 24 requests totaling $1.15 million, more than half of the program’s cap limit.  In July of 2011, the Massachusetts Commission on Financing Forest Conservation, which was also established by the legislature, recommended increasing the program’s cap to $20 million per calendar year.  With the vast benefits gained by the state, Senator Tarr is committed to increasing the CLTC program’s cap limit for future years to increase conservation land investments.

“Bonding and spending state money isn’t the only way to conserve land, we can also provide incentives that are equally or more effective.  By increasing this modest tax credit we can partner with private land owners to create a win-win situation that is extremely cost effective in promoting open space acquisition in our state,” said Senator Tarr.

The Senate passed the environmental bond bill by a vote of 38-0.  The House of Representatives previously passed its version of the bond bill on June 4th by a vote of 138-5; however, because the Conservation Land Tax Credit program was not included in the House version of the environmental bond bill, the amendment is subject to negotiation in an upcoming House-Senate conference committee.

Senator Tarr’s Statement on a Pharmacy Reform Bill Signed into Law Today

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today regarding H.4235, “An Act relative to Pharmacy Practice in the Commonwealth”.  Senator Tarr supported the legislation and served as a member on the special conference committee that was charged to reconcile the House and Senate’s versions of the bill to produce a final report before ultimately being signed into law today:

 

 “Compounding is a necessary and important part of pharmacy and modern medicine, and yet we have seen the tragic consequences that result when it doesn’t have proper oversight. The bill that becomes law today takes major steps to provide that oversight, from licensing measures to address drugs that are imported and exported, to labeling, to a board of registration that has a better composition and the proper perspective to regulate effectively.

 

Given the harm that has occurred in the past, we must continue to watch closely this area of our health care system. Yet today we have improved the safety of that system significantly.”

Tarr Beach Safety Bill Passes Senate; Seeks to Honor the Memory of 2-year-old Caleigh Harrison

On Tuesday, the Massachusetts State Senate took a major step forward by unanimously engrossing a bill sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) that seeks to create a color-coded flag warning system to promote safety at the state’s public beaches.  Senate Bill 2247, also known as “Caleigh’s Bill”, was crafted due to the tragic case of Gloucester 2-year-old Caleigh Harrison, who was last seen on Rockport’s Long Beach on April 19, 2012 and is believed to have been swept out to sea.

“Caleigh’s Bill provides a great public safety and awareness tool for the public beaches across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Tarr.  “This bill honors Caleigh, and through this measure, there will be greater consciousness of the dangers that the ocean presents, and that will ultimately save lives.”

In an effort to promote beach safety, Senate Bill 2247, An Act creating uniform beach warnings, would:

·  Require the Department of Conservation and Recreation to develop a uniform warning and safety flag program to be used at all public beaches maintained by DCR, by providing a uniform size, shape, color, and definition for each warning and safety flag; and

·  Allow a municipality to adopt the uniform flag warning and safety program by requiring a vote by a city council, town council, or town meeting.

“Caleigh’s Bill”, which is also supported by Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester), was first developed by Caleigh’s uncle, David Harrison, Jr., who was on a business trip to Panama last year when he learned about the country’s color-coded flag system which is used to warn the public about the dangers of tides and riptides.  Alabama, Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Texas and several other states utilize a similar program, and the Harrison family is seeking to implement the same safety measures in Massachusetts.

“My family and I are pleased to hear of the news that Caleigh’s bill has now passed the Senate and is in the final stages of becoming a reality! Our vision of helping to prevent other tragedies like the one that we live through every day seems to be very close to happening! We would like to thank Sen. Bruce Tarr along with Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante for their hard work in making all of this possible,” said David Harrison, Jr.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

MEDIA ALERT: Senator Tarr to Discuss PAWS Act on Fox 25, NECN and Channel 5 Tonight

Tonight at 6:30 p.m., Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr will once again be a guest on the Fox 25 Evening News where he’ll be discussing the status of an animal cruelty bill that contains important provisions of the PAWS Act.  The bill, H.1182, was recently released from the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and would:

·  Increase the fine of committing animal abuse from $2,500 to $5,000;

·  Raise the maximum time in prison from 5 years to 7 years;

·  Require veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse (similar to the requirement of medical staff who suspect child abuse); and

·  Create a special taskforce of experts in law enforcement, animal protection, veterinary, and legal professionals to review methods to prevent animal abuse and punish those who commit animal abuse.

Earlier today, Senator Tarr, along with the MSPCA and the Animal Rescue League of Boston, met with members of the media to discuss the release of H.1182 and the potential the bill has to becoming law during this legislative session.  Tune in to NECN, Channel 5, and Fox 25 during tonight’s broadcasts to see today’s interviews.

Senate Republican Caucus Succeeds in Securing DCF Reform in FY’15 State Budget; Measure Aims to Protect Children Under Agency’s Watch

Seeking to address deep concerns regarding those who come into contact with children through the Department of Children and Families (DCF), Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Assistant Minority Leader Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth), Senate Minority Whip Donald Humason (R-Westfield), and Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, sought and secured a critical amendment to the Fiscal Year 2015 state budget that will provide an important safeguard in protecting the welfare of children within the state’s child welfare system.  The DCF amendment will require the agency to properly vet the backgrounds of household members of potential foster and adoptive homes for child placement.  In doing so, the measure will provide another level of protection for the children currently within the Massachusetts child welfare system.

“Sadly, over the past year we have witnessed the systemic failures of the Department of Children and Families, and the tragic results of those failures,” said Senator Tarr.  “Government’s primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of its citizens, and this amendment will provide a powerful tool to prevent children and families involved with DCF from coming into contact with those who could harm them.”

Current law requires the Department of Children and Families to conduct background record checks (BRCs) of all adult household members where a foster child has been placed; however, the law falls short of those under the age of 18.  This amendment rectifies that oversight and will provide greater safeguards to protect the more than 7,000 children currently receiving foster care.  The amendment will require DCF to conduct CORI checks on all household members of a foster or adoptive home over the age of 15.

“We’ve witnessed the Department of Children and Families fail to fulfill its mission time and time again and, every time, the consequences have been devastating,” said Senator Hedlund. “I’m proud to have helped secure this amendment as it represents a step in the direction of true reform. There is still work to be done and we cannot stop fighting until every child in the Commonwealth receives the protection they need and deserve.”

In March, Auditor Suzanne Bump released her findings of a recent audit of the agency.  The Auditor’s report stated that “DCF does not have adequate documentation to substantiate that it has conducted all required BRCs on individuals living in some of its foster homes.  Therefore, DCF cannot substantiate that these BRCs were performed before DCF placed children in foster homes.”  Additionally, the audit cross checked Level 2 and Level 3 registered sex offenders to the addresses of children receiving services from DCF over a 27-month period, and found 25 address matches.

“This amendment aims to increase oversight and transparency in the Department of Children and Families, so that our citizenry no longer feel the tragic effects of the agency’s shortcomings,” said Senator Ross. “Our children are too important and this amendment is a step forward in raising accountability, addressing deficiencies, and better protecting those that the DCF cares for.”

“The health and safety of our children is paramount; DCF has to be more accountable with criminal background checks,” said Senator Humason.

Senator Tarr’s Statement on the Passage of an Economic Development Bill by the Senate

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement tonight after the Senate passed Senate Bill 2231, “An Act promoting economic growth across the Commonwealth”:

“It is important that we do not forget the taxpayer as we develop strategies to stimulate economic development in the Commonwealth.  Just as important as providing funding for grants and programs is ensuring that working families and small businesses get the opportunity to retain and invest more of their earnings in creating jobs and bolstering the economy.  Despite the fact that several key opportunities to confront the costs of doing business in Massachusetts were lost during today’s debate, the bill that was passed does contain some important measures to use tax relief as a powerful tool to produce gains for our economy, including those which:

•  provide a two day sales tax holiday in August;

•  strengthen and modernizing the state’s Research and Development Tax Credit; and

•  improve the usefulness of the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit for projects in transition.

While these are positive steps, the conclusion of today’s debate leaves us with much more work to do to reduce or eliminate the costs of, and impediments to, job creation and economic growth if we are to secure robust and lasting economic recovery as we emerge from one of the longest and most difficult recessions our state and nation have ever faced.”

Senate Republican Caucus Seeks Affordable Care Act Amendments in State Budget

Recognizing the harm being inflicted on the Massachusetts economy due to the 2010 enactment of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Senate Republican Caucus secured two amendments to the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Year 2015 state budget that would study the effects of a medical device tax on the state’s economy and compel a formal request for a permanent waiver to certain provisions of the ACA.  With the ongoing negotiations between the members of the conference committee charged with reconciling the House and Senate’s versions of the spending bill, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Assistant Minority Leader Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth), and Senate Minority Whip Donald Humason (R-Westfield) have sent the members of the committee a letter expressing a need to include the amendments in the final version of the bill.

Upon passage of the ACA in 2010, medical device manufacturers became subjected to a tax that has inflicted on this important group of employers.  In an effort to support the industry, bolster the economy, and protect jobs in the state, Senate Republicans secured an amendment that would create a commission to study the short and long term effects of the medical device tax on the Massachusetts economy and its employers.

“The medical device tax contained in the ACA has significant negative impacts on this critical group of employers in our Commonwealth, and thus for our state’s economy as well,” wrote Senate Republicans to the members of the conference committee.  “Accordingly, the Senate embraced our amendment to create a commission to study those impacts and inform a course of action to address them.”

Widely lauded as the model for the federal Affordable Care Act, the 2006 Massachusetts Health Care reform law has achieved the overall goals of the ACA by providing healthcare to over 97% of the Commonwealth’s residents; however, due to restrictions on risk rating factors, and the requirement of a new health care exchange website have undermined the Massachusetts health care law.

“Unfortunately, the Massachusetts law touted repeatedly as the prototype for the federal ACA is now being undermined by its federal successor,” wrote the caucus.  “Our amendment now before you would require the administration to request a permanent waiver from two important elements of the ACA: the requirement to use only 4 risk rating factors as opposed to the 9 currently used in Massachusetts, and the requirement to create a new exchange website, even though the Commonwealth’s exchange has complied with the ACA’s goal of health care coverage.”

Senate Republican Caucus Seeks Answers on Immigration Detainees Policies

In an effort to seek clarification on recent reports regarding immigration detainees being transported to Massachusetts, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Assistant Minority Leader Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth), Senate Minority Whip Donald Humason (R-Westfield), and Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), the Ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, have sent a letter to Todd Thurlow, Assistant Field Officer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)  inquiring about the agency’s practice.

Recent media reports have confirmed that at least six commercial, agency-owned charter flights have transported immigration detainees from the United States’ southern border to Hanscom Air Force Base and Logan International Airport.  According to these same reports, Governor Patrick was not notified of this unilateral operation.

“We are deeply concerned about the potential impacts of the policy of ICE transporting immigration detainees to Massachusetts and then transferring them to Department of Homeland Security facilities or elsewhere,” wrote Senate Republicans.

The questions posed in the letter by the caucus aim to discover if there is any validity to these recent media reports, and whether the issue demands further action.  Their questions include:

* When was the policy of transferring immigration detainees to Massachusetts by ICE instituted and who authorized this policy?

* To what extent, if any, were members of the Patrick administration briefed on this policy?

* Were are the immigration detainees currently being held?

* After being transferred to Department of Homeland Security facilities, are the immigration detainees remanded to the custody of the federal government, or are they released pending further action? If they are released, what conditions or restrictions are put on them?

The Senate Republican Caucus also points out that a May 2014 report by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has found that ICE has released 36,000 convicted criminal immigration detainees into the United States in 2013 alone.

Attached below is the letter sent by the Senate Republican Caucus to Assistant Field Officer Todd Thurlow.

Senate GOP Caucus seeks answers to ICE immigration detainees policy by Troy Wall

Senator Tarr’s Statement on Today's Senate Passage of a Minimum Wage/UI Bill

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today following the passage of S.2195, “An Act restoring the minimum wage and providing unemployment insurance reforms”, by a vote of 35-4:

“Today the Massachusetts State Senate passed a major increase to the state’s minimum wage rate, and although a wage increase was warranted, I fear that an increase of this magnitude will prove onerous to the economy and detrimental to small businesses throughout the Commonwealth by stifling job growth.  A survey conducted by the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce found that 85% of businesses have reported that they will be negatively impacted by the increases to the minimum wage, and without careful consideration to assist employers, this bill will have done a great injustice to those who provide the necessary jobs that stabilize our local economies. The plan passed today is an example of taking one step forward, and several steps back in terms of competitiveness and job creation.

Rather than relying solely on a highest-in-the-nation minimum wage increase, which can’t effectively lift families out of poverty, Senate Republicans have consistently advanced a carefully crafted plan.  The Minority Party offered, quite simply, a better plan.  A plan that did not focus on Massachusetts having the highest minimum wage in the nation, but a plan that would have eased the burden of higher business expenses with a balanced and fair approach to encourage job growth and generate economic competitiveness that would have assisted the 750,000 residents currently living in households below the federal poverty threshold; sadly, the Senate chose a different path.  Highlights of the Senate Republican plan include:

• Doubling the anti-poverty and work incentive program called the Earned Income Tax Credit from 15% to 30%;

• Providing incentives to employers who provide low wage earners with health insurance;

• Increasing the minimum wage from $8 to as much as $9.50 in two years; and

• Requiring the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development to recommend appropriate minimum wage rates following a review of their effectiveness in helping low wage workers and impact on job creation and economic competitiveness.

Although the legislature has missed a prime opportunity for a balanced and comprehensive approach to help low-wage earners without jeopardizing the jobs they need, the Senate Republican Caucus will continue to fight for measures that will benefit all of the state’s citizenry rather than pitting some against others, and will continue to fight for productive measures to help those who work every day and continue to struggle with poverty.”

Media Alert: Tarr On the Air with Fox 25

Tonight at 5:00 p.m., Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr will once again be a guest on the Fox 25 Evening News where he’ll be discussing with Maria Stephanos Thursday’s parole board hearing and decision to grant parole to Frederick Christian.  In 1994, Christian, while still a juvenile, was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole because of his role in a robbery that resulted in the death of two individuals, and seriously wounding a third.

However, in light of a U.S. Supreme Court decision and a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision, juveniles can no longer be sentenced to life in prison without the option of parole citing the 8th Amendment’s cruel and unusual punishment clause.  The retroactive rulings now require juveniles convicted of first degree murder to serve at least 15 years after their conviction for parole eligibility, which is the same for an individual convicted of second degree murder.

In response to those rulings, Senator Tarr and the Senate Republican Caucus sponsored a bill setting parole for juveniles convicted of first degree murder at 35 years.  The bicameral and bipartisan bill, which has 32 co-sponsors, has the support of the District Attorneys Association.  To read more about the bill, please click here to read a previous blog post.

Tune in at 5:00 p.m. to watch tonight’s Fox 25 segment.

Media Alert: Sen. Tarr on 'Broadside' Tonight

Please tune in to “Broadside” tonight at 6:00 p.m. on NECN, where Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) will be discussing with host Jim Braude and Senator Michael Barrett the Child Welfare League of America’s recently released report regarding the quality of care provided by the Department of Children and Families. To read the report presented by the CWLA in its entirety, please click here.

“Broadside” re-airs at 7:30 p.m., 2:30 a.m., and again at 4:00 a.m.

Ross Appointed to Budget Conference Committee

Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) was appointed today to the conference committee charged with resolving the differences between the Fiscal Year 2015 Budgets passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“This is one of the most important pieces of legislation that we address all year, and its resolution will impact programs and communities statewide,” said Senator Ross. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on creating a budget that meets the needs of the Commonwealth, while maintaining a strong focus on fiscal responsibility.”

 Last week, the Senate passed a $36.4 billion spending plan, while the House approved a $36.32 billion plan in April. This conference committee has been assembled to create a compromise bill that will be presented to Governor Patrick for his approval.