Patients in Massachusetts will have better access to a wider array of medications after Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy’s step therapy bill was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker last week. Roy filed the bill in the House with Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge). The bill will curtail the policy of insurance providers insisting on lower-cost treatments before approving coverage of more expensive medications.
“We’ve heard countless stories of patients being forced to take drugs that their health insurers want as opposed to what their doctors think is best,” said Rep. Roy. “This is a great, common-sense measure to help patients get the care that their physician believes they need. It removes needless insurance protocols that delay necessary treatment and access to medication and removes the barriers that interfere with sound medical judgments made within the confines of the physician-patient relationship.”
The new law requires insurance providers to approve or deny step therapy exemption requests within three business days, or 24 hours in an emergency, meaning faster access to the more expensive drugs. It is a win for patients who would otherwise have to go through a lengthy authorization or review process.
Roy further noted the old “Fail First” practice was untenable for obvious reasons. “Adding to patient stress by delaying access to the medicine they need is unacceptable,” he added. “We live in a state that has some of the best health care in the world and this legislation restores access to that great system for all patients. I thank the many volunteers and advocacy groups who shared stories and pushed for this bill.”
Patients will be eligible for an exemption from the step therapy process if the cheaper drugs would harm them, if they have already tried and failed to improve on the drugs, if the treatment would be ineffective or if they’re already stable using their preferred medication.
Advocates opposed to step therapy had been working for years to convince Beacon Hill leaders to limit or ban the practice.
Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy sat down with WCVB Channel 5’s Ben Simmoneau to talk about problems with Mass Save and the long delays and missing payments due to customers seeking rebates toward new heating units. Ben leads the station’s nationally recognized consumer reporting franchise, “Ben Has Your Back.”
Mass Save is an initiative sponsored by Massachusetts’ natural gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers, including The Berkshire Gas Company, Blackstone Gas Company, Cape Light Compact, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Eversource, Liberty Utilities, National Grid, and Unitil. The sponsors of Mass Save work closely with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to provide a wide range of services, incentives, trainings, and information promoting energy efficiency that help residents and businesses manage energy use and related costs.
NewsCenter 5 took the complaints about processing delays to Rep. Roy as the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. Rep. Roy has also heard similar complaints directly and has been working with the utilities to make improvements in the service.
“It’s absolutely not satisfactory for there to be long delays in the delivery of payments,” Roy said. “A reasonable amount of time to get these rebates is six to eight weeks. Beyond that is unreasonable.”
At the start of the year, the state’s utilities — which run Mass Save — restructured the program with the state’s approval, slashing many rebates for natural gas, oil or propane while increasing money for electric heat and implementing new energy savings programs. The goal is to move homes away from heating directly with fossil fuels and toward what will soon hopefully be a greener electric grid.
Rep. Roy says the utilities blamed those changes for some of the delays. Mass Save processes 100,000 rebate submissions every year, which requires a number of due diligence checks. Roy noted that helping folks get their rebates from Mass Save is important for our climate change efforts.
But the processing delays are not the only problem. The two customers included in the report both had difficulty getting answers about their checks because of the complex relationship between Mass Save and the utilities who actually funnel the money to the program.
Rep. Roy says if delays and communication do not improve, the state will force the utilities to fix it.
“There should be an easy way for you to get information,” Roy said. “I don’t care whether it’s an email or a website, there should be an ombudsman available to address that.”
After NewsCenter 5 got involved, both customers got their full rebates right away. Mass Save blamed part of the delay on missing information on their applications, but also said both checks were held up by various processing issues.
Maura Healey has endorsed Jeffrey Roy in his State Representative race in the 10th Norfolk District (Franklin and Medway). “Representative Roy is a passionate advocate who stands for our values and gets things done for Franklin and Medway,” said Healey. “We’ve worked together on many of the most pressing issues facing Massachusetts residents, including the recently passed clean energy and offshore wind bill, and I look forward to continuing to deliver results together. I’m proud to endorse him for re-election.”
In addition to Healey, Roy has been endorsed by Franklin Firefighters Local 2637, Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW Local 103), Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund, Sierra Club, 350 Mass Action, Massachusetts Nurses Association, and SEIU Local 509. He has also been endorsed by Franklin Town Council Chair Thomas Mercer; Franklin Town Council Vice-Chair Robert Dellorco; Franklin Town Council Clerk Glenn Jones; and Franklin Town Councilors Deborah Pellegri, Melanie Hamblen, Ted Cormier-Leger, Cobi Frongillo, and Patrick Sheridan.
“Chair Roy was central to the passage of the 2021 Roadmap Bill, one of the strongest climate laws in the US,” said Casey Bowers from the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund. “He also crafted the House’s offshore wind bill which will ensure the industry takes off in Massachusetts and provides the clean energy we need to reach our roadmap targets. We’re grateful for his leadership in addressing the climate crisis.”
“Representative Roy has quickly become a climate champion for Massachusetts,” said Mimi Locke, Political Committee Chair for the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter. “As House chair of the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee, he stewarded the Massachusetts 2022 climate bill into law. The bill will significantly build out our clean energy industries while minimizing ratepayer impact and creating new, good clean energy jobs.”
350 Mass Action’s Political Director, Cabell Eames stated: “It is with great pleasure that 350 Mass Action proudly endorses Representative Roy for the 10th Norfolk district. Representative Roy has delivered expansive progress as the chair of the Telecommunications, Utility, and Energy committee, proving that the Commonwealth is ready to be a leader in driving solutions that invigorate our economy at scale and insure a better life for Massachusetts residents in the face of climate change.”
“SEIU 509 is proud to endorse Jeff Roy for State Representative in the 10th Norfolk,” said Peter MacKinnon, President of SEIU 509. “Representative Roy is committed to leveling the playing field for every resident of the Commonwealth – from fighting for affordable higher education to championing job growth and creation across our sectors. We look forward to working with him on policies that will continue to uplift our members and the communities they serve.”
Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steven A. Tolman stated: “The Massachusetts AFL-CIO Executive Council has officially voted to endorse your campaign for State Representative in the 10th Norfolk District. We are proud to support candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to the values and principles of the Labor Movement. I would like to congratulate you on earning the endorsement of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and our nearly half a million members across the Commonwealth. We look forward to advocating on your behalf and working together to create a brighter future for working people in Massachusetts.”
In his letter announcing the local endorsement, Franklin Union President, Brian Hamann, stated: “The Professional Firefighters of Franklin feel very fortunate to have a friend of your stature representing the 10th Norfolk district. Since your election in 2012 you have stood by our side through triumph and tragedy. Your unwavering commitment to the fire service and our members has been evident.”
In announcing the state level endorsement, PFFM President Richard D. MacKinnon Jr. stated: “During your career as an elected official, you have prioritized the relationships you hold with the firefighters of your district. You understand our issues and are an effective advocate for us on Beacon Hill. We look forward to your next term in office and continued leadership for firefighters.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to receive the support and endorsement from all of these groups and individuals,” noted Roy. “In my years in the Massachusetts House I have built strong and lasting relationships and have partnered with them to make Massachusetts and our communities great places to live, work, and raise a family. With their continued support, I am confident we can continue to deliver results for Massachusetts.”
Since 2013 Jeff has been part of a legislative team that has addressed the issues of education, economic development, the coronavirus pandemic, health care, substance use disorder, criminal justice, civil rights and social equity, gun safety, climate change, energy, and the environment. In addition, he led efforts to:
Draft and pass the clean energy and offshore wind bill in 2022;
Draft and pass the Genocide Education Act in 2021;
Finalize the Roadmap Bill on climate change in 2021;
Draft and pass legislation on Step Therapy and Patient Safety in 2022;
Draft and pass legislation relative to sexual violence on higher education campuses in 2021;
Draft and pass legislation increasing transparency and financial reporting requirements for higher education institutions in 2019;
Draft and pass legislation that increased transparency and civic engagement by creating a searchable online database of legal notices in 2015;
Pass legislation lowering thresholds on specialty license plates, making them available to smaller charities and causes in 2015; and
Pass legislation to create a Regional Dispatch Center for Franklin, Norfolk, Wrentham, and Plainville in 2013.
He has also led efforts to bring millions of dollars in local aid for schools, roads, infrastructure, public safety, arts, recreation, substance use disorder, economic development, historical preservation, and food insecurity. He has also helped thousands of constituents with issues involving unemployment, health care, human services, and other matters with state agencies.
Roy is seeking re-election as the State Representative for the 10th Norfolk District (Franklin & Medway). He is the Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy and previously served as Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, and the Joint Committee on Health Care Finance. He is also the Chair of the Manufacturing Caucus, which promotes and encourages “Making It” in Massachusetts. Previously, he served as a member of the Franklin Town Council and Franklin School Committee where he held the position of Chair for 9 of his 10 years. He also chaired Franklin’s Master Plan Committee from 2012 to 2013.
The Franklin Firefighters Local 2637 and Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts have endorsed Jeffrey Roy in his State Representative race for the 10th Norfolk District (Franklin and Medway). In his letter announcing the local endorsement, Franklin Union President, Brian Hamann, stated: “The Professional Firefighters of Franklin feel very fortunate to have a friend of your stature representing the 10th Norfolk district. Since your election in 2012 you have stood by our side through triumph and tragedy. Your unwavering commitment to the fire service and our members has been evident.”
In announcing the state level endorsement, PFFM President Richard D. MacKinnon Jr. stated: “During your career as an elected official, you have prioritized the relationships you hold with the firefighters of your district. You understand our issues and are an effective advocate for us on Beacon Hill. We look forward to your next term in office and continued leadership for firefighters.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to receive the support and endorsement from these public safety professionals,” noted Roy. “Public safety and having the backs of those who put their lives on the line for us has been a priority for me since I first took office. And I have learned a lot from the engagement, training, and feedback I receive regularly from these professionals. We have built a strong and lasting partnership to make Massachusetts and our communities great and safe places to live, work, and raise a family.”
In addition to the firefighters, Roy has been endorsed by Maura Healey, the MASSACHUSETTS AFL-CIO, the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund, the Sierra Club, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, and SEIU Local 509. He has also been endorsed by Thomas Mercer, Franklin Town Council Chair; Robert Dellorco, Franklin Town Council Vice-Chair; Glenn Jones, Franklin Town Council Clerk; and Franklin Town Councilors Deborah Pellegri, Melanie Hamlin, Cobi Frongillo, Ted Cormier-Leger, and Patrick Sheridan.
Roy is seeking re-election the State Representative for Franklin and Medway. In 2021 he was appointed Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy and is the House-Chair of the Manufacturing Caucus which promotes and encourages “Making It” in Massachusetts.
Since 2013 Jeff has been part of a legislative team that has addressed the issues of education, economic development, the coronavirus pandemic, health care, substance use disorder, criminal justice, civil rights and social equity, gun safety, climate change, energy, and the environment. In addition, he led efforts to:
Draft and pass the clean energy and offshore wind bill in 2022;
Draft and pass the Genocide Education Act in 2021;
Finalize the Roadmap Bill on climate change in 2021;
Draft and pass legislation on Step Therapy and Patient Safety in 2022;
Draft and pass legislation relative to sexual violence on higher education campuses in 2021;
Draft and pass legislation increasing transparency and financial reporting requirements for higher education institutions in 2019;
Draft and pass legislation that increased transparency and civic engagement by creating a searchable online database of legal notices in 2015;
Pass legislation lowering thresholds on specialty license plates, making them available to smaller charities and causes in 2015; and
Pass legislation to create a Regional Dispatch Center for Franklin, Norfolk, Wrentham, and Plainville in 2013.
He has also led efforts to bring millions of dollars in local aid for schools, roads, infrastructure, public safety, arts, recreation, substance use disorder, economic development, historical preservation, and food insecurity. He has also helped thousands of constituents with issues involving unemployment, health care, human services, and other matters with state agencies.
I am sure you have been hearing and reading about increased energy costs. In summary, due to high natural gas and oil prices stemming from the Russia-Ukrainian war and other factors, heating and electricity utility bills will dramatically increase this winter. To help you manage these steep increases, my office has compiled a list of resources that can help. In addition, the Baker-Polito Administration is consulting with the federal government to create a winter heating plan, which we will share once available.
It is important to keep in mind that our overreliance on natural gas to both heat our homes and serve as a fuel for electricity generation has made Massachusetts vulnerable to price swings. In current and previous sessions, the Legislature has directed the state to contract and prepare the grid for large amounts of offshore wind and other clean energy resources in an effort to reduce this overreliance and mitigate climate change impacts. While the benefits of these future projects will not impact this winter’s heating season, once online, they will help stabilize utility bill prices while also providing economic benefits and transitioning us to the Commonwealth’s clean energy future.
The following resources are available, should they need them.
Utility payment plans Massachusetts’ investor-owned utilities offer flexible payment plans, regardless of income, and potential balance forgiveness. Enrolling in a payment plan can protect constituents against shutoffs for up to 12 months with most utility companies. Please refer to the list at the bottom of this post for information to contact your utility.*
Income-eligible assistance programs
For customers with a household income not greater than 60 percent of the state median income, Massachusetts utilities offer a discount on a customer’s total utility bill as well as individualized payment plans known as arrearage management plans (AMPs) where a customer can have some or all of their outstanding balance forgiven.* These customers can also apply at any time throughout the winter season for fuel assistance through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Community action agencies can help walk constituents through the process of applying and answer any questions they may have.
Constituents between 60 to 80 percent of the state median income are encouraged to see if they qualify for financial help from the Good Neighbor Energy Fund.
Winter heating shutoff protections
You are protected by Massachusetts law (MGL c.164, § 124F) from having your gas or electric utilities shutoff from November 15, 2022, to March 15, 2023 if those services are used for heating. Constituents will still be responsible for any unpaid bills when the shutoff ends. The Attorney General’s office encourages customers to enroll in a utility payment plan, which also provides shutoff protections, and avoids accumulating debt. As stated above, most utilities offer payment plans for up to 12 months.
Energy efficiency audit
The nation-leading Mass Save energy efficiency programs run by the Massachusetts investor-owned utilities can provide constituents with information about how to reduce their energy use. This should lead to lower bills over time. In addition, income-eligible customers can participate in Mass Save’s low-income offering, known as the Low-Income Energy Affordability Network.*
Municipal aggregation programs
Constituents in communities with active municipal aggregation programs may consider switching from their electric company to the aggregation. The long-term electricity contracts used in these programs, typically set for three years’ time, result in stabilized electricity costs that are not subject to the same short-term price fluctuations (although upon program renewal, prices may increase). We encourage all communities to consider whether municipal aggregation is a good fit for them moving forward.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns and stay safe and warm this winter season!
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* Those whose gas or electricity is provided by a municipal light plant should contact their local light plant to determine whether the programs described above are available to them.
The Massachusetts Legislature passed a sweeping clean energy bill, An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind. The legislation bolsters green transportation, green buildings, and clean power production, including offshore wind, solar, storage and networked geothermal, while creating thousands of new jobs and economic benefits in the process. This bill builds upon the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill, which was passed earlier this legislative session and overhauled the state’s climate laws by putting Massachusetts on a path to reach net-zero limit on greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“At the beginning of this legislative session, we codified into law the goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions in Massachusetts by 2050. Today, and as the end of the session nears, the Legislature has again passed historic climate legislation that brings the Commonwealth closer to achieving that ever-important goal,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation will make Massachusetts a national leader in energy generated from offshore wind, while creating thousands of new jobs in the process. I want to thank Chairman Jeff Roy and each member of the conference committee, my colleagues in the House, as well as Senate President Karen Spilka and our partners in the Senate for prioritizing the well-being of our climate, and for working diligently to get this done.”
“From searing heat to rising seas, climate change poses a very real threat to Massachusetts residents,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “To leave future generations with a livable planet, Massachusetts must take on the role of a national and international leader in the fight against climate change. Reaching our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require us to take the important steps outlined in this legislation to expand our clean energy capacity, encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, reduce emissions from buildings, and foster high-paying, green jobs for our workforce. I’d like to thank my House partner, Speaker Mariano, Senators Barrett and Creem and all of the conferees for their focus and continued determination to bring this legislation over the finish line, as well as to all of the Senators who played a role in this bill’s creation and passage.”
“Massachusetts has an opportunity to meet the urgency of the climate crisis through our nation-leading innovation, workforce, and energy resources,” said Representative Jeffrey N. Roy (D- Franklin), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “This timely and comprehensive piece of legislation is carefully calibrated to provide a portfolio of robust clean energy, including offshore wind, and decarbonize our largest-emitting industries, all while attracting a world-class supply chain, intensive workforce training initiatives, and the investment necessary to prepare our electric distribution system for the energy needs of the future.”
“The changes we’re after make for an unusually long list, because they track the lengthening list of concerns our constituents bring to us,” said Senator Michael J. Barrett (D-Lexington), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “The climate problem takes many forms, and with this bill we respond in kind. People worried about the issue will find grounds for hope here.”
Offshore wind
To incentivize the development of the offshore wind industry in Massachusetts, this legislation establishes a Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Investment Program, administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), consisting of annual tax incentives, grants, loans, and other investments through the fund, and assistance from MassCEC in accessing other state or federal economic investment programs. It also creates the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Investment Trust Fund, which can be used to promote the manufacture, fabrication, and assembly of domestic supply chain components of the offshore wind industry; stimulate increased financing for permanent manufacturing facilities; advance clean energy research, technology, and innovation, and; prepare individuals for offshore wind careers by supporting workforce training at a range of educational institutions and through regional employment boards.
With the goal of making the Massachusetts offshore wind bidding process more competitive, the legislation modifies the price cap to set clear criteria to allow for offshore wind project proposals that are cost-effective and promote economic development in the Commonwealth. Under this legislation, the price cap will be removed if three or more offshore wind developers submit bids, and if less than three companies bid a modified price cap would remain in place. Preference will be given to bids that invest in local manufacturing, provide employment opportunities for underrepresented populations, and mitigate environmental impacts. Ultimately, a contract would only be approved if deemed cost-effective and beneficial to ratepayers.
The legislation also establishes a commercial fisheries commission to provide input on best practices for avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating impacts to wildlife related to offshore energy generation and transmission.
“I’m proud of the work that Massachusetts has done today, once again ensuring we are at the forefront of the fight against climate change. This legislation prioritizes offshore wind generation, grid preparedness, electric vehicle incentives, and innovation and job development in the clean energy sector,” said Representative Tackey Chan (D-Quincy), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. “I want to thank Chair Roy, Minority Leader Jones, and my fellow conferees for working together to move Massachusetts further into the 21st century green economy.”
“We began this session by enacting an ambitious law that requires the Commonwealth to reduce emissions 50 percent by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Now, less than 18 months later, we have passed another landmark climate bill, a far-reaching piece of legislation that touches multiple sectors—transportation, electricity, buildings, and natural gas—and sets us on a path to reach those emissions-reduction obligations,” said Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “Thank you to President Spilka for making climate change a Senate priority, to Senator Barrett and his staff for their tireless work to produce this impressive bill, and to all my fellow conferees for coming together to meet the urgency of the climate crisis.”
Solar energy
To support the advancement of solar power, the bill permits agricultural and horticultural land to be used to site solar panels as long as they do not impede the continued use of the land for agricultural or horticultural use, eliminates the so-called ‘donut hole’ for on-site solar energy net metering to promote residential solar, and loosens the so-called single parcel rule to help expand solar on sites where it already exists.
In addition to wind and solar power, the bill addresses other innovative sources of clean energy such as fusion energy and geothermal power. Acknowledging the harmful health and environmental impacts of utility-scale biomass power plant facilities, this legislation removes biomass from the list of energy-generating sources that are allowed to receive certain state incentives for generating clean electricity. To ensure that the Commonwealth has adequate storage systems to accommodate increasing amounts of clean energy that Massachusetts will be adding to its energy portfolio, this bill directs a study of how to optimize the deployment of long-term energy storage systems.
“The climate bill we have passed today provides a blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts by making critical investments in the offshore wind industry and offering additional incentives to promote more clean energy jobs and research,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “I was honored to serve on the conference committee that negotiated the final compromise language. While this is not a perfect bill, it does move the Commonwealth closer towards meeting its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
“This legislation responds to a matter of urgency for our state and our world, and does so by creating the robust infrastructure needed to domesticate the alternative energy production we need here, where it can provide not only the benefits of reducing carbon emissions, but also create jobs and economic opportunity for our ports and our residents,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester). “Passing this bill is important, but we must also not lose the focus we need to source greater supplies of clean energy, store and manage that energy, and deliver it to consumers who depend on it. The bill also takes important steps to ensure that in reaching for the next horizons of alternative energy, we do not jeopardize our irreplaceable commercial fishing industry, which provides food for people here and abroad.”
Grid readiness
The legislation also modernizes Massachusetts’ electrical grid and energy storage infrastructure. It requires utility companies to proactively upgrade the transmission and distribution grid to improve reliability and resilience and accommodate the anticipated significant shift to renewable forms of energy.
Green transportation
As the transportation sector is the largest source of fuel emissions in Massachusetts, the bill takes steps to encourage the use of electric vehicles, including expanding and codifying the state’s MOR-EV electric vehicle incentive program into statute, which provides rebates to individuals who purchase electric vehicles.
Under the bill, the rebate amount will increase by $1,000, to $3,500 for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Moreover, electric vehicle purchasers who trade in their emission-producing vehicles will be eligible for an additional incentive of $1,000. The program may include a point-of-sale rebate model for individual purchases that offers consumers savings at the point of purchase or lease. The bill also makes used vehicles eligible for rebates. Further, the bill directs the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to conduct an outreach campaign to promote awareness about the MOR-EV program among consumers and businesses in underserved and low-income communities, as well as in communities with high proportions of high-emission vehicles.
To expand access to electric vehicle charging stations, this bill convenes an interagency coordinating council to develop and implement a charging infrastructure deployment plan in an equitable and comprehensive manner.
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) would be required to set vehicle electrification and greenhouse gas emission requirements for electric vehicles for transportation network companies. In addition, to ensure that zero-emission vehicle charging remains affordable for consumers, the bill requires all electricity companies to submit proposals to DPU for how they will offer reduced electricity rates for consumers who charge their zero-emission vehicles at off-peak times.
Finally, the bill takes historic steps to address emissions that come from MBTA bus fleets. Starting in 2030, this bill requires every passenger bus that is purchased or leased by the MBTA to be a zero-emission vehicle. By the end of 2040, the MBTA will be required to operate exclusively zero-emission vehicles. Underserved and low-income communities would be prioritized for the equitable deployment of these zero-emission buses.
Building decarbonization
To tackle the difficult issue of emissions from the building sector, the bill creates a 10-municipality demonstration project allowing all-electric building construction by local option. Participating municipalities must receive local approval before applying into the demonstration project. The measure has two important provisos: first, each community must first meet certain affordable housing or multifamily development thresholds; and second, each must exempt life sciences labs and health care facilities from the all-electric requirement.
The bill makes targeted enhancements to the Mass Save program, which provides rebates and incentives for owners and renters related to efficient appliances and other home energy improvements. Under the bill, priority for Mass Save projects will be given to those that maximize net climate, environmental, and equity impacts. Beginning in 2025, Mass Save funds will also be limited in most instances from going to any fossil fuel equipment.
This bill requires DPU to conduct an adjudicatory proceeding prior to approving any company-specific plan under the DPU’s future of heat proceedings. In addition, the bill requires DPU to convene a stakeholder working group to develop regulatory and legislative recommendations for how Massachusetts can best align the Commonwealth’s gas system enhancement program with the state’s 2050 net-zero goal. The working group must submit its final recommendations to the Legislature by July 31, 2023.
Rep. Roy joined local leaders in commemorating Jan. 6 at a vigil on the Franklin Town Common. Below is the text of the remarks he delivered:
As Senator Rausch indicated, our day in the Massachusetts Legislature started with finishing the work of the 191st General Court on January 5, 2021.
We passed multiple pieces of legislation on the final day of the session. This work included wide-ranging pieces of legislation, including one early item that was a resolution for Franklin’s Frank Liotta, on the occasion of his 90th birthday. Another piece that passed around 2 a.m. was a law I had been working on for two years on the prevention of campus sexual violence.
We worked until around 5:00 am on January 6, and I finally went to bed exhausted to get some sleep.
I woke up a few hours later to begin the first day of the 192nd General Court. The proceedings began at 11:45 am with remarks by the Dean of the House Rep. Kevin Honan.
He quoted from JFK’s City on a Hill Speech noting that Massachusetts leaders have shaped our destiny long before the great Republic was born. Its principles have guided our footsteps in times of crisis as well as in times of calm. Its democratic institutions – including this historic body – have served as beacon lights for other nations as well as our sister states.
Rep. Honan reminded us that as we begin our work anew here in Boston – with a new Administration coming together in Washington around a country divided and struggling over racial injustice, economic insecurity and the health crisis of our lifetime – the Commonwealth and the country need that “City on a Hill” and all of us – more than ever.
The Governor administered the oaths and we elected Rep. Ronald Mariano as our Speaker. We heard more speeches and were invigorated and anxious to begin our work.
The proceedings ended at 2:05 pm. I was exhausted and decided to sit down and watch television. I turned on the proceedings in Congress and was alarmed within minutes.
What I saw unfolding was horrific and defied the logic I had witnessed about lawmaking over the previous 24 hours.
Violent extremists had stormed the Capitol in what was the culmination of months of repeatedly disproven lies from the former President about the outcome of the 2020 election. Our democracy was under attack.
This was an insurrection plain and simple. It was a calculated effort to subvert the will of the voters and undermine the peaceful transition of governance.
I immediately thought of my visit to Congress Hall in Philadelphia several years ago. That was the spot where on March 4, 1797 George Washington made the peaceful transition of power to John Adams. It is where George Washington performed his last public act before retiring to private life.
It was the first time in our recorded modern history that power transferred from a head of state to the next without bloodshed or death.
What took place in Congress Hall 225 years ago should be our beacon today. But Jan 6 smashed the beacon and created a dark cloud over America.
The event revealed a new force in American politics—not merely a mix of right-wing organizations, but a broader mass political movement that has violence at its core.
It revealed that our Republic faces an existential threat from a movement that is openly contemptuous of democracy and has shown that it is willing to use violence to achieve its ends.
Preventing further violence from this movement will require a deeper understanding of its activities and participants. To understand the events of January 6 and devise solutions to prevent their recurrence, we Americans need a fine-grained comprehension of who attacked the Capitol. We need to understand the ideology and beliefs of those who participated; knowing what kind of people they are and what their lives are like.
One truth is clear – you can’t participate in or support a violent storming of the US Capitol aimed at overturning state-certified election results and still be an American patriot. Further, a citizen can’t continue to back anyone who schemed to overturn the election results in extra-constitutional ways and fairly claim the cloak of patriotism.
As GOP US Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming said of her Republican party in a weekend TV appearance, “We can either be loyal to Donald Trump or we can be loyal to our Constitution. We cannot be both.”
Getting to the bottom of this tragic event is the object of the bipartisan House Commission and we anxiously await the public hearings and report. It and the evidence it supplies will help us grapple with the growing distrust in our society and hopefully will help us marshal the force and energy needed to save our democracy from collapse.
After Pearl Harbor and 9/11, our country mobilized a call to arms with unprecedented unity and determination to defeat the enemies of democracy.
Today, those who undermine our government and threaten our future are living within our own borders. The attack on the Capitol on January 6 has to be reckoned with, honestly and judiciously, now, before our political and social differences divide us even further and further.
As President Biden said this morning:
“At this moment we must decide what kind of nation we are going to be.”
“Are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm?”
“Are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan election officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people?”
“Are we going to be a nation that lives not by the light of the truth but in the shadow of lies?”
“We cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation. The way forward is to recognize the truth and to live by it.”
With that, I urge you to stay engaged, work to support your democracy, and remain hyper-vigilant towards those who threaten its very existence. We remain that City on the Hill, we need you, and I look forward to being by your side on that journey.
The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed the Genocide Education Act, filed by state Rep. Jeffrey Roy, D-Franklin. The bill, approved with a vote of 157-2, will require public schools to teach the history of genocides and create a fund to help support the new curriculum.
When signed into law, Massachusetts will become the 20th state to have adopted mandatory Holocaust and genocide education.
This bill would require each school district to file lesson plans and program descriptions related to genocide education every year with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill’s Genocide Education Trust Fund will help schools and districts develop curriculum and host training or professional development courses for educators.
“Massachusetts has always been at the forefront of human rights issues,” said Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy (D-Franklin), noting, “with the passage of this bill, we can do it again. We can arm our students with the knowledge they will need to recognize the warning signs and feel empowered to prevent genocides in the future.
“Making genocide education a mandatory topic for teaching in our schools is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free peoples from all nations to never again permit the occurrence of another genocide, and to deter indifference to crimes against humanity and human suffering wherever they occur.”
A recent survey found 22 percent of American millennials have never heard of the Holocaust and 66 percent of youth 18-34 didn’t recognize the word Auschwitz. In Massachusetts, 35 percent of young adults didn’t know what Auschwitz was and half didn’t know that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.
Rep. Roy first filed a genocide education bill in 2013 which called for the inclusion of genocide education in the Massachusetts history and social sciences curriculum frameworks. It was done with the help of a Medway constituent who wanted to shine a light on the Ukrainian Holodomor and other monstrous acts throughout history.
We were successful in having the curriculum frameworks changed, and the Global Education Advisory Council’s recommendation led to the inclusion of that genocide education in the History/Social Science Framework which was issued in 2018.
However, since 2018, we have seen a rising tide of hatred and bigotry. We have witnessed racist and anti-Semitic incidents across America, including in our own K-12 schools. And we saw that it was not enough to simply include genocide in the voluntary frameworks. No, we need a strong legislative solution, taking heed of the fact that national, ethnic, racial, or religious hatred can overtake any nation or society, leading to calamitous consequences.
The House voted to require all members and staff to be fully vaccinated if they want to work out of the State House, agreeing to strict new COVID-19 health protocols that will put it mostly in line with the Senate and Gov. Charlie Baker’s policies on employee vaccination. You can view the order by clicking here.
The measure is the first step toward reopening the State House to all legislators, staff and, eventually, lobbyists, advocates and the general public.
The 131-28 vote came after about two hours of debate during which leaders in the House described the vaccine mandate as an essential step to protecting the health of legislators and the more than 450 employees who work in the House.
“As an employer we have a duty to our employees to maintain a workplace free of recognized hazards, including COVID-19,” said Rep. William Galvin, chair of the House Rules Committee.
Many of the details, including the deadline to be vaccinated, must now be established by a new House Working Group on COVID-19, which was also created by the order. The working group is expected to mirror the makeup of the panel that developed the House reopening strategy, and Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan said the expectation is that the deadline to show proof of vaccination will be Nov. 1.
Hogan, who will lead the new working group, also said masks will be required in all House-controlled spaces in the State House, including offices, and that accommodations will be available for anyone with a medical issue or sincerely held religious belief preventing them from being vaccinated.
The vote also declared a COVID-19 state of emergency in the House, triggering a set of rules that would allow any member, including those who don’t want to get vaccinated or show proof of vaccination, to continue to vote and participate in House business remotely.
Rep. Michael Day, the co-chair of Judiciary Committee, gave a lengthy legal defense of the order, walking through the state’s Constitution and the legal precedents established during the smallpox epidemic for the Legislature to require vaccines and to set its own rules for itself.
Day, who contracted the COVID-19 virus early in the pandemic, criticized those who said legislators with underlying health risks should simply stay home. He compared those statements to Marie Antoinette saying, “Let them eat cake.”
“If you believe your sense of individual freedom requires you to vote against this, that is your prerogative, but it tells your friends, our colleagues and our collective staff that you value their health less than your political talking point,” Day said.
Speaker Mariano appointed Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin) to the special commission to investigate and study the promotion and celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution. The Massachusetts Commission on the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution was established in the FY22 state budget which was signed by Governor Charlie Baker on July 16, 2021.
Rep. Roy holding the original of the letter written in 1798 to Massachusetts Historical Society founder Dr. Jeremy Belknap from Paul Revere describing his actual adventures during his ‘Midnight Ride’ of April 18-19, 1775.
Revolution 250 will explore the history of the American Revolution and the ways that this story still resonates in society today. Culminating in 2026, 250 years since the American colonies declared independence from the British Empire, the organization will pull together residents, visitors, planners, educators, artists, students, the business community, and politicians to recognize the importance of our culture and values.
The Commission’s members — leaders in the historical, cultural, tourism, and political sectors — are expected to partner with the other states, and with the federal America 250 Commission, to commemorate, celebrate, and investigate the will and determination of the people 250 years ago who risked their “lives, liberty, and property” for the cause of American Independence.
“It is a great honor for me to serve on this commission given my love of, appreciation for, and understanding of history,” said Representative Roy. “I have worked closely with the Massachusetts Historical Commission over the past year on this legislation and am committed to ensuring that the anniversary does not pass without appropriate acknowledgment from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is sure to be a great educational effort and will be a boost for our local economy.”
Franklin and Medway have a long and distinguished connection to the events surrounding American independence. Franklin is home to the first public library in America started with a donation of books by Benjamin Franklin, as well it being along the route that saw the victorious French army march through on their return from the battlefield of Yorktown. Medway’s Evergreen Cemetery is the final resting place for about 50 Revolutionary War veterans.
The Commission will be tasked with overseeing the operations of Revolution 250, a consortium of organizations working together to commemorate the 250th anniversaries of the events that led to American Revolution. With over 30 institutional members, it operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
To learn more about the commission, including news, upcoming events and how to become a sponsor visit the website https://revolution250.org/.
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