Current District Legislation

One of John’s main priorities in the Legislature is making sure that the cities and towns he represents are provided with the support and resources they need to be thriving communities. John has filed a number of bills to help further advance the priorities of Abington, Braintree, Holbrook, Quincy and Rockland. Follow the links to see a few of John’s district specific bills this session:

Commuter Transit Benefits

Recent federal transportation legislation increased the pretax commuter transit benefit offered by many employers from $130 to $255 per month. This bill would adopt this new increase on the state level, directly benefitting residents in our district who buy monthly commuter rail passes through their employer, and companies who offer this employee benefit.

Supporting Community Access Cable

This bill would provide local public, educational, and governmental access TV stations with HD capability and access to the channel guide, which they currently do not have use of. These upgrades are necessary for our local cable stations, including HCAM in Holbrook which brought this issue to my attention, to stay competitive with today’s technology.

State Tourism Funds Accountability

This bill would require more transparent accounting of regional tourism funding, with every regional council submitting a report of amounts spent towards each of its constituent municipalities. These funds are generated at the local level, collected in part through a local hotel room occupancy tax, but allocated on a regional basis. This detailed accounting would ensure fair distribution throughout the region, so that Quincy can continue organizing holiday and cultural events, and promoting tourism.

Municipal Employee Access to GIC Dental and Vision Benefits

This bill would make GIC dental and vision insurance coverage available to active municipal employees who have already been transferred into the GIC for health insurance coverage. This legislation – with thanks to Holbrook Firefighters Local 1452 I.A.F.F. for proposing this cost effective measure – would offer greater options to municipal employees, and would benefit municipalities and taxpayers as well.

Banning MBTA Billboards in Quincy

This would prohibit billboards on MBTA property within the City of Quincy. The MBTA red line tracks run through the heart of Quincy, abutting residential neighborhoods along the length of the route. Billboards erected along these tracks would be a blight on many residential sections of the City, impacting homeowners and residents.

Sound barriers in Quincy and Braintree

This would direct the MBTA to conduct a sound study along the Red Line extension to Braintree to determine ambient noise levels. In residential areas where the decibel level from MBTA operations exceeds the ambient level by ten or more decibels, the MBTA would be directed to install sound barriers to mitigate this neighborhood disturbance.

Highway Noise Study in West Quincy

This would direct the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to conduct a highway noise study along the northbound and southbound sides of Route I-93 in Quincy, to determine whether the area qualifies for the installation of highway noise barriers.

Municipal Employee Access to GIC Dental and Vision Benefits

This bill would make GIC dental and vision insurance coverage available to active municipal employees who have already been transferred into the GIC for health insurance coverage. This legislation – with thanks to Holbrook Firefighters Local 1452 I.A.F.F. for proposing this cost effective measure – would offer greater options to municipal employees, and would benefit municipalities and taxpayers as well.

Flood Insurance Legislation

This session John co-sponsored two important bills filed by Rep. Jim Cantwell protecting consumers from unaffordable insurance costs. These bills authorize the Attorney General to intervene on behalf of consumers with the National Flood Insurance Program relating to rates, prices, flood maps, and administration of claims and require the commissioner of insurance to conduct a biennial review of the affordability and accuracy of rates offered under the Program.

Past Accomplishments supporting the District

Each year during the annual state budget debate, John fights to secure funding for local projects and programs that will directly impact the cities and towns he represents. Below are some highlights of local legislation signed into law, and local programs from Norfolk & Plymouth District that have been funded in the State Budget over the past few fiscal years:

Abington Town Charter Updates

John worked with Abington on two important home-rule petitions, first to amend the Town Charter and create the town’s first Department of Public Works, and later to do a more complete rewrite of the charter and implement a number of changes that had been approved by the town’s voters. These changes were approved as Ch. 113 of 2015 and Ch. 445 of 2016.

Empowering Quincy College to provide high quality education

Working with the City, the College President, and House Leader Ronald Mariano, John passed major pieces of legislation to support this institution. Quincy College is the only municipal-level college in Massachusetts, and this unique model has sometimes excluded the College from policies and programs available to UMass and other state colleges.

  • Ch. 135 of 2014 changed some aspects of the College’s governance and financing, to ensure the school could retain national accreditations.

  • Ch. 287 of 2014, a broad economic development bill, established a “stackable credentials” college-based workforce training program. Through a floor amendment, John ensured Quincy College would be included in this program.

  • Ch. 442 of 2016 gave the College the ability to pursue offering 4 year baccalaureate degrees in the future.

SouthField Economic Development

In the summer of 2014, John worked with his colleagues from Weymouth, Abington and Rockland in passing a bi-partisan bill that has revamped economic development at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, also known as SouthField. The new law amends SouthField’s governance structure, giving substantial control over zoning and municipal services back to the three towns, while addressing infrastructure needs like water, wastewater, and completion of the East-West Parkway.

John fought to protect the interests of Abington and Rockland, including open space protections, a thorough public hearing process for major zoning changes, and additional liquor licenses for each town. While the new legislation moves the SouthField project in the right direction, it’s success will require continued commitment by all involved, both at the local and state levels. This law was approved as Ch. 291 of 2014.

Quincy Center Development

Quincy’s downtown redevelopment is a centerpiece of the City’s plan for its cultural and economic future. John has supported the City’s work and progress for this major project, and has helped pass legislation that authorizes or facilitates the City’s goals.

  • Ch 111 of 2013 secured additional liquor licenses for the downtown project, a need identified by the City’s leadership to help attract retailers.

  • Ch 79 of 2014, a broader transportation funding bill, definitely established Quincy as the principal planning entity for any new development at the site of the Quincy Center MBTA garage, empowering the City to set the course for the garage’s renovation and to ensure that state projects there are consistent with the overall goals for downtown.

  • Ch 355 of 2016 updated the enabling statute for special development agreements for the project, helping the City change course when it opted against a single developer, and decided instead to pursue multiple contracts for different sections of the project. This legislation ensured the City could move forward with its updated vision for the project.

Local Budget Items

  • $50,000 grant for the Quincy Fire Department to continue to support the Hazardous Material Response Team. This grant has been awarded consecutively in the FY14, FY15 and FY16 budgets.

  • $150,000 Public Safety Improvement Grant awarded to the Town of Braintree in the FY15 and FY16 budget, to help fund improvements to their public safety facilities

  • $100,000 grant for the Plymouth County Fire Mutual Aid Radio Network, helping the Abington and Rockland Fire Departments upgrade emergency radio communications

  • $50,000 awarded to the Town of Rockland to help pay for costs associated with construction and maintenance of the Rockland Veterans Memorial

  • $200,000 to help fund improvements to the Braintree Senior Center

  • $100,000 for Quincy Asian Resources, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that provides programs and services like adult education, youth development and mentoring, bilingual social services, and free legal clinics to Asian Americans in the City of Quincy and its neighboring communities;

  • $50,000 for the Germantown Neighborhood Center which provides critical support services, programs and workshops to local youth and families in the Quincy Community