Behind Closed Doors: What’s Wrong with the MA State House

By Eileen Ryan, Progressive Watertown

On Sunday, October 27th, Progressive Watertown hosted a forum, “Behind Closed Doors: What’s Wrong with the MA State House.” The impetus for the forum was the failure of key legislation supported by Progressive Massachusetts to pass in the legislative session that ended on July 31st, 2024, despite wide-spread support and 1,000s of hours of activism by constituents across the commonwealth. Close to 50 people attended, including several Watertown past and present City Councilors. I, as a Progressive Watertown Steering Committee member, had the honor of moderating.

Jonathan Hecht, who served as state representative for Watertown and Cambridge for twelve years and Watertown town councilor for four, was our first speaker. He is a member of the leadership team of Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts and on the steering committee of the Coalition to Reform Our Legislature. Jon gave a brief history of voting rights in Massachusetts, which included some surprising facts: until the 1960s, MA had a rigorous and unfair literacy test required of voters, as well as a “pauper exclusion,” i.e., no one who received public assistance could vote. Jon noted that great progress has been made over the past 60 years to make it easier to vote and more citizens are voting and yet, less is being accomplished at the State House. Public hearings are held by committees, but follow-up committee meetings to discuss the fate of the proposed legislation never happen. There are currently about 750 bills sitting in the Ways and Means Committee that have been heard, vetted, and recommended but have not moved forward, with many of these bills multiple sessions or even decades old. Jon also discussed the stipend system of favoritism at the State House and how it disproportionately affects members of the House of Representatives. People who run for office with the best of intentions become frustrated that they are not able to do the job they were elected to do.

Danielle Allen, professor of political philosophy, public policy, and ethics at Harvard University and the Founder and President of Partners in Democracy, spoke next. Danielle addressed the need for constant democracy renovation at the state level and how it interacts with the looming signs of fascism on a national level. She was applauded when she shared that she had just resigned as a Washington Post columnist due to that paper’s refusal to endorse a presidential candidate. Danielle also highlighted that we are in a moment of intense change technologically and economically and that we are all feeling the effects of great migrations and globalization. She deplored the decline of local news and how it affects voters’ awareness and pointed out that MA is 50th in the number of choices we have in each Massachusetts election cycle due to a high bar to get your name on the ballot.

Both speakers support a Yes on Question 1, the ballot question to enable the State Auditor to audit our state legislature, and are working out other possible ways to change the legislature, including a future ballot question to address the State House’s stipend system.

The audience asked great questions and was motivated to take action. The forum was recorded and will be ready for viewing soon.

PM in the News: Ballot Questions

Tavishi Chattopadhyay, “Question 2 proposes removal of MCAS, sparks debate over equity for students,” The Daily Free Press, October 20, 2024.

Jonathan Cohn, policy director at Progressive Massachusetts, a grassroots organization, said he supports Question 2 because he believes the MCAS narrows the curriculum in schools.

“We want our students to have a well-rounded and comprehensive kind of high school experience,” Cohn said. “Reducing that experience to a single test score does students [a] disservice.”

….

However, Cohn said the MCAS already disenfranchises some demographics, including students learning English as a second language, students with disabilities, low-income students and students of color.

Jack R. Trapanick, “With Ballot Question 1, A Test of Trust in the Massachusetts State Legislature,” Harvard Crimson, October 22, 2024.

Jonathan Cohn, policy director at Progressive Mass, pointed out that it was difficult to get any internal information about the legislature’s workings. Neither its committee votes nor hearing testimony are available to the public.

“We hold the status of being the only state where the governor’s office, the legislature, and the judiciary, all claim full exemption from the public records law,” he said.

The legislature, Cohn added, “doesn’t view information, in general, as the public good” — though he conceded that the measure was likely to face a lawsuit if it passes.

Progressive Watertown: “Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty”

by Susan Falkoff, Progressive Watertown

Progressive Watertown was proud to sponsor a screening of the film “Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty” on October 10. This film tells the inspiring story of Stewart Udall (1920-2010), Interior Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and his legacy as an advocate of social and environmental justice.

Udall was a pioneer in environmentalism. The film reveals a time when big ideas could still capture bipartisan attention, and when America awakened to the unfolding destruction of paradise and determined to stop it. He was the first public official to speak out about global warming. In addition, he worked collaboratively with Native communities and fought to win compensation for Navajo Indians and “downwinders” who got cancer from their exposure to radiation during the Cold War without being warned of the dangers. His brother, Senator Mo Udall, was an early critic of the Vietnam War, and Stewart faced the agonizing choice of speaking out and losing his role in the Johnson administration or keeping quiet about the war and continuing his important work as Interior Secretary, an extreme of the kind of heartbreaking moral dilemma that is familiar to anyone who has served as a public official.

Thirty people attended the screening and participated in a lively discussion afterwards. Watertown Faces Climate Change and Race Reels, a local program that shows films related to diversity and social justice, cosponsored. It was a timely event, celebrating both Udall’s work with Indigenous people and why it matters to elect progressive politicians who will facilitate social justice and environmental protection. Those of us who lived through these turbulent years recalled our history of activism but know that striving for environmental justice is ongoing. We want to make the film available to younger audiences as well and will donate the DVD to Watertown High School for future showings.

This November, VOTE YES

After polling our members, we are proud to endorse a YES vote on all five questions. Each question received over 85% support from our members.

VOTE YES on Question 1 to clarify that the State Auditor has the authority to audit the Legislature. Such audits have occurred in the past, and efforts to increase transparency of the MA Legislature are critical as our state often ranks last in state rankings of open government (and, indeed, remains the only state where all three branches of government claim full exemption from public records law). 

VOTE YES on Question 2 to replace the use of the standardized MCAS test as a high school graduation requirement with a requirement based on successful mastery of coursework. Putting so much emphasis on a single test — as opposed to the regular, ongoing assessments teachers do in the classroom — forces teachers to teach test-taking skills instead of infusing critical thinking and individualized learning into classrooms. High-stakes standardized testing is notorious for biases against English Language Learners, students with special needs, and students of color, and all students suffer from the increased anxiety that high stakes impose. 

VOTE YES on Question 3 to give Uber and Lyft drivers the option to form a union to collectively bargain for better pay, working conditions, and job protections. Drivers have faced high costs, low take-home pay, and unexplained deactivations. Although the recent settlement between Uber and Lyft and the Attorney General secured wins for drivers, greater driver voice and workplace power is essential to protecting and building upon such wins. 

VOTE YES on Question 4 to enable therapeutic access to natural psychedelic medicines (such as psilocybin) that show promise in treating mental health conditions. It creates a regulatory framework to govern their use and decriminalizes limited personal use. Recent research has shown their value in helping individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, or alcohol/substance abuse, and states like Oregon and Colorado have taken the lead on establishing a regulated, therapeutic framework for their use.

VOTE YES on Question 5 to ensure that tipped workers receive the full minimum wage, with tips on top. Currently, the tipped wage in MA is $6.75 per hour, with an expectation that employers ensure that all workers get a full minimum wage after tips. However, wage theft in the restaurant industry is common, and the power imbalance of a heavy reliance on tipping leads to high rates of sexual harassment. In states that have moved toward a One Fair Wage model, workers end up with greater take-home pay, strong tipping rates continue, and the restaurant industry thrives.

Let us know how you want to get involved this fall!

PM in the News: Progressives make the case for going beyond housing bond bill

Ella Adams and Eric Convey, “Progressives make the case for going beyond housing bond bill,” MASSterList, October 3, 2024.

What exactly do progressives think can help address the state’s 200,000-unit housing deficit?

Grassroots group Progressive Massachusetts looks at the Healey administration’s recent housing bond bill as a good step forward, but still falling short in a housing environment that needs much more investment. 

Progressive Mass. Policy Director Jonathan Cohn told MASSterList that as the group prepares for next session, it’s continuing to support authorization of local option transfer fees and rent control, a pair of ideas that have pockets of support but have failed to unite legislative Democrats.

Cohn is calling on lawmakers to be more vocal and to “hear from and listen to” their constituents more on housing. He also thinks the way municipalities need to get approval from Beacon Hill in order to implement local housing policies — like the aforementioned transfer fees — needs to change.

“I think that we really need comprehensive reform around home rule in Massachusetts because on too many issues, cities and towns are blocked from taking necessary action by the state,” Cohn said. He added that the state could “use its power of the purse better” by closing tax loopholes and raising more revenue from high earners that could fund housing.

Wanted: Strong Climate Legislation Before the Year Is Over

Although the Legislature left formal session with much work undone on August 1st, the 193rd session of the Legislature is not over for a few more months.

Your legislators still need to hear from you about the bills still under negotiation. Read on for two actions to take over the next week.

Wanted: A Robust Climate Bill

When the Legislature left formal session two months ago, they left without consensus on climate legislation. Let’s be clear: it’s not acceptable for the Legislature to go this entire session without passing any new, robust legislation to address the climate crisis. We need legislation, and that legislation must meet the moment.

As 100+ climate organizations recently said in a letter, “We cannot accept a narrow siting and permitting bill that does not do enough for climate justice, reducing climate pollution, or protecting ratepayers as the outcome of 18 months of the legislative process.“

A robust climate bill MUST include the following:

  • Siting reform that centers environmental justice. Environmental justice communities have suffered the historic burden of pollution from our energy system, and we need to ensure that new facilities do not compound these inequities. The definition of cumulative impact analysis (i.e., the calculation of that historic burden of pollution) in the Governor’s H.5049 is the most accurate and complete definition introduced this session and should be the one used in a final bill that includes siting and permitting reform.
  • Measures to end large-scale gas pipeline expansion and increase the use of non-emitting thermal networks. The legislature must act immediately to ramp down the expansion of gas infrastructure and put gas companies on a path to provide clean, non-emitting renewable energy rather than fossil gas that leaks methane and air pollution into the atmosphere and into our homes and businesses, costing ratepayers significant sums of money.

Take a few minutes to write to your state legislators in support of coming back into formal session and passing a robust climate bill.

Call Your State Representative about Raise the Age

In July, the Senate voted, as part of their economic development bill, to increase the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 18-year-olds—keeping high school seniors out of the adult prison system.

The House did not include this important language, and a Conference Committee of three state senators and three state representatives have been negotiating the differences between the two bills.

Let’s keep up the drumbeat for critical juvenile justice reforms.

Tell your Representative that: (1) Raise the Age is an economic development policy and (2) urge the Economic Development Bill conferees to include Raise the Age in the final bill:

Step 1: Find your State Representative

Step 2: Call your legislator with this sample script:

My name is _________, and I am a constituent of Representative _______. I ask that the Representative reach out to the Economic Development bill conferees, Chair Parisella, Chair Michlewitz, and Rep. Muradian expressing the Representative’s support for including Raise the Age as passed in S.2869 in the final Economic Development bill.

Subjecting 18-year-olds to adult prosecution, CORI records and adult incarceration causes significant harm not only to the teens themselves but to our economy which is desperate for more – not less – young people to participate in the workforce.                  

Follow up with an email:  Find a template here.

100+ Climate Organizations: climate bill requirements

10/2024

To Governor Healey and the 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

RE: A Robust Climate Bill

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has made a commitment to environmental justice and to meeting climate mandates in order to ensure a livable planet and a just transition for all. With this letter, the undersigned 108 organizations present elements that MUST be in a climate bill when it lands on Governor Healey’s desk before the end of 2024. 

The Legislature had been poised to take action until the unceremonious end to the 2023-24 formal legislative session on August 1. Despite this delay, there is still time in 2024 to call a special session and pass a climate bill that is broader than siting and permitting reform alone. While it is important to keep the climate bill negotiations alive, the climate-related provisions in the Governor’s supplemental budget bill, H.5049, filed September 11th are far too narrow to represent a reasonable response to the climate crisis in 2024. 

We call on Governor Healey, President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, Chair Barrett, and Chair Roy and the entire legislature to take this opportunity to meet critical environmental justice (EJ) goals and to equitably and rapidly transform the gas industry into one that meets the Commonwealth’s climate goals while keeping gas rates down. We cannot accept a narrow siting and permitting bill that does not do enough for climate justice, reducing climate pollution, or protecting ratepayers as the outcome of 18 months of the legislative process. Delays in climate action do nothing to benefit constituents and only serve to benefit those who profit from the climate crisis. A 2024 climate package must include, at minimum: 

  • Siting and permit approvals tied to a robust cumulative impact analysis. The definition of cumulative impact analysis in the Governor’s H.5049 is the most accurate and complete definition introduced this session and should be the one used in a final bill that includes siting and permitting reform. We applaud its inclusion.
  • Measures to end large-scale gas pipeline expansion and increase the use of non-emitting thermal networks. While the details of the transition away from gas as a heating fuel in the Commonwealth will require future work from the Healey Administration, legislators and other key stakeholders, the legislature must act immediately to ramp down the expansion of gas infrastructure and put gas companies on a path to provide clean, non-emitting renewable energy rather than fossil gas that leaks methane and air pollution into the atmosphere and into our homes and businesses, costing ratepayers significant sums of money.

These are critical components of the evolving climate bill. From a necessary expansion of the electric grid itself (crucial to bringing in the thousands of megawatts of renewable electricity we need), to ensuring that Environmental Justice populations are not overburdened, to protecting gas customers and taxpayers from the ballooning costs of maintaining an expensive, health-harming, and dangerous gas system that will soon be obsolete, our Commonwealth simply cannot afford to wait. We urge the legislature to reconvene for a formal session and demonstrate strong support for environmental justice and rapid decarbonization by passing a robust climate package.

  1. 350 Central Mass
  2. 350 Mass
  3. 350MA Berkshire node
  4. Acadia Center
  5. Alternatives for Community & Environment
  6. All In Energy
  7. Andover WECAN
  8. Arise for Social Justice
  9. Berkshire Environmental Action Team
  10. Beyond Plastics Greater Boston
  11. Boston Catholic Climate Movement 
  12. Boston Climate Action Network
  13. Boston Green Action
  14. Breathe Clean North Shore
  15. Brookhaven Residents’ Climate Change Committee
  16. Canton Residents for a Sustainable Equitable Future 
  17. Cape Ann Climate Coalition Organizing Committee
  18. Citizens Climate Lobby, South Shore & Cape chapter
  19. Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Mass. North Shore chapter
  20. Clean Water Action
  21. Climate Action Group, the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence
  22. Climate Action Now Western Mass
  23. Climate Code Blue
  24. Climate Reality Project Boston Metro chapter
  25. Climate Reality Project Massachusetts Southcoast 
  26. Coalition for Social Justice Education Fund 
  27. Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere
  28. Concord Area Humanists
  29. Concord Climate Action Network
  30. Conservation Law Foundation
  31. Elders Climate Action Massachusetts chapter
  32. Energy Allies
  33. Energy Efficient Bolton
  34. Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative
  35. First Parish in Bedford
  36. First Parish in Cambridge, Environmental Justice Team
  37. First Parish in Framingham Climate Action Team, Chair
  38. First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Climate Action Working Group
  39. First Parish Watertown, Green Sanctuary Committee
  40. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Newton Climate Action Task Force
  41. Food & Water Watch 
  42. Fore River Residents Against the Compressor (FRRACS)
  43. Gas Transition Allies
  44. Greater Andover Indivisible
  45. Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility
  46. GreenRoots
  47. Green Energy Consumer Alliance 
  48. Green Newton
  49. HEET
  50. HEETlabs
  51. HealthLink
  52. Jewish Climate Action Network
  53. Lexington Climate Action Network (LexCAN)
  54. Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) Massachusetts
  55. Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group
  56. Mass Peace Action
  57. Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN)
  58. Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light, Inc.
  59. Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church Climate Action Team
  60. MetroWest Climate Solutions
  61. Mothers Out Front – Arlington
  62. Mothers Out Front  – East Boston
  63. Mothers Out Front – Bedford Chapter
  64. Mothers Out Front – Brookline Chapter
  65. Mothers Out Front – Cambridge Chapter
  66. Mothers Out Front – Newton
  67. Mothers Out Front – Northampton
  68. Mothers Out Front Massachusetts
  69. No Fracked Gas in Mass
  70. North American Indian Center of Boston
  71. North Parish of North Andover Climate Justice Group
  72. North Reading Green Alliance
  73. Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church, Green Sanctuary Team
  74. Our Climate
  75. Our Revolution MA, Climate Crisis Working Group
  76. Partnership for Policy Integrity
  77. Pipe Line Awareness Network for the Northeast, inc
  78. Pilgrim Watch
  79. Progressive Massachusetts
  80. Quincy Climate Action Network
  81. Renewable Renegades 
  82. Resiliency Gardens Project,  Healthy Yards, Needham- Pollinator Protectors
  83. Resist the Pipeline 
  84. Resonant Energy
  85. Salem Alliance for the Environment
  86. Sheffield Saves
  87. Sierra Club Massachusetts
  88. Slingshot
  89. Social Action Committee of First Parish Plymouth
  90. Our Revolution MA, Climate Crisis Working Group
  91. South Coast Neighbors United
  92. Springfield Climate Justice Coalition
  93. Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude
  94. Sunwealth 
  95. Sustainable Marblehead
  96. Sustainable Middleborough
  97. Sustainable Wellesley
  98. The Enviro Show
  99. Third Act MA
  100. TownGreen
  101. Trustees Collaborative for Parks & Open Space
  102. Union of Concerned Scientists
  103. Unitarian Universalist Mass Action
  104. Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield 
  105. Voices for Climate [V4C]
  106. Vote Solar
  107. Watertown Faces Climate Change (a node of 350Mass)
  108. Worcester Congregations for Climate and Environmental Justice