Government Affairs activities and news for MALSCE members
by Abbie Goodman, MALSCE Chief of External Affairs
FY2025 State Budget Process
- As of July 24, 2024, a legislative conference committee led by House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz and Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues completed its work on a compromise budget on July 19, 2024 and sent it to Governor Healey's desk. The bill is https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4800
- Governor Healey has 10 days from July 19 to issue any vetoes and send the budget back to the legislature.
- More on the budget
Legislative Session:
- The formal session of the Massachusetts legislature ends on July 31, 2024. As of the date I'm writing this report, the legislature has a flurry of activity related to:
Division of Occupational Licensure: Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors
- Next Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors public meeting is posted as: July 25, 2024. The Board of Registration is planning to hold this meeting on Teams. For meeting details, go to this page two business days before the meeting and scroll down to the meeting listing to download the agenda with either location or connection instructions.
- Draft April 24, 2024 public meeting minutes were approved at the May 30, 2024 public meeting but are not yet posted on the Board's website. Here is the version that the board discussed at its May 30, 2024 Board meeting: Draft April 24, 2024 public meeting minutes
- Since the Division of Professional Licensure cancelled the Board's June public meeting, the board has not met since May 30, 2024. These are the draft May 30, 2024 public session minutes that the Board reviewed at their July 25, 2024 meeting.
Highlights of 5/30/2024 Board of Registration Meeting
I was unable to attend this Board meeting which was held at the same time as Engineers and Land Surveyors Day at the State House. This is a summary of major issues discussed at the meeting, based on a discussion with a board member:
- The Division of Occupational Licensure records its boards’ meetings.
- This meeting was held on Teams only. The planned June 20 meeting is expected to be on Teams. The Board plans to return to hybrid meetings later in 2024, if at least one-quarter of the board can attend in person.
- Chair Paul Tyrell called the meeting to order.
- The Board reviewed and approved the April 24, 2024 public session meeting at this meeting.
- The Board again discussed the poor quality of plans filed with the Suffolk Registry of Deeds and again discussed having staff prepare a letter of concern to all the Registries of Deeds. The new board counsel Philip Chan and the outgoing board counsel indicated that the Division was still developing an appropriate course of action. On the table are: a letter or multiple investigations licensees who of filed plans with substandard work. DoL staff is seeking tangible empirical evidence to look at possible violations of 250 CMR. Board Chair Tyrell suggested a joint meeting with the Architects Board, as many of the filed plans were from architects.
- Board Counsel Legal Report from Philip Chan
- Executive Director report by Kathleen McNally.
- Still chipping away at the NCEES enforcement exchange list
- Conversion of JP exam to computer-based-testing: working on dates for a meeting with the exam committee.
- Other topics:
- The Board discussed whether and how to change NGS Coordinate System Change in Massachusetts
- The Board’s Public Meeting adjourned at about 10:30 am.
