State Senate Approves “The Valor Act”

Senator Brownsberger is pleased to announce that Bill S.2241, An Act relative to veterans’ access, livelihood, opportunity, and resources – referred to as The Valor Act, was passed unanimously by the Senate on Thursday, May 3. The Senate’s official press release appears below. State Senate Approves “The Valor Act”  Improving Benefits and Services for Veterans, …

Campaign contributions and independent expenditures: legalities and limitations

The following chart delineates the restrictions afforded under the U.S. Constitution, federal statute, and Massachusetts statute with regard to individuals’ election-related spending. This next chart delineates the restrictions afforded under the U.S. Constitution, federal statute, and Massachusetts statute with regard to corporations election-related spending. In the above chart, I specify “business corporation” because Massachusetts allows …

Upcoming Event- The Courts, the Congress, and the Future of Marriage Equality

On Thursday, May 3, at 4 pm, Congressman Barney Frank, Mary L. Bonauto, Director of the Civil Rights Project at GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders), and Maura Healey, Chief  of the Public Protection & Advocacy Bureau in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, will speak at the Boston Bar Association on the topic of …

Mental Health services losing ground?

Did your office find whether the Kaiser Foundation report on Massachusetts funding of Mental Health was accurate?  In that report, Massachusetts was reported as paying significantly less per capita than any New England state, save Rhode Island, for Mental Health Services. The difference was startling. http://statehealthfacts.org/ A recent SAMSHA report stated that 1 in 5  (19.9%) of American adults …

Transportation Bond Bill Passes Senate with Funding for Localities

On Thursday, the Senate passed legislation to provide funding to continue current transportation-related projects through Fiscal Year 2013. The Chapter 90 funds appropriated by this bill for local projects, including roadway and bridge  repairs, will support the infrastructure of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns.  This appropriation of $200 million (equivalent to last year’s appropriation) represents …