Representative Don Humason



CAUCUSES By Representative Don Humason, Jr. July 28, 2007 As a State Representative, I serve on four joint House and Senate legislative committees: Higher Education, Transportation, Consumer Protection, and Public Health. Legislators may also join and become members of different caucuses. According to Merriam Webster a caucus is “a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or to decide on policy; also: a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause.” For example, I am a member of the Republican Caucus by virtue of the fact that I am a Republican legislator. There are dozens of caucuses in the legislature. They are more informal and more loosely established than legislative committees. There’s a Woman’s legislative caucus, a Black Legislators caucus, a Children and Families caucus, you get the idea. I belong to several caucuses. I joined them because they pertain to areas I am interested in because of a relevance to my district of Westfield and Western Massachusetts. I am a member of the Hospital caucus which is made up of legislators who represent hospitals in the Commonwealth or who are interested in hospital issues. I belong to the Public Higher Education caucus because I am both a graduate of a public higher education institution and I represent one, Westfield State College. I belong to the Boating caucus. I am the Co-Chair of the Aviation Caucus because of my interest in and representation of Barnes Airport. I am also a member of the Parks Caucus. The Parks Caucus is made up of representatives and senators who represent state parks or who support state parks even if they don’t have them in their district. I represent Hampton Ponds State Park, and am also very close to Robinson State Park. There are over 50 members of this caucus. On Wednesday, members of the Parks Caucus met in the member’s lounge of the House Chamber to meet with and hear from the new Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. We know this person as our former Mayor, Rick Sullivan. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees one of the largest state parks systems in the United States, more than 450,000 acres of forests, parks, ponds, greenways, seashores, and historic sites. It was nice to see the new Commissioner. Rick did a great job addressing the 30 or so legislators in the room and assured us all that communication with the Legislature would be a big priority. He also pledged to focus the agencies limited resources on getting things done “in the field” to make the parks cleaner, safer, and more accessible. He also put a pitch in for increasing DCR’s budget which has suffered numerous cuts over the past decade. A quick update on the Identity Theft law passed by the Legislature last week: Governor Patrick sent the bill back to the House and Senate with a request for technical changes to the bill that would allow the information technology division of the Executive Branch to have some say in making regulations concerning Identity Theft. I expect we will make those changes and send the bill back to him for his signature. My office still has information packets from the House Minority Leader about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of ID Theft. Call me at 568-1366 if you would like a copy. The Special House Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect that I also served on will be filing legislation this week to codify some of the recommendations of our committee to enhance child welfare and improve the Department of Social Services. We propose to change the name of DSS to the Department of Children and Families, create a cabinet level position called the Secretary of Child Welfare, and change the rules about social worker duties and caseloads and mandated reporters of child abuse. Next Tuesday, July 31, I turn 40. Most likely I’ll spend the day at the State House as the House may meet for the last time before we take our summer recess. I’ve spent my birthday working in Boston almost every year for the past 10 years. But if you see me around Westfield, feel free to give me a hard time about turning the big 4-0! Have a great week. * * * Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us
This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group

CAUCUSES

By Representative Don Humason, Jr.

July 28, 2007

As a State Representative, I serve on four joint House and Senate legislative committees: Higher Education, Transportation, Consumer Protection, and Public Health. Legislators may also join and become members of different caucuses.

According to Merriam Webster a caucus is “a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or to decide on policy; also: a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause.”

For example, I am a member of the Republican Caucus by virtue of the fact that I am a Republican legislator. There are dozens of caucuses in the legislature. They are more informal and more loosely established than legislative committees. There’s a Woman’s legislative caucus, a Black Legislators caucus, a Children and Families caucus, you get the idea.

I belong to several caucuses. I joined them because they pertain to areas I am interested in because of a relevance to my district of Westfield and Western Massachusetts.

I am a member of the Hospital caucus which is made up of legislators who represent hospitals in the Commonwealth or who are interested in hospital issues. I belong to the Public Higher Education caucus because I am both a graduate of a public higher education institution and I represent one, Westfield State College. I belong to the Boating caucus. I am the Co-Chair of the Aviation Caucus because of my interest in and representation of Barnes Airport.

I am also a member of the Parks Caucus. The Parks Caucus is made up of representatives and senators who represent state parks or who support state parks even if they don’t have them in their district. I represent Hampton Ponds State Park, and am also very close to Robinson State Park. There are over 50 members of this caucus.

On Wednesday, members of the Parks Caucus met in the member’s lounge of the House Chamber to meet with and hear from the new Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. We know this person as our former Mayor, Rick Sullivan.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees one of the largest state parks systems in the United States, more than 450,000 acres of forests, parks, ponds, greenways, seashores, and historic sites.

It was nice to see the new Commissioner. Rick did a great job addressing the 30 or so legislators in the room and assured us all that communication with the Legislature would be a big priority. He also pledged to focus the agencies limited resources on getting things done “in the field” to make the parks cleaner, safer, and more accessible. He also put a pitch in for increasing DCR’s budget which has suffered numerous cuts over the past decade.

A quick update on the Identity Theft law passed by the Legislature last week: Governor Patrick sent the bill back to the House and Senate with a request for technical changes to the bill that would allow the information technology division of the Executive Branch to have some say in making regulations concerning Identity Theft. I expect we will make those changes and send the bill back to him for his signature.

My office still has information packets from the House Minority Leader about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of ID Theft. Call me at 568-1366 if you would like a copy.

The Special House Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect that I also served on will be filing legislation this week to codify some of the recommendations of our committee to enhance child welfare and improve the Department of Social Services. We propose to change the name of DSS to the Department of Children and Families, create a cabinet level position called the Secretary of Child Welfare, and change the rules about social worker duties and caseloads and mandated reporters of child abuse.

Next Tuesday, July 31, I turn 40. Most likely I’ll spend the day at the State House as the House may meet for the last time before we take our summer recess. I’ve spent my birthday working in Boston almost every year for the past 10 years. But if you see me around Westfield, feel free to give me a hard time about turning the big 4-0!

Have a great week.

* * *

Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group