Speaker Ron Mariano wouldn’t say whether or not he would help a sports activities betting invoice that didn’t embody faculty wagering, however he would say what he thinks would occur if that proposal was disregarded.
“I am disappointed that it appears the Senate left probably the largest betting event in Massachusetts, the NCAA tournament, in the hands of the black market,” he mentioned Monday following a gathering with Gov. Charlie Baker and Senate President Karen Spilka.
“Which is something I think we will talk about,” he mentioned.
Several reporters pressed the speaker for a direct reply, asking if he would help laws that didn’t embody faculty betting, as he had said up to now.
“As I said, I think we have to deal with the fact that large portions of potential betting events are still in the hands of the black market,” he informed the Herald.
Spilka was challenged on her participation in a non-roll name vote on the faculty betting matter final Thursday, when the invoice handed via her chamber however by what margins and supported by whom none can say.
Spilka herself wouldn’t say Monday if she had voted in favor of the laws, saying that was a query she left for her constituents to ask, and that none of them appeared too involved about sports activities betting.
“People felt good where it was it to move the bill to a conference committee,” she mentioned. “As senate president I don’t feel it’s necessary for me to support or oppose a bill.”
“When I go out to my district this is not a big issue that I get questioned about. I get questions about housing, about you know, low income poverty” she mentioned.
Baker used the assembly to announce he’ll journey to Washington D.C. Monday night time to fulfill with members of the Biden administration to debate infrastructure and power points.
“I’m going to meet with a variety of folks in the Biden administration to talk about climate, about offshore wind, about transmission, about the grid generally because those are all issues that are going to matter to us as an administration and to whoever comes after us,” he mentioned.
Baker additionally mentioned he would converse to the administration a couple of Medicaid waiver for the commonwealth and about infrastructure, particularly mentioning chatting with Amtrak about investments they might make in Massachusetts and proposals to interchange Cape Cod’s bridges.
“It’s important to me, and important to us generally, that the statements (Amtrak) made about wanting to make investments in the Northeast are ones that we can help them frame and that Massachusetts is properly represented there,” he mentioned.
Baker’s personal $9.7 billion infrastructure bond invoice, filed in March, would see heavy funding in these areas.
Baker has additionally despatched the legislature a $3.5 billion financial growth invoice which the House started coping with in committee Monday. That plan would use $750 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for clear power tasks.
Once he leaves and till he return’s Tuesday night Baker’s authority as governor shall be held by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, serving because the appearing governor.
Herald wire companies contributed to this story.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”