Gov. Charlie Baker can have one other busy week contemplating all of the last-minute laws handed by lawmakers throughout final Sunday’s all-nighter that closed out formal periods on Beacon Hill.
Last Friday, “Governor Baker signed 10 pieces of legislation,” Terry MacCormack, the governor’s press secretary, mentioned in a press release. He had signed a dozen extra, together with the state funds, the day earlier than.
On the payments now remaining, the administration wouldn’t say whether or not it deliberate to signal, veto or amend the Legislature’s work. Baker has informed reporters up to now that he prefers to not get forward of the lawmakers and his staff’s commonplace response, that they are going to fastidiously evaluation the laws, was once more issued on Sunday.
Baker has till Wednesday to signal or amend an $11.3 billion infrastructure and local weather bond invoice.
The invoice directs $400 million towards the struggling MBTA and likewise invests $275 million in a proposed East-West rail line to hyperlink Western Massachusetts with Boston.
Baker’s intentions are, as ever, unclear. He filed the unique bond invoice in March with a price ticket of $9.7 billion. The out-going governor has been clear that he desires to utilize as a lot of the federal authorities’s cash within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as doable whereas these funds stay obtainable.
There is a few probability Baker modifications the invoice to chase extra of these federal {dollars}, which House Speaker Ron Mariano, at a June Chamber of Commerce assembly, instructed the governor wished to do since he wasn’t in search of a 3rd time period and it was his final probability to depart a legacy.
By Thursday the governor must resolve on payments pertaining to wash vitality and offshore wind, fairness within the hashish business, regulating sports activities wagering; updating info know-how for the judiciary; addressing limitations to psychological well being care, in addition to dozens of payments associated to native issues in cities and cities.
The psychological well being invoice is a precedence of each Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka, and would require insurance coverage protection for psychological well being screenings and same-day psychiatric appointments.
Sports betting cleared the Legislature within the waning moments of the session after lawmakers lastly discovered a compromise on Mariano’s pro-college betting stance and Spilka’s insistence to depart faculty sports activities out, as requested by a gaggle of the state’s main schools and universities. In the tip, an settlement was struck to permit betting on big-time nationwide video games and tournaments, however prohibit betting on Bay State faculties.
Baker may signal the invoice as written, or amend it, however can solely use his line merchandise veto energy on spending payments. The governor has mentioned he hoped to have the ability to signal the invoice into legislation earlier than he leaves workplace.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”