Representative Don Humason



US SENATOR BROWN Westfield Evening News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. February 6, 2010 Well, I survived the 6th annual Penguin Plunge held last Saturday at Hampton Ponds State Park. I was one of 81 plungers registered by the time the event started. This was my sixth year in a row. I’ve been plunging since the beginning. The air was around 18 degrees and the water was a balmy 35 degrees. The festivities raised over $12,000 for the Amelia Park Children’s Museum. Westfield’s new mayor, Dan Knapik, was at the State House this week. He stopped by my 5th floor office for an unofficial visit after meeting with Massachusetts School Building Authority officials. We discussed a meeting we had both had with developers hoping to bring a major project to the city of Westfield. On Thursday, the Governor’s Council, Governor, and Secretary of State Bill Galvin certified the results of the special United States Senate election of January 19, 2010. Later that day, State Senator Scott Brown tendered his letter of resignation with the President of the Massachusetts State Senate. It read, “Dear President Murray: I write to you today to resign my position as State Senator representing the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, effective immediately. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life serving the people of my district in the General Court over the past 10 years as a State Representative and a State Senator. It has been a privilege to work with you and our Senate colleagues on so many important issues over the past several years, and I have learned a great deal from these experiences. I look forward to continuing to work with the Massachusetts General Court and representing the people of Massachusetts as their Senator in Congress. I respectfully request that a copy of this communication be printed in the Senate Journal.” United States Senator Scott Brown took his oath of office and was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden during a brief ceremony at the nation’s capitol. Back in Massachusetts, the state Senate adopted an order declaring by reason of Senator Brown’s resignation that his seat is vacant as of Feb. 4, 2010, directing the Senate president to issue precepts for a special election, and stipulating that the special election will be held on May 11, 2010. The Massachusetts House of Representatives met in formal session to take up an important, controversial, and, I think, necessary bill. I joined with my colleagues in the House in passing impaired driving legislation that prohibits texting while driving, requires vision testing for drivers over the age of seventy-five and bans junior operators from using a cell phone behind the wheel. The vote to engross was 146 – 9. The bill dictates that applicants for license renewal that are over the age of seventy-five must renew their licenses in person at a Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) branch office. The bill also requires all applicants for license or renewal who appear at an RMV branch office to undergo and pass a vision test before receiving their license, regardless of age. Added to the bill by an amendment that I voted against but that passed regardless is a provision that drivers may only use cell phones equipped with a hands-free device. The bill dictates that applicants for license renewal that are over the age of seventy-five must renew their licenses in person at a Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) branch office. The bill also requires all applicants for license or renewal who appear at an RMV branch office to undergo and pass a vision test before receiving their license, regardless of age. The legislation allows health care providers to report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles any patient that has a cognitive or functional impairment that is reasonably believed to be capable of affecting the patient’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. The health care provider would be immune from civil liability that might otherwise result from making, or failing to make, a report. Additionally, the bill bans operators of school busses and operators of vehicles used in public transportation from using cell phones or hands-free devices. Public transportation entities affected by this include the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, any Regional Transit Authority and private transportation companies. In an effort to increase awareness of the risks of impaired driving, the bill also requires the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to develop and implement a public awareness campaign for drivers across the Commonwealth. The campaign will cover the dangers and consequences of distracted driving, include information on restrictions of cell phone use while driving and provide notice of fines and punishments for violations. The bill will now go to the Senate. * * * Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield Evening News. Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org
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US SENATOR BROWN

Westfield Evening News column

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

February 6, 2010

Well, I survived the 6th annual Penguin Plunge held last Saturday at Hampton Ponds State Park. I was one of 81 plungers registered by the time the event started. This was my sixth year in a row. I’ve been plunging since the beginning. The air was around 18 degrees and the water was a balmy 35 degrees. The festivities raised over $12,000 for the Amelia Park Children’s Museum.

Westfield’s new mayor, Dan Knapik, was at the State House this week. He stopped by my 5th floor office for an unofficial visit after meeting with Massachusetts School Building Authority officials. We discussed a meeting we had both had with developers hoping to bring a major project to the city of Westfield.

On Thursday, the Governor’s Council, Governor, and Secretary of State Bill Galvin certified the results of the special United States Senate election of January 19, 2010. Later that day, State Senator Scott Brown tendered his letter of resignation with the President of the Massachusetts State Senate.

It read, “Dear President Murray: I write to you today to resign my position as State Senator representing the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, effective immediately. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life serving the people of my district in the General Court over the past 10 years as a State Representative and a State Senator. It has been a privilege to work with you and our Senate colleagues on so many important issues over the past several years, and I have learned a great deal from these experiences. I look forward to continuing to work with the Massachusetts General Court and representing the people of Massachusetts as their Senator in Congress. I respectfully request that a copy of this communication be printed in the Senate Journal.”

United States Senator Scott Brown took his oath of office and was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden during a brief ceremony at the nation’s capitol. Back in Massachusetts, the state Senate adopted an order declaring by reason of Senator Brown’s resignation that his seat is vacant as of Feb. 4, 2010, directing the Senate president to issue precepts for a special election, and stipulating that the special election will be held on May 11, 2010.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives met in formal session to take up an important, controversial, and, I think, necessary bill.

I joined with my colleagues in the House in passing impaired driving legislation that prohibits texting while driving, requires vision testing for drivers over the age of seventy-five and bans junior operators from using a cell phone behind the wheel. The vote to engross was 146 – 9.

The bill dictates that applicants for license renewal that are over the age of seventy-five must renew their licenses in person at a Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) branch office. The bill also requires all applicants for license or renewal who appear at an RMV branch office to

undergo and pass a vision test before receiving their license, regardless of age. Added to the bill by an amendment that I voted against but that passed regardless is a provision that drivers may only use cell phones equipped with a hands-free device.

The legislation allows health care providers to report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles any patient that has a cognitive or functional impairment that is reasonably believed to be capable of affecting the patient’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. The health care provider would be immune from civil liability that might otherwise result from making, or failing to make, a report.

Additionally, the bill bans operators of school busses and operators of vehicles used in public transportation from using cell phones or hands-free devices. Public transportation entities affected by this include the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, any Regional Transit Authority and private transportation companies.

In an effort to increase awareness of the risks of impaired driving, the bill also requires the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to develop and implement a public awareness campaign for drivers across the Commonwealth. The campaign will cover the dangers and consequences of distracted driving, include information on restrictions of cell phone use while driving and provide notice of fines and punishments for violations.

The bill will now go to the Senate.

* * *

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield Evening News.

Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group