Joint
Committee on Public Service Bob is
House Chair of this
committee,
before which all salaries, civil service, and retirement
of public employees, and collective bargaining
legislation is heard. The committee is
composed of 6 senators and 11 representatives.
Joint
Committee on Financial Services Bob was
House Vice Chair of this
committee, before which all insurance and banking legislation
is heard. The committee is
composed of 6 senators and 11 representatives.
Auto Insurance Reform
Statistically, Massachusetts drivers are the worst in the
nation. The accident claims rate ranks number one by a wide
margin, as does the bodily injury rate. As a result, the importance
of the auto insurance system within the state has been magnified.
Bob
was a major proponent of auto insurance reform in the 2005-2006
session. In late 2005 the committee went on a “listening
tour” across the state to gain insight into what consumers,
insurance executives and agents thought of auto insurance
reform. Bob conducted one of the hearings, which was held
at Worcester City Hall. While
there was support on the House side, proposed legislation
died at the end of that session.
The auto insurance industry in the state was
unique as Massachusetts was the only state in the nation to
have its auto insurance rates set by the commissioner of insurance.
These fixed and established rates led to a declining number
of insurance companies who wrote policies in the state. For
instance, 53 companies wrote auto insurance in 1990 compared
to the 18 who wrote in 2005. Bob and a number of other legislators
realized the lack of competition resulted in a marketplace
with few options, no price flexibility and rampant fraud.
On June 5, 2006, a press conference was held at the State
House where Bob along with Chairman Mariano unveiled landmark
legislation. The bill would allow for competition in the auto
insurance industry by eliminating the fixed rates that are
set by the state while keeping intact various consumer protections
including an automatic 5% rate decrease for the best drivers.
Other highlights of the bill include retainment of the 25%
senior discount, funding for fraud control, and a ban on the
use of credit scoring for rate setting. For
a full text of the bill please click here
Auto Body Working Group Bob was appointed Chair of the Auto Body Working
Group Subcommittee of the Financial Services Committee. The
goal of this committee is to build on the work of the previous
session and create legislation that protects consumers and
allows for the market to operate efficiently in auto body
repair, auto glass repair, and car rental.
Bob
has conducted meetings at the State House and in the district
with insurance, auto body, auto glass, and car rental representatives
where he has engaged in thoughtful and candid roundtable discussions.
Each side has provided insightful and informative arguments
that have allowed Bob and the committee staff to draft legislation
that prohibits deceptive tactics that are used to guide consumers
either to or away from certain facilities and businesses. For
a full text of the bill please click here.
Green
Energy = Worcester's new Biotech II Thanks to Bob's legislative efforts, Worcester received
a major economic boost in the recently passed Green Jobs Bill
(Chapter 307 of the Acts of 2008). The newly created Massachusetts
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Institute - which will be located at WPI
- will receive up to $10 million over five years and provide
a focal point for research, education, and commercialization
in the hydrogen fuel cell sector, an exciting field of green
energy.
Brownfields Redevelopment The Brownfields Redevelopment will expand Worcester's
tax base, create jobs, and lower the overall tax rate for our
community. In addition, brownfields clean up will reuse sites
that have long been industrial/manufacturing locations, protecting
our open space which might be eyed for development -- for conservation
or recreation.
Education
Early childhood intervention is critical to recognize problems
in our children before those issues become too difficult to
resolve. Large classroom sizes make it difficult for teachers
to be effective educators and for children to learn. We must
invest in the infrastructure of our schools, which is why the
School Building Assistance Fund is critical to replace old,
outdated schools. We must create a more equitable payment contribution
formula for regional school districts across the state so that
each participating municipality pays its fair share.
Veterans'
Program
While it might be easy for us back in the states to forget,
there are hundreds of thousands of active duty, reservists,
and National Guard fighting two wars far from home. We must
ensure that those citizens who put themselves in harm's way
to defend our country receive the support they need - and are
guaranteed under state law - when they return home. Bob reaches
out to veterans who leave active duty and refers them to not
just the $1,000 Welcome Home Bonus, but also the myriad of services
offered by the Commonwealth.
Health
Insurance Reform
The passage of health insurance reform in Massachusetts was
monumental. The Senate and the House of Representatives each
developed a plan to improve how health insurance is delivered
within the Commonwealth to its estimated 500,000 uninsured.
The intent is to dramatically reduce the number of uninsured
and to ensure that affordable, quality health care is available
to those who need it. Effective July 1, 2007, every resident
in Massachusetts should be signed up for health care coverage
or will face tax consequences in 2008. A year after implementation,
it is estimated that some 300,000 previously uninsured
residents now are protected with health insurance. For
more information, go to the Commonwealth Connector Authority.
Health
Care We must continue to work to decrease the pool of uninsured
throughout the Commonwealth. As shown by Family Health Center
in Worcester, hospitals and health care givers can reduce the
number of emergency room visits by ensuring that Massachusetts
residents are directed toward doctors and urgent care centers
for routine visits. The cost of prescription drugs needs to
be reined in. Medicaid reimbursements, whether to hospitals
or nursing homes, must be adequately funded throughout the state
so that these critical institutions continue to provide care
for our citizens. And we can't talk about health care without
mentioning safe staffing levels for nurses and returning to
the mission of what health care is all about. To Bob, that means
patient care, not profits. And the only way to improve patient
care is to have safe staffing levels that allow nurses to work
directly with their patients.
