State Senator Michael Rodrigues, whose district includes the City of Fall River, is beginning his second term as chair of the powerful Committee on Ways and Means at the State House.
As chairman, Senator Rodrigues is the leader in advancing bills for consideration on the Senate floor. He is one of a handful of lawmakers who attends full sessions in person, while most of his colleagues take part remotely during the pandemic.
Every bill before the Senate passes through his committee before being voted upon, including the state budget. Senator Rodrigues says unlike last year when the FY 2021 budget was not approved until late in 2020, the plan for FY 2022 presented by Governor Charlie Baker should be approved before July first.
The governor’s plan calls for a revenue increase of 3.5% over FY 2021. Senator Rodrigues says there is hope for additional financial support from the federal government to make up for revenue lost to the pandemic, but right now the legislature is moving forward without that guarantee.
In terms of legislating through the pandemic, Senator Rodrigues says the chamber will continue to allow members to meet and vote remotely, with the hope that senators are soon able to get back to gathering in person.
Because all bills funnel through the Committee on Ways and Means under his leadership, Senator Rodrigues did not file many bills for the new session. One he is seeking approval is a Genocide Education Bill, which will provide an opportunity for students to learn about the Holocaust and other mass atrocities in school. The senator is working with the Holocaust and Genocide Center at Bristol Community College in drafting the details of the bill.
Comments are closed.