MALSCE Government Affairs Update – January 2023
by Abbie Goodman, MALSCE Chief of External Affairs
Update on Governor Healey’s Cabinet and Leadership Appointments:
- https://www.acecma.org/about/news/update-on-governor-healeys-cabinet-and-leadership-appointments-4667
- Governor Healey’s Inaugural Address from 1/5/23: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1
Massachusetts Legislature:
- The Legislative Filing Deadline was 1/20/2023 at 5 pm; 6272 bills were filed by this deadline. Certain other bills will be filed by Governor Healey in the months ahead, including her FY2024 Budget proposal and more..
- On 1/19/2023 Governor Maura Healey Filed Economic Development, Chapter 90 Bills.
- An act financing the immediate economic revitalization, community development, and housing needs of the Commonwealth and Chapter 90 bill background: https://www.acecma.org/about/news/governor-healey-files-economic-development-chapter-90-bills-4697
- Note the MassWorks portion of the Economic Dev. bill. Governor Healey needed to file a bond bill that would authorize funding for MassWorks after the legislature was unable to include any bonding in the economic development bill they passed at the end of last session. This bill would provide $400 million to cover MassWorks needs through fiscal year 2028.
- Text of Economic Development Bill as filed
- Text of Chapter 90 Bill as filed $200 M for Chapter 90 for 2 years
- An act financing the immediate economic revitalization, community development, and housing needs of the Commonwealth and Chapter 90 bill background: https://www.acecma.org/about/news/governor-healey-files-economic-development-chapter-90-bills-4697
- I’ve identified one bill of interest already: HD.1087 An Act relative to civil liability for improper flood hazard determinations
- Reminder: May 11: Engineers and Land Surveyors Day at the State House – in person, with MWWA, UCANE, some MMA, with Water’s Worth It Day at lunchtime.
Division of Occupational Licensure: Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors
- Next Board of Registration meeting: January 26, 2023, on Teams. The Board of Registration plans to continue virtual meetings for now, as the Governor and Legislature have extended the law allowing virtual public meetings like this to continue through March 31, 2023. To connect to the meeting, go to this page and scroll down to the meeting listing to download the agenda with connection instructions.
- Board meeting materials for 1/26/23 are not yet posted, but here are some of the issues to be discussed on 1/26/23:
- New Executive Director for Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors is expected to be announced.
- New Deputy Commissioner for Division of Occupation Licensure is expected to be announced, as Esther Laine, Deputy Commissioner who oversaw all boards of registration at the division resigned in December to take job at another state agency.
- Need to find candidate to serve as the Fire Protection Engineer on the Board of Registration due to the resignation Maurice Pillette: https://www.engineers.org/about/news/massachusetts-board-of-registration-of-professional-engineers-and-land-surveyors-seeks-fire-protection-engineer-2306
- MA Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors has now posted an update to its advisory to clarify tasks that may be performed by Professional Land Surveyors (“PLS”) and Professional Engineers qualified in the Branch of civil engineering (“PE (Civil)”) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Updated Advisory (November 2022) is here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/board-of-registration-of-professional-engineers-and-land-surveyors-advisory-task-list-0/download The Update was the addition of a footnot.
- Joint Professional Practice document The Engineering & LS Board will discuss this document at their February meeting, currently planned for 2/16/23. If they are ready, they will vote on the document. See new draft posted here: https://files.engineers.org/file/Updated-Draft-AR-EN-Prof-Practice-Guide-January-2023-002.pdf
- By 2/15/23: Let me know if you have questions that need to be clarified in this document, which will be distributed to municipal officials statewide.
STEM Opportunities
Help to promote STEM, especially engineering & land surveying careers, to K-12 students & Community College students. Ways for your firm to plug in:
Classroom Visit Presentation Module to Promote #STEM Careers
- For Engineer Visits to Classrooms: As your firm explores STEM activities to provide for K-12 classrooms in 2023, check out this resource from ACEC/MA’s Leadership Education Committee: a Module you can use for classroom visits in your community. More >
- For Land Surveyor Visits to Classrooms: MALSCE’s PPT on the Land Surveying Profession – You can download this and adapt for school and college presentations. This is a large file that will take a minute to download.
- Boston Children’s Museum Seeks Volunteers for Engineers Week in February More >