Beacon Hill

BEACON HILL UPDATE

Update to the Massachusetts Budget

FY12 starts on July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012

On Monday, July 11, 2011 Governor Patrick signed the fiscal year 2012 (FY12) state budget of $30.6 billion. The budget is $700 million higher than that of the current fiscal year, and was constructed without $1.5 billion in federal stimulus aid that the state relied on in FY11.

The Department of Early Education and Care and its programs were funded at $495 million. While many other areas and programs of state government were cut, the Legislature worked to preserve and protect important investments in early education and care programs that provide children with the start they need to succeed in school and in life. This budget preserves level funding for the Universal Pre-K Program, full-day kindergarten grants and the Early Childhood Educator Scholarship.

Several bills have been filed up on Beacon Hill that may impact Early Education and Care

Keep your eye on House Bill H01671 sponsored by Steven M. Walsh. This bill seeks legislation to authorize early childcare providers to participate in collective bargaining with the department of early education and care.

If this bill should come to pass, childcare providers will become employees of the state. Both the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the National Teachers Association back this bill. While this bill is still in it's beginning stages, many sponsors are signing on with hopes of pushing the bill through by July 1, 2011. To view the actual language - Click on this link; http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H01671

Bill (Senate 8) Members of the House have been told to prepare to vote on Wednesday on a business-backed proposal that would limit a planned increase in the unemployment insurance assessment. backed by the Senate Thursday, would prevent the assessment on businesses from climbing by $228 per employee. It will instead rise by $61 per employee.

The Senate bill, applauded by business groups and ridiculed by some in labor, was accompanied by calls from some lawmakers and public policy organizations for broader reforms to the state's unemployment insurance system to reduce the generous level of benefits extended to the jobless and bring the state more in line with other states. Under the proposal, the average assessment per employee, according to Senate leaders, will rise to $705 in 2011, up from $644 in 2010.
Without action by the Legislature and the Governor, employers will see an $872 per-employee tax for the coming year.

House Bill HO 1398 of 2011 Session Seeks to require employers to grant a minimum number of 7 paid sick leave days for all employees Entitles all employees within the Commonwealth to a minimum of 7 paid sick days per year. To view the language of this bill - click on this link: http://www.malegislature.gov/bills/187/house/h01398

These are only a few of the bills filed on Beacon Hill that may impact Early Education and Care. MICCO is keeping an eye on all of them and will collaborate with others on giving input on these bills!

To view any of these bills in their entirety go to http://www.malegislature.gov/Legislation

Want to find your Legislator? Click on this link http://www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator