Remember, the weekend of August 16-17 are the dates for the 2008 sales tax holiday weekend. This is the the fourth year the Commonwealth will provide a sales tax exemption for an entire weekend, and the fifth year that at least one tax free day has been approved.

 As in previous years, almost all purchases under $2,500 will be tax-free. Vehicles, motorized boats, tobacco, meals and utilities are excluded.

Last year's tax free weekend produced nearly $500 million in sales.

I was pleased that we were able to reach consensus on comprehensive legislation that will usher in the next phase of health care reform in Massachusetts this package of new initiatives is aimed at bringing down escalating health care costs and creating greater access to primary care.

The legislation, which I introduced in March, promotes the modernization of the health care system to reduce waste and improve quality care, establishing the Commonwealth as a national leader in the statewide adoption of electronic medical records and uniform billing, which together could save hundreds of millions of dollars.

The legislation authorizes the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy and the Attorney General to hold an annual public hearing with health care providers and health care insurers to investigate and report on health care cost drivers and make cost-reduction recommendations. It also creates a Special Commission on Health Payment Reform to investigate restructuring the current payment system to provide incentives for efficient and effective care. The 15-member commission will make its recommendations no later than April 1, 2009.

It also requires the Department of Public Health to set a new "marketing code of conduct" that all pharmaceutical and medical device companies must adopt and comply with, as enforced by the state. The standard will include all the restrictions and guidelines in the most recent versions of industry-adopted ethics codes. The compromise language also requires all pharmaceutical and medical device companies to disclose the value, nature, purpose and recipient of any fee, payment, subsidy or other economic benefit with a value over $50 that goes to any health care professional in the Commonwealth.

Other provisions of the bill include:

·           Strengthening the Determination of Need (DON) process for outpatient capital projects and ambulatory surgery centers to help maintain standards of quality and ensure the efficient and equitable deployment of health care resources across the Commonwealth;

·           Authorizing MassHealth to establish a "Medical Home" demonstration program to promote coordinated, comprehensive patient care and strengthen the role of primary care providers;

·           Creating a new loan forgiveness program for doctors and nurses who commit to practicing certain specialties in medically underserved areas, administered by the Health Care Workforce Center;

·           Expanding enrollment at UMass Medical School for students committed to primary care specialties;

·           Creating an enhanced "learning contract" for UMass Medical students who commit to working four years in primary care in Massachusetts, providing a greater tuition incentive for those who participate, but also including a tougher penalty for students who don't complete their commitment;

·           Required reporting of "serious reportable events", adverse drug events and hospital-acquired infections; and

·           Requiring physician competency in health information technology for board registration by the year 2015.

The legislation's requirement for the statewide adoption of electronic medical records also sets a goal of 2015 for implementation and dedicates $25 million for the financing and deployment of the system, which will be overseen by the new Massachusetts e-Health Institute. After 2015, the use of an interoperable health record system would be required for hospital licensure.

In addition, it sets a goal of 2012 for statewide adoption of Computerized Physician Order Entry systems (CPOE). After this date, the use of CPOE systems would be required for hospital licensure. Additionally, the legislation's standard for uniform billing among health care providers and insurance companies will simplify the current billing structure to reduce administrative costs and errors.

This next phase of health care is crucial for the future vitality of our health care system and our economy.  It establishes bold reforms in the structure and operation of our health care industry that will bring down costs, improve access to primary care and establish transparency measures for providers and insurers alike. This is an exclamation point on the end of a very productive legislative session, and I couldn't be happier with the hard work and collaboration that went into this legislation. I look forward to the Governor signing it as soon as possible.

In order to accelerate the repair and replacement of the state's most structurally deficient bridges, the Senate passed a $3 billion bond bill, which establishes an eight-year plan to fix 250 to 300 Massachusetts bridges identified as being in urgent need of repair.

Our bridges are essential to the operations of daily commerce and travel. By taking action now, we can start to make up for decades of neglect.

The bill also provides for the ongoing maintenance of bridges and will reduce the number of structurally deficient bridges by 15 percent over the next eight years. Additionally, by starting projects now rather than waiting, the Commonwealth will save approximately $1.5 billion in inflation and deferred maintenance costs while creating new jobs for the economy.

The $3 billion in financing for the bridge bill includes $1.1 billion borrowed against anticipated future federal funding and $1.9 billion in gas tax bonds to be repaid with existing gas tax revenues.

Landmark biofuels legislation, which recently passed the Senate  will promote clean-fuel production, create thousands of new jobs and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The legislation will make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to exempt cellulosic ethanol - a natural, next-generation fuel substitute - from the state gasoline excise tax to spur research and development and establish its future use in transportation and heating fuels.

This highly-anticipated legislation will solidify the Commonwealth's position as a leading producer of clean-energy fuel alternatives and spur new economic activity in the forestry and agricultural industries.

This initiative ensures that Massachusetts is firmly set on a transitional course from fossil fuels to clean energy products. Cellulosic ethanol represents an exciting opportunity to replace gasoline, and even corn-based ethanol, with locally-grown fuel to power vehicles on the road in Massachusetts.

Cellulosic ethanol can be produced from plentiful homegrown agricultural source, including by-products that are plentiful in the Plymouth and Barnstable District  including wood chips and other forest waste, algae and cranberries. The initiative has the potential to add 3,000 jobs to the clean-energy industry and increase state revenues by $320 million if in-state cellulosic ethanol production meets 25 percent of the ethanol demand for fuel.

The legislation requires that diesel and heating fuels sold in the Commonwealth contain at least two percent cellulosic ethanol by July 1, 2010 and increases annually to five percent by July 1, 2013. With this introduction of cellulosic ethanol into the market, approximately 14 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol will be sold by 2013.

The implementation of new industry mandates, including a requirement for biofuels to yield at least a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional petroleum, will help build the Commonwealth's emerging biofuel refinery and distribution sector. The changes will also result in fewer air pollutants that contribute to such conditions as asthma, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.

The legislation also establishes a low-carbon fuel standard that sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions without requiring the use of specific fuels or technology. This standard will encourage the development of a variety of alternative fuel sources and allow the market to choose sources at the lowest cost.

The Senate recently voted to give tenants and occupants who have been victims of stalking, rape, domestic violence and sexual assault more rights and protections in leasing agreements.

These residents should have the security of knowing that they can rent a home and not be stuck in an unsafe situation. This legislation will give victims more resources and options for safe housing practices.

The legislation will allow tenants of rented housing the option of prematurely terminating their rental contracts if they notify the owner in writing that they, or a member of their household, is a victim of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or stalking.

The bill also mandates that landlords change exterior locks upon request of their victimized or vulnerable tenants.

Furthermore, this legislation will prohibit landlords from having any bias in offering housing to applicants who are victims.

Children who participate in quality early education programs are less likely to be held back in school and more likely to graduate from high school and college.

With that in mind, the Senate approved an Early Education and Care initiative including a universal pre-kindergarten program that was vetoed by former Governor Mitt Romney in 2006. The legislation seeks to improve the coordination, quality and accessibility of early education services and complete the transfer of duties of the former Office of Child Care Services to the Department of Early Education and Care.

The bill gives the Department of Early Education and Care the necessary tools and support to provide high-quality, universally-accessible early education and care programs. One of the highlights of the bill is to establish the Massachusetts universal pre-kindergarten program.

Other provisions of the bill include:

·           Requires the development of program quality standards and requirements for early education providers, and for infant/toddler, pre-school, early elementary and older school age children. The Department shall also develop learning standards and developmental benchmarks that build off of these standards and curriculum frameworks.

·           Requires the Department to develop comprehensive assessment systems of early education and care programs, including kindergarten readiness.

·           Provides regulatory authority for statewide child care licensing and approval.

·           Imposes strict penalties for providing child care without a license.

·           Requires the development of a 5-year master plan for early education and care.

·           Requires the Department of Early Education and Care to report on efforts to reduce expulsions from early education and care programs.

·           Creates a statewide advisory council that includes legislative and executive appointees, as well as numerous stakeholders in the field of early education and care.

I'm glad we finally have an Administration that sees the value of these early years in the education process.  With this plan in place, we will secure a long-term investment in the education of our children.

In memory of 16-year-old Yolanda Torres, who struggled with mental illness and became an advocate for children's mental health services the Senate passed legislation to improve the early identification of children with mental illnesses by reaching them in familiar settings, such as pediatrician offices, early education programs and schools.

Early diagnosis and extended services are critical to avoiding unintended tragedies and helping more than 100,000 Massachusetts children who are currently not receiving the care they need.

We must reduce the number of children who are falling through the cracks in our mental health care system. This legislation will help reduce suicides and other hardships brought on by mental illness and ensure that these children have the best opportunity for a healthy, productive future.

The bill seeks to increase pediatric screenings for mental illness and require the Department of Early Education and Care to provide behavioral health consultations. The legislation would also promote consultation services in schools to help teachers and administrators better identify mental health issues.

The bill also restructures how the Commonwealth oversees, provides and coordinates services by:

·           Designating the Department of Mental Health as the leading voice for children's mental health;

·           Creating a children's behavioral health advisory council and a children's behavioral research center; and

·           Creating multi-agency teams and a hearing process to improve case management for children with complex needs.

The bill also grants the Division of Insurance the authority to regulate behavioral health manager companies and requires the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to implement new policies and procedures to ensure that children do not remain in hospitals past the necessary amount of time, and instead making sure that they are efficiently moved to appropriate residential facilities or community-based settings.

The Senate recently voted to approve a $2 billion higher education bond bill that will allow the Commonwealth's public colleges and universities to make capital improvements and invest in infrastructure development on campuses across Massachusetts. 

There is not one public higher education campus in this state that does not need capital funding for improvements. In fact, many of these campuses need the funding to fix the crumbling infrastructure they already have. If we want Massachusetts to be known for our world-class public institutions of higher learning, then we must invest in our colleges and universities to ensure the facilities are first-rate. This legislation will help us reach that goal.

Specifically, the legislation includes $1 billion for state and community colleges and $1 billion for the University of Massachusetts system, including:  $300,000 for an accessibility, traffic and parking study and $36 million for a new science building and renovation to the existing Science Center and modernization and renovation of existing facilities at Cape Cod Community College, as well as $23 million for the modernization of the library at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

In addition to the bond funding authorization, the legislation:

·           Amends and updates the law that established the Massachusetts State College Building Authority;

·           Requires the use of photo luminescent system to delineate egress routes for any structure that is built, renovates rehabilitates or repainted as a result of this funding;

·           Requires the Secretary of Administration and Finance to submit a report on the progress and all expenditures related to projects resulting from this legislation twice each year for six years.

·           Ensures that laws relating to health, workers compensation and unemployment insurance are adhered to.

With the approval of legislation in July, high-speed Internet access will be available to all Massachusetts communities by 2010. There are currently 32 western Massachusetts communities without any broadband services and another 63 towns with only partial access to those services.

This bill will create unparalleled opportunities for our state economy, serving as a dominant engine for continued statewide growth in services and technology. Expansion of the broadband infrastructure will level the playing field in the Plymouth area and on Cape Cod by creating new opportunities for families and businesses in unserved and underserved areas. 

The legislation establishes the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, within the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, to secure private and federal investments for the development of broadband infrastructure in communities lacking access to high-speed Internet services.

The new broadband infrastructure will also benefit schools and enable more effective access to government services and other valuable communication technologies.

"Congratulations and thank you for championing the enactment of the Massachusetts Ocean Act. The Ocean Act truly is landmark legislation in the U.S. and has positioned the Commonwealth to be a national and international leader in ocean management.  The bill would not have been possible without your steadfast and bold leadership, and for that I and the CLF [Conservation Law Foundation] thank you."

 -Pricilla M Brooks, Director, Ocean Program, Conservation Law Foundation.