Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The new House and Senate that convened on Jan. 2 as the 188th General Court of the Commonwealth includes veteran leaders in both branches to guide members through another challenging state budget year, a major overhaul of how the state’s transportation system is financed, and a range of other legislative proposals large and small.
For the budget and transportation bills, the House and Senate will have to tackle not only major spending choices but also thorny questions about state taxes.
The House and Senate are expected to name committee members and chairs early this month in order to begin the process of holding hearings and making recommendations on the more than 5,000 bills that have been filed thus far for consideration this session. Hearings are expected to start in February and March.
With 16 new members in the House and three in the Senate, along with the typical changes in assignments, a number of committees will have new chairs and membership changes.
Rep. Robert DeLeo of Winthrop, a former selectman in his hometown, was elected to a third term as speaker of the House. DeLeo previously served as chair of the House’s budget committee from 2005 to 2009. He was chair of the Winthrop Board of Selectman for nine years.
Rep. Brad Jones of North Reading was re-elected leader of the minority party in the House.
Sen. Therese Murray was re-elected as Senate president, a post she has held since 2007. This will be her final two-year term, however, under Senate term limit rules. Murray also has experience as chair of her branch’s Ways and Means Committee.
Sen. Bruce Tarr was re-elected leader of the minority party in the Senate.
As the Legislature takes up the governor’s fiscal 2014 budget recommendation, there will be a new chief budget officer for the governor. Glen Shor last month replaced Jay Gonzalez as secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. Gonzalez helped to craft state budgets during one of the most difficult financial periods facing the state, while the so-called Great Recession wreaked havoc with state finances.
Shor previously served as executive director of the Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority, where he oversaw the programs, policies, operations and staff of the state’s official public health insurance exchange.
The MMA has filed a 24-bill legislative package for the 2013-14 session. The MMA membership also endorsed key policy goals during the association’s Annual Business Meeting on Jan. 26.