*Last updated 8/1/18
Senator Brownsberger filed several amendments to the FY19 Budget. Below you will find a brief description of each along with its final outcome:
#296, METCO – This amendment added $1,000,000 to the bottom line for the line item that funds METCO. METCO is a program that expands educational opportunities and increases diversity by permitting students in certain districts to attend public schools in participating communities. Status: In final budget.
#297, Extraordinary Special Education Costs – This amendment allocates $250,000 to school districts with extraordinary special education costs. In the past Watertown received funding from this account. Status: In final budget.
#447, Rest Home Rates – This amendment would have provided support for rest home rates. Status: Not adopted.
#625, FGM Public Education – This amendment would have provided funding for a public health campaign to inform the public about health risks and emotional trauma inflicted by the practice of female genital mutilation. Status: Not adopted.
#630, Play Programs – The house version of this amendment provides $150,000 in funding to play programs serving homeless children. Status: House language adopted, and in final budget.
#641, Jail Diversion Programs for Non-Violent Offenders – The house version of this amendment provides $5,000,000 for programs for non-violent offenders with opioid or opiate addiction. Status: House language and funding total adopted, and in the final budget.
#978, Charlesgate Park – This amendment provides $250,000 for design for improvements to Charlesgate Park, which is a 12 acre state park located under the Bowker Overpass in Kenmore. Status: House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto of this item.
#979, Fishing Academy – This amendment provides $50,000 for outdoor programming in Brighton. This amendment did not pass in the Senate but did pass in the House and was included in the final budget. Status: House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto of this item.
#1012, Social Law Library – This amendment increased the funding total for the social law library by $227,523. The Social Law Library provides research materials, training, continuing legal education and other services to the three branches of Massachusetts government and dues-paying members, and pro bono access to legal-services organizations and non-profits. Status: In final budget.
#1013, Billable Hours Waiver – This amendment would have increased the billable hours cap for CPCS private counsel from 1,500 to 2,000. Status: Not adopted.
#1015, Prison Re-entry – This amendment provides $5,000,000 for community based residential re-entry programs. House language in final budget. Governor Baker reduced the total to $2,500,000. Status: House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto of this item.
#1016, Electronic Signatures for Criminal Complaints – This amendment would have allowed police officers to sign a criminal complaint electronically under the pains and penalties of perjury after the complaint has been reviewed by a court clerk. This would especially benefit police departments in rural areas, rather than making them travel to a courthouse that could be 30-40 minutes away. Status: Not adopted.
#1017, Parole Board – This amendment increased the bottom line for the Parole Board to $17,366,718, while at the same time removing a retained revenue account as a source of funding for the parole board. By eliminating the retained revenue account, the board is not incentivized to assess parolees with a financial hardship. Status: In final budget.
#1187, High Frequency Service – This amendment would have tasked the Rail Vision Advisory board with examining the feasibility of high frequency off peak service inside of Route 128 on the Worcester Line. Status: Not adopted.
Andrew Bettinelli
Chief of Staff
Office of Senator William N. Brownsberger