Legislation
Progressive revenue
- 5% tax on digital advertising revenue for individuals (companies?) making $50 mil - $100 mil, 10% on $100 mil - $200 mil, and 15% for over $200 mil
- Digital Advertising: banner ads, search engine, interstitial, sponsored content, and other comparable services
- If over 100k is made on digital advertising, must file a quarterly tax report
- Pay ΒΌ of the tax each quarter
- Utilizes a compensation ratio that compares compensation between executives of a corporation and its employees, with executive compensation as the numerator and employee compensation as the denominator
- Every corporation with a net income of $10,000,000 or greater and/or is not exempt from taxes, must pay an annual tax according to net income. The additional surtax is dependent on the compensation ratio
- Surtax according to compensation ratio:
- If compensation ratio is over zero but not over 50, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 0%
- If compensation ratio is over 50 but not over 100, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 1%
- If compensation ratio is over 100 but not over 200, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 2%
- If compensation ratio is over 200 but not over 300, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 4%
- If compensation ratio is over 300 but not over 400, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 6%
- If compensation ratio is over 400 but not over 500, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 8%
- If compensation ratio is over 500, the tax rate is the base corporate tax rate plus 10%
- If the total number of full-time employees decreases as compared to the past year and the number of contracted employees increases, than the applicable tax rate is increase to 50%
- Amends chapter 59 of the General Laws (2018 edition) by adding the following section after section 5N
- An organization exempt from taxation and owning property valued 15 million or above will make payments equal to 25% of what they would have paid if they were not exempt from taxes
- This bill would only go into effect for cities and towns that vote in favor of it
- Amends chapter 59 of the General Laws (2018 edition) by adding the following section after section 5N
Racial justice & education
- Establishes a fund called the Anti-Racism and Equity in Education Trust Fund
- Administered by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education through the recommendations of the Commission for Anti-Racism and Equity in Education
- Funding comes from money granted by the general court, interest on such revenues, and from public and private sources (such as gifts or grants)
- Establishes the Commission for Anti-Racism and Equity in Education
- The Commission works with the Department of Elementary and Secondary education to:
- Develop curriculum materials with a social justice perspective of dismantling racism
- Ensure that ethnic studies, racial justice, decolonizing history, and unlearning racism is taught at all grade levels
- Advise the department on ways to ensure equity in the Massachusetts Test for Education Licensure
- Ensure that teachers and school counselors have access to training and resources for social justice and anti-racism
- The Commission will advise the Department on increasing, supporting, and retaining educators of color
- Grant applications can be made for more funding
- The Commission for Anti-Racism and Equity in Education may facilitate funds and other resources to districts, universities, and community groups
- The Commission works with the Department of Elementary and Secondary education to:
- Establishes a fund called the Anti-Racism and Equity in Education Trust Fund
Abolition of MCAS and profiteering off of public education
- Abolish MCAS system, prevent creation of other standardized tests
- No more requirement for "mastery of common core skills" for graduation
- Results from previous assessments will not be used by faculty for assessments or formal recommendations
- Department of Education will conduct a study on the costs and quality of materials provided by different organizations (profit vs nonprofit vs open organizations) to public schools
- Start before December 31st, 2021, and no longer than a year to complete
- Suspension of state-wide standardized test until study is complete
- Chaired by a variety of representatives from government, schools, and advocacy groups.
- Investigate opportunity costs and alternative options to current system
- Costs determined by educator-reviewed assessments
- Take community input
- Provide a recommendation at the conclusion of the study
- Give report to Ways and means committee and joint committee on education before January 1st, 2023
- Abolish MCAS system, prevent creation of other standardized tests
State auditor investigates the Department of Education once every three years, specifically reviewing contracts and internal finance practices
- Establishes the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Initiative to create a statewide pipeline of teachers who are likely to become effective teachers in eligible schools serving a substantial percentage of economically-disadvantaged students.
- Grow Your Own Massachusetts shall administer the Initiative as a grant competition to fund consortia that will carry out Grow Your Own Teacher preparation programs.
- Every program under the Initiative shall implement a program of forgivable loans to cover any portion of tuition, books, and fees of candidates under the program in excess of the candidates' grants-in-aid. All students admitted to a cohort shall be eligible for a forgivable student loan.
- Where necessary, program budgets shall include the costs of childcare and other indirect expenses, such as transportation, tutoring, technology, and technology support, necessary to permit candidates to maintain their class schedules
Climate crisis
- Aims to transition the commonwealth to 100% renewable electricity and net zero carbon emissions by 2030, while also addressing the interdependencies of the crisis, such that:
- (1) the laws and energy policies of the commonwealth are aligned with the scientific consensus around the climate crisis
- (2) all have access to clean air, water, and land
- (3) we center justice and equity for environmental justice communities, frontline and fenceline communities - particularly poor, Black and brown, and indigenous communities - and other populations that have been disproportionately affected by the climate crisis
- (4) the commonwealth increases energy security and democratization by eliminating the use of fossil fuels and maximizing renewable energy production in our region
- (5) there is a just transition for workers amidst this energy transition by creating green, local, unionized jobs with wage and benefit parity and by prioritizing workers affected by the transition for green job training programs
- Definition of "direct emissions" in Section 1 of Chapter 21N of the General Laws (2018 edition) is amended
- In the same section, the definitions of "negative emissions", "net statewide greenhouse gas emissions", "land carbon carrying capacity", and "Changes in land use resulting in a reduction in carbon carrying" are added
- Section 2 of chapter 21N is amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting the following section that states:
- The department shall monitor and regulate emissions of greenhouse gases with the goal of reducing those emissions, and will adopt regulations that will:
- (1) establish a greenhouse gas registry and reporting system for greenhouse gas emission sources
- (2) annually require the owner or operator of any facility that is required to report air emissions data to the department pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act and that has stationary emissions sources to report to the regional registry direct stack emissions of greenhouse gases
- (3) require the owner or operator of a facility that has stationary emissions sources that emit greenhouse gases in excess of 5,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year to report annually to the registry direct emissions of greenhouse gases
- (4) require the owner or developer of a property that has reduced carbon carrying capacity in excess of 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to report to the registry direct emissions of greenhouse gases
- (5) provide for the voluntary reporting of emissions and negative emissions of greenhouse gases to the greenhouse gas registry by entities and facilities that are not required to submit information
- (6) require reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from generation sources producing all electricity consumed
- (7) require reporting of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from distribution of natural gas consumed for all residential, commercial and industrial purposes
- (8) ensure consistent accounting of emissions and provide reporting tools to ensure collection of necessary data
- (9) ensure that greenhouse gas emissions sources maintain comprehensive records of all reported emissions
- The department shall monitor and regulate emissions of greenhouse gases with the goal of reducing those emissions, and will adopt regulations that will:
- Amend Section 3 of chapter 21N by striking out subsection (b) and inserting the following section:
- The secretary, consulting the department of energy resources, will adopt the following greenhouse gas limits:
- Interim greenhouse gas limits for 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045, and 2050
- The level of net statewide greenhouse gas emissions after 2030 will not be higher than zero and the level of statewide greenhouse gas emissions after 2040 will not be higher than zero
- The secretary, consulting the department of energy resources, will adopt the following greenhouse gas limits:
- Expert aid appointed develop programs and plans to monitor and regulate emissions, adopt emissions limits, and produce criteria to determine negative emissions
- Expand definition of a "renewable energy generating source"
- Defines energy sources that do not count as renewable
- Establishes a environmental working group and a fisheries working group in the department of energy to mitigate damages done to wildlife
- Considers ecological impact of off-shore wind sources and solar power
- Asserts importance of environmental justice and defines environmental justice populations
- Considered when implementing renewable energy sources
- Establishes incentives for consumers to purchase or lease a zero-carbon emission vehicle
- Reform public transportation energy sources (to become renewable)
- Establish net-zero building codes
- Ensures just transition to renewable energy for workers
- Aims to transition the commonwealth to 100% renewable electricity and net zero carbon emissions by 2030, while also addressing the interdependencies of the crisis, such that:
Forgiving utility debt & holding polluters accountable
- Slides and factsheets already exist
- Still being drafted
Police accountability & criminal justice
Accountability in police spending
- Petition for legislation to increase oversight of the Massachusetts State Police through stringent budget accounting and regulation of overtime reporting
- Amend section 17 of chapter 22C of the Massachusetts General Laws by adding after the first line a paragraph that:
- Includes a list of projected expenses, including labor costs, pension and employee benefit costs, equipment costs, weapons purchases, fuel purchases, vehicle purchases
- Includes all other expenditures under "Department of State Police and Related Programs" Direct Appropriations
- Includes expenditures over $50,000 in a fiscal year
- Includes a list of projected expenses, including labor costs, pension and employee benefit costs, equipment costs, weapons purchases, fuel purchases, vehicle purchases
Eliminating mandatory minimums
- Aims to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences related to drug offenses
- 2018 Official Edition
- Strike out section 32 of chapter 94C and replace with a paragraph that states:
- Any person who knowingly or intentionally manufactures, distributes, dispenses, or possesses with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense a controlled substance will be punished with a:
- Sentence of not more than 10 years in prison
- Sentence of not more than 2.5 years in a jail or house of correction
- A fine of not more than $10,000
- Any person who violates this section multiple times will be punished with a:
- Sentence of not more than 15 years
- Fine of not more than $25,000
- Any person who knowingly or intentionally manufactures, distributes, dispenses, or possesses with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense a controlled substance will be punished with a:
- In chapter 94C, amendments to "less than" statements
- Strike out section 32E of Chapter 94C and replace with a section that states that establishes limits for fines and sentences related to crimes concerning weed (dependent on weight of the drugs)
- The amended section similarly establishes limits related to morphine, salts, and other drugs
- Strike out section 32J of Chapter 94C and replace with a section that establishes limits to fines and sentences concerning drug-related crimes occurring within school boundaries
- For anyone in violation of the provisions in 94C, they are eligible:
- For parole after serving one-half of the minimum term of the sentence
- To participate in education, training, employment, or work release programs
- to receive deductions from his sentence for good conduct
- Strike out section 32 of chapter 94C and replace with a paragraph that states:
Labor & economic justice
- Remove the section that prohibits right to strike by Massachuests employees.
- For any infrastructure or real estate investments in which MassPrim has an equity interest of more than 50% entered after this bill
- "Responsible" contractors
- Not debarred in past 36 months for wage or benefit issues
- Evidence of previous responsible documentation
- Selection of responsible subcontractors
- Fair wages and benefits
- "Responsible" contractors
- For any operators of this investment
- Make a good faith effort to enter in an agreement with labor organizations, agree not to strike or picket
- Organizations include AFL-CIO, Change to Win, or at least 100 agreements or 50,000 members
- For any of the above investments with less than 50% equity
- Encouragement of CIO of MassPrim to follow above practices
- CIO will not approve any investment that has the potential to eliminate public sector jobs, act as a reputation risk, or cause regulatory scrutiny
- CIO selects external managers
- Consider any labor violations and disputes in the past
- For any infrastructure or real estate investments in which MassPrim has an equity interest of more than 50% entered after this bill
- Defines overtime as working more than 8 hours a day, for a total of at least 40 hours a week, instead of just 40 hours a week total
- Amend law to add definition to definition of worker co-ops to include those recognized by the Apex Industry Organization
Money out of politics & election law
- Individuals cannot contribute more than $500 to any campaign in a year
- Individuals cannot contribute more than $5000 to any independent PAC in a year
Definitions:
- Adds definitions for CEO and Corporation
- Adds definition for foreign owned corporations:
- If a foreign individual owns, controls, or has beneficial ownership of at least 1% of a corporation
- If two or more foreign individuals own, control, or have beneficial ownership of at least 5% of a corporation
- If a foreign owner participates in decision making processes for the company in the US
- Adds definitions for foreign investors and owners
- Foreign investor: Any non-US citizen who controls some ownership of a corporation
- Foreign owner: any non-US citizen who owns or controls at least 50% of a corporation
- Bans foreign owned corporations from making any political donations to PACs or for promoting voter-based questions
- If a corporation does not file that they are not a foriegn owned corporation within a week of making the contribution, a warning must be included
- "Some of the funds used to pay for this message may have been provided by foreign-influenced corporations"
Polling place in walking distance of every university
- Legislature needs to ensure that there is a reasonably close polling place
- For Universities with over 1,000 staff and students, there must be a polling place within half a mile
- Universities must provide a polling place, free of charge, for their precinct
- Voters will be mailed if their polling station is moved or changed
Transparency & good democracy
- Petition to increase transparency surrounding corporations
- In the 2018 Official Edition:
- In section 83 of chapter 62C of the General Laws, strike from last sentence of subsection (a): "; but the report or amended report shall be available for public inspection only after the state secretary has expunged the name of the taxpayer and the location, including street address, of the taxpayer's principal office as required by subsection (n)"
- In the same section, strike the period at the end of subsection (m) and replace it with "-- , together with a list of any corporations required to file in the preceding year that failed to file a report in that year."
- In the same section, strike subsection (n) and replace it with the following:
- "(n) The state secretary shall make all information contained in the reports required under this section for all filing corporations available to the public on an ongoing basis in the form of a searchable database accessible through the internet. The state secretary shall make available and set charges that cover the cost to the state of providing copies on appropriate computer-readable media of the entire database for reports filed during each calendar year, as well as hard copies of an individual annual report for a specific corporation. No report for any corporation for a particular tax year shall be publicly available until the first day of the third calendar year that follows the calendar year in which the particular tax year ends."
- Petition for legislation to make the General Court subject to the public records law
- In the 2018 Official Edition:
- Amend the 26th paragraph of section 7 in chapter 4 by adding after the word 'privacy' in line 168, "this subclause shall apply to records concerning constituents seeking assistance from the general court in obtaining government services or otherwise interacting with agencies"
- In the same section and paragraph, strike out subclause (d)
- In section 10A of chapter 66 of the General Laws, strike out the words "of municipality"
- Replace with the words "municipality or the general court"
- Repeat those two steps in identical instances throughout the section
- In section 10A of chapter 66 in line 36, add "and the general court" after the word "agencies"
- Repeat the step in identical instances throughout the section
- In section 18 of chapter 66 of the General Laws, strike out "the records of the general court, nor shall" in line 1
- In section 19 of chapter 66, strike out the words "or municipality" in line 11
- Replace with the words "nor municipality, nor the general court."
- Amend the 26th paragraph of section 7 in chapter 4 by adding after the word 'privacy' in line 168, "this subclause shall apply to records concerning constituents seeking assistance from the general court in obtaining government services or otherwise interacting with agencies"
Transportation
- Fare-free MBTA and stopping the fare transformation project
- Conduct a study on the viability and costs of a fare-free service within the MBTA
- Include impacts on minority and low-income communities, revenue and ridership numbers by mode of transportation, and cost of collecting fares
- Form before December 31st 2021, present findings to ways and means committees before December 31st 2023
- Conduct a study on the viability and costs of a fare-free service within the MBTA
Housing
- Universal right to counsel
- Establishes an autonomous civil justice committee (consisting of 7 members) within the executive office of housing and economic development
- The committee is responsible for identifying and designating organizations to provide legal services to low-income clients facing eviction
- The designated organizations must (1) meet the standards set by the American Bar Association, (2) provide low-cost services, (3) have experience in eviction cases and representing low-income clients, and (4) satisfy other criteria set by the committee
- The committee will oversee the services provided by the organizations and ensure that they are meeting the criteria
- The counsel assigned to a client(s) will be paid $50 per hour by the committee for a maximum of 1,650 hours
- Establishes an autonomous civil justice committee (consisting of 7 members) within the executive office of housing and economic development