[statecom-discuss] 2 important bills before the state legislature

[Mike Heichman]

Hi Members of the State Comm.

I am forwarding this information from Chuck Turner's office.

Mike Heichman

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State Representative Gloria L. Fox invites you to a number of events 
occurring at the State House and in the community in the next month:

 

******     Joint Committee on Election Law Hears Rep. Fox's bill for 
Election Day Registration**

**MAY 30,  2PM  STATE HOUSE HEARING ROOM A-2**

 

For the past several years, people have been turned away from polls when 
they have tried to vote for a variety of reasons, thus denying them 
their most basic right as a citizen of this country.  Currently, 
eligible citizens that wish to vote must register with their local 
elections office at least 20 days prior to Election Day, or 
alternatively, already be a current registered voter.  If they do not, 
they are not eligible to vote.  However, many our of neighbors have in 
the past years have filled out voter registration forms and mailed them 
to the local elections office only to learn later than an error caused 
their name not to be recorded as a registered voter.  Other names were 
simply dropped from the voter rolls. 

 

Rep. Fox's Election Day Legislation legislation will allow people that 
have not registered prior to the 20 day deadline, and voters that 
have had their names dropped from the voter rolls to still be eligible 
to cast a ballet by providing a proof of residence (driver's license for 
example) and signing an oath confirming your home location.  8 other 
states have Election Day registration and they have seen their voting 
percentages increase 10-15%.  Come join Rep. Fox at the Election Laws 
Hearing **Wednesday, May 30th, 2pm in the State House hearing room A-2 
**and testify in person, or bring in written testimony telling the 
committee why you want election day registration and asking the 
committee to support this legislation that would allow Massachusetts to 
be the 9th state to have Election Day registration. 

 

******     Joint Committee on Public Health hears Rep. Fox's bill to 
Regulate Bio-Labs**

**JUNE 13,  10AM, STATE HOUSE HEARING ROOM A-1**

 

Rep. Fox has taken the lead in the Massachusetts State House advocating 
for tougher standards for bio-labs in the Massachusetts.  As you are 
well aware, Boston University and the Federal Government want to put the 
highest level bio-lab in the heart of the South End/Lower Roxbury 
Community.  This facility, if built, will be a part of the Bush 
Administration's bio-shield program that will be studying bio-terror 
agents like Ebola, anthrax, and the plague.  Currently, the Federal 
government only has guidelines that regulate the work that goes on 
inside the bio-labs.  This allows labs such as BU to police themselves.  
While most bio-facilities are safe, we are concerned about the many 
safety breakdowns at Boston University's lab's and how future failure's 
could impact the lives of Boston and surrounding communities residents.  
Recently, Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville have all passed city 
resolutions asking the Federal Government to STOP funding BU's proposed 
bio-terror lab. 

 

Joined with the Safety-Net, ACE, local public health officials and 
environmental activists, we have developed a three pronged approach to 
protect ourselves from this proposed bio-terror lab.  The 1st is Council 
Chuck Turner's ordinance to BAN BSL4's in the City of Boston.  The 2nd 
is state and federal lawsuits that have thus far been successful in 
demonstrating that BU has not complied with state and federal 
environmental laws.  The 3rd is to ensure that these facilities, and all 
future facilities if build must have a stricter set of safety protocols 
with state oversight that allows the state Department of Public 
Health the authority to shut down facilities that are operating in a 
manner unsafe to lab workers or to the community at large.  The hearing 
will be **Wednesday, June 13th, 10am in hearing room A-1.  **Last year 
over 300 people came to this hearing to tell the committee why this 
legislation is important to them and Rep. Fox invites you to testify in 
person or bring in written testimony to this most important public 
hearing.