FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February
13, 2014
Legislation Highlights
Commitment to Providing for Neediest Citizens
while Aiding Businesses
and Municipalities
(BOSTON) – State Representative Thomas Golden joined
his colleagues in the Massachusetts
House of Representatives to pass legislation that protects employers from
paying an approximate 30% increase per employee in unemployment insurance (UI)
rates.
This business-friendly measure
simultaneously supports the average employer and allows their employees to
receive the same benefits under this lower rate. In the coming weeks, the House
plans to make systematic improvements to the UI system and tackle minimum wage
in a combined bill.
The bill also includes such
timely measures as $20 million for low-income heating assistance, as well as
$45 million to provide low-income homeless families with access to housing.
Further, it allows the Department of Transportation to spend up to $50 million
as needed to remove snow and ice for the rest of the winter.
The bill also provides $2.78
million to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to hire 150 additional
social workers.
“Last month I stood before the
Chamber and vowed to protect the Commonwealth’s children and pledged to build
on Massachusetts’ economic success,” said House
Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “Just a month later we are making
these gains. While the House conducts a comprehensive review of DCF, I’m proud
that we could provide immediate funds to address caseload issues.”
Finally, the bill includes a
$15 million recapitalization of the Brownfield’s redevelopment fund to allow
clean-up and redevelopment projects to move forward, as well as $4.8 million
for the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative.
State Rep. Thomas Golden said, “I am very excited about these initiatives,
especially with our commitment to supplying low-income heating assistance,
redeveloping our brownfields sites, and keeping our youth safe.”
This bill passed the House 146
to 2 and now moves on to the Senate.
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