Government Affairs activities and news for MALSCE members
by Abbie Goodman, MALSCE Chief of External Affairs
Appointment:
- Governor Healey appointed Shallan Fitzgerald, PE, as the new Civil Engineer member of the Board of Registration.
FY2025 State Budget Process:
- Includes $1 Million for Dam Safety Technical Assistance to address vulnerable dams and $2.8 Million to fund critical work on culverts and small bridges.
News:
August Revenue Collections Total $2.622 Billion:
- On September 5, Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary revenue collections for August totaled $2.622 billion, $192 million or 7.9% more than actual collections in August 2023, but $14 million or 0.5% below benchmark.
- FY2025 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $5.309 billion, which is $212 million or 4.2% more than actual collections in the same period of FY2024, but $14 million or 0.3% below the year-to-date benchmark.
- August is typically one of the smaller months for revenue collections because neither individual nor business taxpayers make significant estimated payments during the month. Historically, roughly 6.7% of annual revenue, on average, has been received during August.
- Given the brief period covered in the report, August results should not be used as a predictor for the rest of the fiscal year.
- With the recent enactment of the FY2025 budget, monthly revenue benchmarks were developed for the August 2024 through June 2025 period. FY2025 monthly revenue benchmarks are posted on the DOR website: https://www.mass.gov/lists/dor-year-to-date-and-monthly-tax-collection-benchmark-ranges.
Legislative Session:
Highlights of Housing Bond Bill:
- The Affordable Homes Act and related initiatives will support the production, preservation and rehabilitation of more than 65,000 homes statewide over the next five years. It is the largest housing bond bill ever filed in Massachusetts, at more than triple the spending authorizations of the last housing bill passed in 2018.
- The historic legislation authorizes $5.16 billion in spending over the next five years along with 49 policy initiatives to counter rising housing costs caused by high demand and limited supply. Key spending authorizations and policy changes include allowing accessory dwelling units, an unprecedented investment in modernizing the state’s public housing system, boosts to programs that support first-time homebuyers and homeownership, incentives to build more housing for low to moderate-income residents, support for the conversion of vacant commercial space to housing and support for sustainable and green housing initiatives.
- The final bill authorizes more borrowing than Governor Healey sought in her original filing last fall, but the state cannot actually borrow all that it is authorized to. The administration's latest plan for actual capital spending dedicates $2 billion for housing over the next five years, and $400 million in fiscal 2025.
- Rest of the 2023-2024 Legislative Session: Although the official formal session is over, the informal session continues until December 31, 2024., there is a chance that the legislature will come back in September/October 2024 to take care of some of these issues or will find ways to get them passed in informal sessions:
- The Economic Development Bond bill still in a conference committee: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4722 - but Governor has been assured it will get done this fall.
- The Federal Matching Funds Bills still in a conference committee: S 2554 and H 4446
- The Clean Energy Siting bills still in a conference committee: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S2829
- FY2024 Supplemental Budget (H 4799 / S 2888) which needs a conference committee.
- And possibly the language related to Boston’s property tax issues. https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4942, which has passed in the House, but is in Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
- Most other bills are effectively dead for the session, except for certain non-controversial municipal request bills.
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: September 26, 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 May 30, 2024 public meeting minutes were approved at the July 25, 2024 public meeting but are not yet posted on the Board's website. Here is the version that the board discussed at its July 25 Board meeting: Draft May 30, 2024 public meeting minutes. The June 2024 Board meeting was cancelled.
- Draft July 25, 2024 minutes were not ready for the August 29, 2024 Board meeting,
Highlights of the 8/29/2024 Board of Registration Meeting:
- I did not attend this meeting on Teams, but spoke with several board members about the meeting.
- The Division of Occupational Licensure records its boards’ meetings.
- This meeting was held on Teams only. The planned September 26 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.
- He introduced Shallan Fitzgerald, PE, as the new Civil Engineer member of the Board of Registration.
- Sarah Wilkinson, Commissioner of the Division of Professional Licensure joined the meeting for the discussion of the plans filed with the Registries of Deeds. She indicated that they Division was trying to determine what would be most appropriate to issue about the plans.
- 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 indicated that the Division feels it has no authority to contact the Registries of Deeds. The Board again asked for an Advisory letter to the Registries.
- Board Counsel Legal Report from Philip Chan
- 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 report by Kathleen McNally.
- Still chipping away at the NCEES enforcement exchange list
- There is progress in the conversion of JP exam to computer-based-testing, but the fall 2024 exam will be a pencil and paper exam.
- The Board’s Public Meeting adjourned at about 10:30 am.
Highlights of 7/25/2024 Board of Registration Meeting: provided to MALSCE last month, see this page for reference: https://www.malsce.org/news-publications/news/malsce-government-affairs-update-august-2024-5705
