Archive for April, 2010
GateHouse News Service
Posted Apr 29, 2010 @ 03:22 PM
Chelmsford —
State Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord) yesterday joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing budget amendments aimed at increasing the openness and accessibility of the budget process.
“As a State Representative, one of my longstanding priorities has been reforming our government to make it more transparent and more accountable,” said Atkins. “Taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent. This is a monumental change and a great day for openness in government.”
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GateHouse News Service
Posted Apr 27, 2010 @ 05:30 PM
Chelmsford —
State Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on Monday in passing legislation facilitating mutual aid agreements, allowing pension systems to extend their funding schedules, and permitting municipalities to enter into leases of up to 30 years without prior authorization from the legislature in an effort to provide cities and towns with new means for managing municipalities through these challenging economic times.
“Town and school officials have been telling me for years about the unfunded mandates that the state places upon them, and this bill is a good start towards addressing some of those issues,” said Atkins. “This bill will help towns save money and conduct their business more efficiently.”
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State Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord) is proud to announce that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded a Water Conservation award to the Concord Water Department. The DEP gives these awards to towns with very well run drinking water systems. Concord is one of four towns statewide to win an award in the Water Conservation category.
The DEP will host a ceremony on the Grand Stairs at the State House in Boston on May 4, 2010 at 10:15am to recognize Concord and the other award winners.
Posted in: Resources, Updates on 04/19/2010 | 1 Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: HHS Press Office
Monday, April 19, 2010 (202) 690-6343
Statement from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Expedited Efforts By HHS To Work With Insurers to Voluntarily Provide Coverage for Graduating College Seniors and Young Adults under Age Twenty-Six in Advance of September Start Date in New Law
Expanding the opportunity for younger Americans to get insurance coverage is a top priority for the Administration. The Affordable Care Act offers the option for most children under the age of 26 to stay on their parents’ policy. This is a group of people who have traditionally either been unable to afford coverage or have not had access to it.
Following our initial conversations and outreach to insurers, we are encouraged by the actions of WellPoint, United Healthcare, and other companies to bridge the gap between now and the fall when the law becomes effective.
We are also working hard with other insurers on similar proposals and sent a letter today offering to work with each of them to expand this opportunity even further. The letter follows productive discussions with insurers since the bill passed about closing the gap in coverage for college graduates or young adults whose birthday in 2010 made them ineligible to continue on their parents’ plans.
If you have any questions please let us know.
Rachel
Rachel B. Morgan RN, BSN
Senior Health Policy Specialist
State Federal Relations
National Conference of State Legislatures
444 North Capitol Street N.W., Suite 515
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 624-3569
rachel.morgan@ncsl.org
By Chloe Gotsis/Staff Writer
Atkins said at the meet and greet that she helped with the “community and commerce” line and was working to get the “c” alliteration into the slogan. Atkins, said at the presentation to the board, that she has been working on economic development at the state level and has learned that planning is key in this economy for development. “If you plan it,” she said. “It will happen.”
GateHouse News Service
Posted Apr 19, 2010 @ 04:11 PM
Chelmsford —
For Datawatch, Chelmsford seemed like the most logical place to open its corporate headquarters five years ago.
Analysis showed the town was the epicenter of where most of the company’s employees lived; it had key facilities the company needed and location-wise it was perfect, said the company’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, John Kitchen III.
“Chelmsford’s really been so welcoming to us,” said Kitchen. “Not only are there good facilities in town but there are great place to take our clients including funky different restaurants. Not only do we have to do business, but we have to eat.”
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Watch me on NECN where they refer to all of the amendments I proposed.
Mass. lawmakers consider casinos, slot machines
(NECN: Peter Howe, Boston) – Massachusetts is once again considering placing bets on new casinos and slot machines. This is the second time in two years the House has considered expanding gambling in the state.
On the table, a promise of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Opponents say the promise is overblown.
NECN business reporter Peter Howe has more from the State House
Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, succeeded in getting two of her four amendments passed, including a close vote that would allow individuals with a gambling addiction to put themselves on a "do not contact" list prohibiting casinos from marketing to them.
By Matt Murphy, mmurphy@lowellsun.com
Updated: 04/14/2010 06:35:57 AM EDT
BOSTON — The House of Representatives began debate yesterday on a bill that would legalize resort casinos and slot machines in Massachusetts, betting double-or-nothing on a plan that would dramatically expand gambling in the state after a similar proposal from Gov. Deval Patrick was defeated two years ago.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo filed the bill that would allow for two resort-style casinos and 750 slot machines at each of the state’s four racetracks, two of which are located in his district. DeLeo is hoping to secure a veto-proof majority — 106 votes — in the House before the law goes to the Senate.
Patrick opposes slots at the racetracks, but has stopped short of threatening a veto.
“We need to have the product here in Massachusetts that’s going to be competitive with Connecticut and Rhode Island,” said Rep. Brian Dempsey, a Haverhill Democrat and chairman of the Committee on Economic Development. Dempsey said the House plan would help the state recoup as much as half of the gambling revenue being lost to Connecticut and Rhode Island gaming venues.
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Representative Atkins was honored in front of a crowd of 1400 walkers at the Annual Boston Area Rape Crisis Center’s Walk for Change on Sunday. She was presented with the Beacon Award for outstanding leadership in advancing the rights of sexual violence survivors.
Representative Atkins, the lead co-sponsor in the House, was a committed advocate for the passage of the new law An Act Relative to Harassment Prevention Orders. This law provides criminal harassment, stalking and sexual assault victims with the ability to petition for a protective order against their perpetrators.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/chelmsford/town_info/government/x932335699/Atkins-recieves-award-from-Boston-Area-Rape-Crisis-Center
For Immediate Release
April 13, 2010
Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord) was successful in sponsoring two amendments to casino legislation now being debated in the House of Representatives.
The first amendment relates to the creation of lists of excluded persons. As filed, the legislation would require the proposed Massachusetts Gaming Commission to establish a list of excluded persons who are to be banned from gaming establishments. Atkins’ adopted amendment strengthens the bill by including language that would prohibit gaming establishments from marketing to persons on the excluded persons list.
The second amendment requires all gaming establishments to have security patrols outside the gaming establishments who conduct regular checks of parking areas for minors left in motor vehicles. Furthermore, security patrols shall immediately report any such finding to police on the premises who are required by law to report the incident to the Department of Social Services for further investigation.
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Leaders may have veto-proof margin
Representative Cory Atkins, a Concord Democrat, expressed frustration that the legislation does not include enough safeguards to prevent gamblers from going too far. “Everything is geared so the house will win, and you will lose,’’ Atkins said.
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | April 14, 2010
Easily fending off a barrage of proposed changes, House leaders appeared yesterday to have the votes to pass landmark legislation to establish two casinos in Massachusetts and up to 750 slot machines at each of the state’s four racetracks.
Judging by the votes taken on a host of amendments, as lawmakers opened debate on the bill, House leaders may also have the two-thirds majority to override a possible veto by Governor Deval Patrick, who supports casinos but opposes slots at the tracks.
Supporters of the bill, on a day of freewheeling debate about the merits and perils of expanded gambling, easily shot down measures that would have required a casino to be built in Western Massachusetts; banned casino operators from pumping pheromones into the halls; required casinos to post the odds of winning on slot machines; and mandated that public health officials intervene with people who gamble for more than 24 hours at a time.
The House, which resumes debate on the measure today, approved only minor changes, including one that would require casinos to buy American-made slot machines. Mostly, lawmakers traded impassioned arguments about the social ills and potential economic benefits of adding gambling parlors, as casino lobbyists buttonholed members outside the House chamber, and union workers and anticasino activists watched from the House gallery.
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