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by Abbie Goodman, MALSCE Chief of External Affairs
Sign up by May 1 + More Info: https://www.engineers.org/about/news/engineers-and-land-surveyors-day-at-the-state-house-may-30-2024-5491
Separately, in January, we heard about this: Federal Acquisition Regulation: Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects: A Rule by the Defense Department, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on 12/22/2023: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2023-27736
Fair Share Investments in Education &
Transportation Briefing Sheet
Governor Healey filed her Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget proposal on January 24. The filing of the Governor's budget comes during a period of slowing revenue growth in Massachusetts. The proposal also comes just weeks after the Governor initiated $375M in spending cuts and lowered the revenue estimate by $1B for FY24. The FY25 budget will be based on a revenue forecast of $40.202B, which represents a 2% increase over the revised estimate for FY24. Neither estimate includes revenues from the State's new surtax on income over $1M, which is projected to bring in between $1.7 and $2.1B in FY25. Despite slowing revenues, both the Governor and legislative leaders have rejected the prospect of raising taxes as part of the consideration of the FY25 budget.
The Governor has already signaled several priorities that she will include in her FY25 budget proposal, including over $500M in new investments in early education and childcare, $8.7B in local aid and education funding (a 3% increase over the current fiscal year), and doubling operational funding for MBTA operations. Once the Governor's budget is filed, legislators will formally begin the process of determining spending priorities during what has been called a difficult budget cycle. The House will begin budget debate in April and Senate debate will follow in May.
ACEC National continues to advocate for a Congressional fix to this tax issue that impacts many engineering and land surveying firms. They continued the ad campaign targeting DC and certain house districts to try to fix this issue. More: https://www.acec.org/advocacy/protecting-innovation/
At the 12/12/23 BBRS (Board of Building Regulations and Standards) meeting, Comm. Sarah Wilkinson of the Division of Occupational Licensure reported that on 12/11/2023 at 5 pm, the Healey Administration gave final approval to the Division to move the proposed 10th edition 780 CMR state building code to public hearings. Notice of Public Hearings Public comments will close on March 6. The unofficial 10th edition of the code is here: https://www.mass.gov/handbook/unofficial-tenth-edition-base-code-draft-780-cmr
Some sections updated: See revisions here: https://www.mass.gov/manual/massdot-project-development-and-design-guide
Updated Chapters of PDDG as of 3/14/24: 1, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, and now 14
The purpose of the Project Development and Design Guide (PDDG) is to define the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Highway Division’s project development process and guide the planning and design of transportation projects. The PDDG’s intended audience includes planners, designers, practitioners, and decision makers. The previous edition of the PDDG, published in 2006, expanded MassDOT’s framework for incorporating context-sensitive design and multimodal elements into transportation improvement projects. This new edition of the PDDG expands on those elements and formally incorporates process changes and guidance revisions that have occurred since 2006. MassDOT is actively updating the 2006 edition’s content and modernizing the PDDG to a web-based format to aid the ease and regularity of future updates. Updated chapters are published in this new web-based format. For chapters currently undergoing updates, the 2006 edition is temporarily posted to that chapter’s web page.
Highlights of 2/22/2024 Board of Registration Meeting
This is a summary of major issues discussed at the meeting, based on observing the meeting on Teams:
The Public Meeting adjourned at about 10:15 am.
This is a summary of major issues discussed at the meeting, based on observing the meeting on Teams:
The Division of Occupational Licensure records its boards’ meetings.
This meeting was held on Teams only. The planned February and March meetings will also be on Teams. The Board plans to return to hybrid meetings later in 2024, if at least one-quarter of the board is able to attend in person.
Chair Paul Tyrell called the meeting to order at 9:00 am.
The Board discussed the inaccuracy of plans being recorded at the Suffolk Registry of Deeds, which is accepting inaccurate plans: the first 10 plans filed in 2024 did not meet 250 CMR or Registry Standards. This will be discussed in greater detail at the February meeting, as this item was not on the formal agenda.
The board approved the December 21, 2023 Public Session Meeting Minutes: see above
Board Counsel Legal Report from Patricia LaFore:
No Change: Draft Continuing Professional Competency Regulations are still in the Executive Office of Administration and Finance and then would move on to the Secretary of State's office for review.
Executive Director Kathleen McNally discussed that the board had finalized consent agreements with 2 people: Mr. William Parrot, who was fined, and Mr. John Spink, who voluntary surrendered his license.
Here are copies of consent agreements between the board and certain respondents in 2023:
Conversion of Professional Surveying exam section on Jurisprudence to a computer based testing platform is moving slowly. Virtual Inc (formerly PCS), the exam service, has submitted a proposal with price to the Division for the cost of the conversion.
On Jan. 12, the exam committee reviewed the last round of the JP exam from the fall. Of eight people taking the exam, 2 were MA residents. The committee established a passing rate of 70%. Three of the eight passed the exam and will be licensed as Professional Land Surveyors in Massachusetts.
Email from a concerned public works engineer: The board discussed an email it had received from a public works professional concerning work done on CAD designs overseas. The board indicated that if the work was supervised by the PE licensed in Massachusetts, there was no issue.
I asked the staff to send the dates for the spring PS exam.
The Board did not finalize draft responses to email questions they received at their October meeting, referenced in my November report. Based on the discussion, board, and staff will draft responses to the message that may be reviewed at the February. The meeting adjourned at app. 10:15 am.
Please note that this is an enforcement board. More: https://www.engineers.org/about/news/massachusetts-board-of-registration-of-professional-engineers-and-land-surveyors-seeks-civil-engineer-4985
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