Representative Don Humason



FEAST OR FAMINE By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. April 8, 2006 Writing for me is either feast or famine. Some weeks I struggle to scrape together enough information to fill this column. But this week there is no shortage of items to tell you about. The legislature was very busy. You've probably heard on the news the House and Senate finally passed a landmark health care bill which the Governor supports and will sign. We are the first state in the country to pass a sweeping health care access bill; one that will likely insure nearly all of the more than 500,000 uninsured individuals in our state. Everyone will now be required to obtain health insurance. That's the law. If you can't afford it, you will be able to purchase a plan at a subsidized rate. Employers who already offer their workers health insurance benefits should make out pretty well and may see their costs go down slightly. Employers with more than 10 employees who don't offer health insurance will be required to pay in. By passing this law we placate the federal government and preserve more than $385 million in federal funding to Massachusetts. We also become a model for the rest of the country. You will probably have questions about this law when it goes into effect. Some details have yet to be worked out by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, but they will be. As I get information, I will be happy to provide it to you. The House voted to allow special education students who are graduating high school with a Certificate of Completion to be able to participate in their schools graduation ceremonies. There were some cases where the Education Reform Act of 1993 had been interpreted to not allow this. We clarified the matter. On a completely different issue, slot machines for the state's racetracks, the House voted after 6 hours of debate, 100 to 55, to not allow the bill to come out of committee for debate or a vote. I was one of the 55 who believed the issue should be released from committee for debate. After that vote the House turned around and passed a simulcasting bill that extended the contract for the state's 4 horse and dog tracks to simulcast live racing from around the country. Track employees were at the State House in large numbers and lobbied hard for this legislation. They said it was vital to keeping their industry alive and their jobs intact. Many times, I find my job intellectually stimulating. I also find myself called upon to vote on issues that have no direct impact on my district, Westfield, or even Western Massachusetts. The track issue is one example. Another example: As a member of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee I was polled by committee staff on whether I support a bill pertaining to lobster fishing off the coast of Southeastern Massachusetts. I don't know about you, but from my house the view of the ocean is pretty much blocked. By a hundred miles. But my job as a legislator often calls for me to consider issues and policies foreign to me. That's what keeps it interesting. On Monday the House will be in a formal session to take up an order pertaining to our debate of the fiscal year 2007 budget. The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to release their version of the budget document online. Members may then file amendments to that document. We will debate those amendments the week of April 24. In next week's column I will share my conversations with a Westfield man serving our country overseas in Kuwait. On a personal note, happy birthday Dad! Representative Don Humason and his aide Joe Wynn may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 443, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2460. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us * * * Please feel free to forward this column to your family, friends, and associates. If you do not wish to receive an email copy of my Saturday Westfield Evening News column, please reply and let me know. I will then take you off the list. Sorry for any inconvenience.
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FEAST OR FAMINE

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

April 8, 2006

Writing for me is either feast or famine. Some weeks I struggle to scrape together enough information to fill this column. But this week there is no shortage of items to tell you about.

The legislature was very busy. You've probably heard on the news the House and Senate finally passed a landmark health care bill which the Governor supports and will sign. We are the first state in the country to pass a sweeping health care access bill; one that will likely insure nearly all of the more than 500,000 uninsured individuals in our state.

Everyone will now be required to obtain health insurance. That's the law. If you can't afford it, you will be able to purchase a plan at a subsidized rate. Employers who already offer their workers health insurance benefits should make out pretty well and may see their costs go down slightly. Employers with more than 10 employees who don't offer health insurance will be required to pay in.

By passing this law we placate the federal government and preserve more than $385 million in federal funding to Massachusetts. We also become a model for the rest of the country.

You will probably have questions about this law when it goes into effect. Some details have yet to be worked out by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, but they will be. As I get information, I will be happy to provide it to you.

The House voted to allow special education students who are graduating high school with a Certificate of Completion to be able to participate in their schools graduation ceremonies. There were some cases where the Education Reform Act of 1993 had been interpreted to not allow this. We clarified the matter.

On a completely different issue, slot machines for the state's racetracks, the House voted after 6 hours of debate, 100 to 55, to not allow the bill to come out of committee for debate or a vote. I was one of the 55 who believed the issue should be released from committee for debate.

After that vote the House turned around and passed a simulcasting bill that extended the contract for the state's 4 horse and dog tracks to simulcast live racing from around the country. Track employees were at the State House in large numbers and lobbied hard for this legislation. They said it was vital to keeping their industry alive and their jobs intact.

Many times, I find my job intellectually stimulating. I also find myself called upon to vote on issues that have no direct impact on my district, Westfield, or even Western Massachusetts. The track issue is one example.

Another example: As a member of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee I was polled by committee staff on whether I support a bill pertaining to lobster fishing off the coast of Southeastern Massachusetts. I don't know about you, but from my house the view of the ocean is pretty much blocked. By a hundred miles. But my job as a legislator often calls for me to consider issues and policies foreign to me. That's what keeps it interesting.

On Monday the House will be in a formal session to take up an order pertaining to our debate of the fiscal year 2007 budget. The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to release their version of the budget document online. Members may then file amendments to that document. We will debate those amendments the week of April 24.

In next week's column I will share my conversations with a Westfield man serving our country overseas in Kuwait. On a personal note, happy birthday Dad!

Representative Don Humason and his aide Joe Wynn may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366.

Their Boston address is State House Room 443, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2460. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

* * * Please feel free to forward this column to your family, friends, and associates. If you do not wish to receive an email copy of my Saturday Westfield Evening News column, please reply and let me know. I will then take you off the list. Sorry for any inconvenience.

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group