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Elections Division director Michelle Tassinari affixes candidates' names onto a posterboard in the order they will appear on the presidential primary ballots, during a name-drawing ceremony Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 at the State House. As the new year dawned, the top House Democrat declared (like probably a lot of us...) that it was time to tighten the belt a notch or two, signaling a particular emphasis on "fiscal prudence" as complicated and expensive issues collide over the next several months with chronically underperforming tax collections, a phenomenon that's new to many members of this Legislature.
TOWN OF FRANKLIN
Mon. Jan. 8
Franklin Housing Authority Meeting
4:30pm
Franklin Public Schools Community Relations Sub Committee Meeting
6:00pm
7:00pm
Tues. Jan 9
Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting
10:00am
Franklin Public Schools Budget Sub Committee Meeting
5:30pm
School Committee MASC Workshop Agenda
6:00pm
7:00pm
Weds. Jan. 10
5:15pm
6:30pm
7:00pm
7:00pm
7:00pm
Thurs. Jan. 11
Conservation Commission Meeting
7:00pm
Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School Meeting
7:00pm
STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND
It hasn't been a sizzling restart to the two-year session but the Legislature and Gov. Maura Healey are inching towards more meaningful days, from a policy and budgetary standpoint. Senate Democrats are putting final touches on a response to the House's sweeping overhaul of gun laws, while House Democrats appear ready to take another pass at cracking down on sharing explicit images or video of someone without their consent after the "revenge porn" bill they approved last session failed to get over the finish line. Both branches plan formal sessions next week. The House and Senate are at the midpoint of their two-year session but January is still being treated as an opening act of sorts, with the days ahead colored by speeches from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Healey, plus the introduction later this month of Healey's fiscal 2025 budget, following an agreement by Jan. 15 on the tax revenue base for that spending plan. While implementing some major spending increases she agreed to this summer, Healey and her deputies are simultaneously working on a plan to deal with tax collections that have failed to hit targets six months in a row and put the year-to-date haul three-quarters of a billion dollars behind the amount they expected to have by now. "We are reviewing all of our options and will present the governor with a plan in short order," Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz said after the latest uninspiring revenue report. The Governor's Council also did not emerge from its holiday season slumber this week but is back in session next week when Healey's pick to serve on the Supreme Judicial Court, Elizabeth Dewar, is expected to be confirmed. The new challenge to former President Trump appearing on the March 5 Massachusetts presidential primary ballot is before the State Ballot Law Commission, which has not scheduled a hearing on it.
The week begins with a presentation Monday featuring in-depth analysis of tax codes in all 50 states, and takeaways for Massachusetts ... Wu delivers her annual State of the City address on Tuesday evening, an event many state elected officials will attend or watch ... With hospitals and providers continuing to face strain, the Public Health Council on Wednesday will hear a presentation about health system capacity ... The Senate's health care point person will share her insights and priorities with the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation at an event Thursday ... And Lt. Gov. Driscoll hits the road Friday to speak to the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce ...
Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024
McGOVERN ON 4: Congressman McGovern talks with Jon Keller about partisan conflict in Congress, impending government shutdown, and the race for president. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)
WARREN ON 5: U.S. Sen. Warren is the guest on "On The Record." Ben Simmoneau and Ed Harding plan to ask about the 2024 election landscape and the resignation of Harvard University president Claudine Gay. Roundtable discussion features analysts Mary Anne Marsh and Rob Gray. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)
Monday, Jan. 8, 2024
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT SITS: Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments in six cases, four of them involving the commonwealth as plaintiff/appellee, one impounded case, and one case that figures to delve into legislative intent behind some very specific language in the 2013 transportation law. OutFront Media v. Board of Assessors of the City of Boston "raises a novel question of statutory interpretation regarding the proper construction of language" that lawmakers added to the MBTA's enabling statute in 2013, the advertising company said, and whether it allows Boston to assess taxes against commercial billboards that are owned by the T and managed by OutFront. (Monday, 9 a.m., John Adams Courthouse, Room 1, 1 Pemberton Sq., Boston)
SENATE: The Senate meets without a calendar. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)
HOUSE: The House meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber | Livestream)
DEMS DEBATE, SANS BIDEN: New England College hosts a Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire featuring Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson, two of the three candidates who will appear on the party's Massachusetts primary ballot in March. The third, President Biden, will not attend. He is not on the primary ballot in New Hampshire. Moderated by Josh McElveen of McElveen Strategies, a former political director and anchor at WMUR-TV Manchester. Debate airs on a delay at 7 p.m. on SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 124. (Monday, 11:15 a.m., DoubleTree Hotel, Manchester, N.H. | More Info)
STATUS ON PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities' Legislative and Budget Subcommittee meets. Guest speaker Rep. Josh Cutler, who took a job with the Healey administration's labor office Friday, is slated to discuss the Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities' WorkAbility Subcommittee final report, published in December 2020. Rep. Cutler will discuss the report's recommendations and guidance. (Monday, 12 p.m. | Agenda and Access Info)
TAX ANALYSIS: The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy hosts a press briefing for an advance look at their distributional analysis of tax systems across all 50 states and D.C., called "Who Pays?" The seventh edition of the report, it ranks the progressivity and regressivity of state tax systems by measuring effective state and local tax rates paid by all income groups. Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center’s Phineas Baxandall will speak to "the report’s findings on the Commonwealth's improvements to tax fairness across income levels and comparisons to other states. Primarily due to the passage of the Fair Share Amendment, the Who Pays? report finds that the Commonwealth is the top-ranking state for improvements in tax fairness in the past year," a release says. The report will be made public on Tuesday. (Monday, 12 p.m. | Zoom)
HAMPSHIRE EDUCATORS RALLY: Members of the Hampshire Regional Education Association rally outside the district's School Committee meeting to highlight their contract demands. Organizers say educators have been working under the terms of an expired contract for several months. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Hampshire Regional High School, 19 Stage Rd., Westhampton)
MELROSE INAUGURATION: Inaugural ceremony for incoming Melrose mayor Jen Grigoraitis Mayor, as well as the City Council and School Committee. Grigoraitis, who served as council president for two terms, succeeds Mayor Paul Brodeur, a former state lawmaker. State Auditor DiZoglio and DA Ryan attend. (Monday, 7:30 p.m., Melrose Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose)
BIDEN IN CHARLESTON: President Biden speaks at Mother Emanuel AME Church, a historic Black congregation where a mass shooting happened in 2015. The venue, according to Biden's campaign, "embodies the stakes of the 2024 election for the nation in this pivotal moment." The campaign didn't specify a time yet. (Monday, 110 Calhoun St., Charleston, South Carolina)
PINK SLIPS: Members of Educators for Excellence Massachusetts drop off "pink slips" in lawmakers' mailboxes, "symbolizing the risk of not passing legislation to protect teachers of color from layoffs when schools and school districts begin to face fiscal constraints as early as this year." Educators for Excellence is a national teacher-led nonprofit that aims to include teachers' voices in education policy decisions. The organization says the "last in, first out," policy that public schools use disproportionately affects teachers of color. "Under seniority-based layoff policies, teachers of color are more likely to be laid off since they are more likely to be novice educators than their white counterparts. In fact, in Massachusetts, teachers of color are 107% more likely to be in their first three years of teaching than their white colleagues," Educators for Excellence said in a press release, citing data from the National Center for Education Statistics. They are calling on lawmakers to pass the so-called Thrive Act (S 340 / H 583), currently before the Joint Committee on Education, which would make public schools consider a variety of factors, in addition to seniority, when districts face layoffs. (Monday)
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024
INVESTOR CALL: Treasurer Goldberg and other state officials hold a call with investors to discuss state revenue collections, fiscal and budget updates and the upcoming general obligation bond financing. A brief review of state capital financing activities and information on upcoming plans will be provided by Treasury officials. The call will be opened to a live Q&A at the end. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Dial-in +1-800-225-9448, Passcode: WEALTH | Presentation Slides)
EARLY ED GRANT: Department of Early Education and Care holds an information session about $4 million in grant funding available for "large scale capital projects at early education and care programs." The grant application is open through Feb. 1. "Center-based nonprofit child care and out-of-school time programs that serve low-income families can apply for $500,000 - $1,000,000 per project to acquire property or renovate a facility, expanding capacity and promoting quality learning environments for young children," according to an EEC notice. (Tuesday, 11 a.m. | More Info and Register)
PHOTOVOICE OPIOID CRISIS EXHIBIT: The National Institute of Health Heal Initiative hosts an exhibit: "Voices of Resilience: The Opioid Crisis Through The Lens of Individuals with Lived Experience." An interactive display of photography and narratives featuring the stories of people affected by the crisis will be on display on the 4th floor of the State House from Jan. 8 to Jan. 12. An event highlighting the exhibit will feature guest speakers Rep. Pignatelli, Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein and Boston Medical Center principal investigator with the HEALing Communities Study Dr. Jeffrey Samet. (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., Nurses Hall)
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS: Massachusetts Municipal Association holds a free webinar about performance appraisal systems and advice for establishing "SMART" goal. It's led by Joellen Cademartori, CEO of GovHR. (Tuesday, 12 p.m. | Register)
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: The Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression meets. Among items on the agenda is: a discussion on pharmacological treatment for postpartum depression; a presentation by Commissioner Dr. Leena Mittal on the Mass. Behavioral Health Helpline public access database; and a presentation on a recent maternal health report to the governor. (Tuesday, 12 p.m. | Agenda and Access Info)
WOMEN'S RIGHTS TRAIL: Women's Rights History Trail Task Force meets. The task force is working on an educational "trail" connecting locations around the state that played a role in the fight for women's rights. The chair is expected to make remarks on a task force extension, and offer an update on a statewide trail report. (Tuesday, 3 p.m. | More Info and Access)
FISCAL CHALLENGES PANEL: The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan organization focused on fiscal responsibility in Washington, and The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget host a panel discussion on fiscal challenges facing the next presidential administration. A press release about the event says the Government Accountability Office recently warned "The federal government faces an unsustainable long-term fiscal future." The panel will touch on issues such as the rising national debt, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, taxes and general government spending. The panel will include: Bob Bixby, executive director of The Concord Coalition; Mike Murphy, senior vice president and chief of staff for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; Carolyn Arcand, senior lecturer at the Carsey School of Public Policy; and Daniel Innis, professor of marketing and hospitality management at the University of New Hampshire and member of the New Hampshire state Senate. (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., University of New Hampshire's Peter T. Paul College of Business, Room G85)
SWING BRIDGE REPLACEMENT: Department of Transportation holds a public meeting on its proposal to replace the Swing Bridge over the Acushnet River between Fairhaven and New Bedford. The public is invited to and comment on the recommended bridge replacement and its impacts. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Hayden-McFadden Elementary School Auditorium, 361 Cedar Grove St., New Bedford | More Info)
NEW BEDFORD HUD FUNDS: New Bedford's Office of Housing and Community Development holds first of two meetings about "the best use of federal funding to improve the quality of life for New Bedford residents." City expects to receive around $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funds, $975,000 from the HOME Investment Partnership Program, and $230,000 in Emergency Solutions Grant funds. Officials want public input on how to spend the money on housing, public facilities, public infrastructure, parks and playgrounds, community services, homelessness resources, and economic development. A second meeting, with the same agenda, is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday on Zoom. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Carney Academy, 247 Elm St., New Bedford)
WU STATE OF THE CITY: At 7 p.m., Boston Mayor Michelle Wu delivers her second annual State of the City Address. In her address last January, Wu highlighted city workers, thanking them for their work, and talked about her diverse team. "Our Cabinet is two-thirds people of color," she said. "We’re BPS parents, and graduates. We speak Spanish and Arabic, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, and more. We speak honestly about Boston’s past, present, and future, because we’ve lived the challenges and shared the dreams of the families we now get to serve." Wu discussed her policy for Mass. and Cass, the area of the city where homelessness and open drug use has resulted in a tent city and increased safety incidents. In her first year in office, the mayor did a sweep of the area that received criticism from homelessness advocates. Tents came back as the weather warmed and Wu again last fall cleared the tents, though with a new approach focused on placing people who are homeless in low-threshold housing. Wu last year called for Boston to have a seat on the MBTA board as disruptions and safety incidents on the T rose. Lawmakers granted the city a seat, and Wu chose Mary Skelton Roberts to represent Boston. Wu will hold a media availability following her speech. Media should RSVP. (Tuesday, Doors open 5:30 p.m., Program starts at 7 p.m., MGM Music Hall, 2 Lansdowne St., Boston)
REVENUE COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Revenue is accepting testimony on home rule petitions relative to real property tax deferrals in Hamilton and establishing a means tested senior citizen property tax exemption in Easton. Testimony may be submitted up until 5 p.m. (Tuesday)
LOCAL SCHOLARS ABROAD: UMass Amherst history professor Christian Appy and UMass Lowell global studies adjunct faculty Shawn Driscoll are among the scholars participating in a two-day conference on "The Legacies of the American War in Viet Nam," hosted at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in Hanoi. Sponsors include UMass Amherst's Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy. Topics range from politics and antiwar movements to "causes of the U.S. defeat" and "environmental legacies." (Tuesday and Wednesday, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024
PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL: Public Health Council meets virtually. Agenda includes an update from Public Health Commissioner Goldstein, and informational presentations about health system capacity and modernizing hospital occupancy data collection. The council will also vote on regulatory changes that authorize pharmacists to prescribe patches or self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives. The regulations were approved on an emergency basis in October. (Wednesday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Livestream)
MASSDOT FINANCE COMMITTEE: Department of Transportation Board of Directors Finance and Audit Committee meets. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | Agenda and Livestream)
MASSDOT CAPITAL PROGRAMS COMMITTEE: Department of Transportation Board of Directors Capital Programs Committee meets. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | Agenda and Livestream)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - PROBATE COURT: Governor's Council interviews Greater Boston Legal Services attorney Manisha Bhatt, nominated by Gov. Healey to the Probate and Family Court bench. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
HOUSE FORMAL: House plans to hold a formal session, according to Speaker Mariano's office, with roll calls starting at 1 p.m. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
FARMLAND ACTION PLAN BRIEFING: The Joint Committee on Agriculture, the Food System Caucus and the 21st Century Agriculture Commission will host a joint, hybrid briefing on the recently released Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan. The action plan (2023-2050) is a long-range, strategic initiative intended to address farm needs, including increasing farmland conservation and production, addressing access (including urban farmland), food security, climate resiliency, environmental justice and preserving and expanding the economic and environmental viability of farms. Deputy Commissioner Winton Pitcoff and Department of Agricultural Resources staff will give a presentation on the plan and take questions from attendees. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Room 428 | Zoom)
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT: Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission meets. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., 5 Middlesex Ave., Suite 304, Somerville | More Info)
HOUSE DEMS CAUCUS: House Democrats plan to caucus privately. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Room A-1)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council meets, and could vote on confirmation of Supreme Judicial Court nominee Elizabeth Dewar and Probate and Family Court candidate Michelle Yee. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Education holds a hearing on five bills, including a Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven petition to establish minimum salaries for teachers and education support professionals. A Rep. Ryan Hamilton bill would establish personal financial literacy standards in K-12 schools for students to better understand paying taxes, consumer protections, balancing ledgers, and using credit. Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. John Francis Moran filed a petition that would prevent book removal due to personal or political views in public and school libraries. It would also explicitly empower school librarians and teachers to determine "age-appropriate" materials in school libraries. Public libraries would be required to adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and would protect libraries from retaliation. The bill was crafted in consultation with the ACLU Massachusetts, the state Board of Library Commissioners, the Mass. School Library Association and MassEquality. Under the bill, to overturn a school librarian's book selection, a school committee would need to undergo a review process "based on clear and convincing evidence that the material is devoid of educational, literary, artistic, or social value or is not age appropriate for any student in the school," according to Cyr's office. The hearing on the bill comes shortly after police responded to a book complaint at a middle school in Great Barrington, leading to debate over whether law enforcement should intervene in such a situation. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Room A-2)
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - PROBATE COURT: Governor's Council holds hearing on Gov. Healey's nomination of Probate and Family Court candidate Bernadette Stark, a founding partner of Dinsmore Stark. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)
SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PARK: The Department of Conservation and Recreation holds an open house to discuss an action plan for Southwest Corridor Park in Boston. The four-mile linear park stretches from Back Bay to Forest Hills, and links the South End, Back Bay, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain with a street-level greenway. DCR hopes to make the park easier to navigate and improve maintenance. DCR officials will discuss the status of the project and ask for community input. (Wednesday, 3 pm., Union Church, 485 Columbus Ave., Boston)
PROGRESSIVE HOUSING FORUM: Mass. Progressive Action Organizing Committee hosts its Housing Crisis Forum, featuring a presentation on social housing from Rep. Mike Connolly. Other presenters include Watertown City Councilor Caroline Bays, Homes For All Director Carolyn Chou, City Life/Vida Urbana organizer Katie McCann, and Mark Martinez of the Mass Law Reform Institute. "You will hear stories from people facing personal housing crises. You will learn how many people in the Commonwealth are unhoused and which populations are most at risk. You will learn about emergency measures, including rent control, that are needed now, and strategies for implementing them," organizers said. (Wednesday, 7 p.m., Register)
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024
HEALTH CONNECTOR BOARD: Massachusetts Health Connector Board meets. (Thursday, 9 a.m. | Livestream)
SEN. FRIEDMAN TALKS TO MTF: Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation hosts a "policy conversation" with Sen. Friedman of Arlington, who co-chairs the Health Care Financing Committee, to discuss "her legislative priorities for the coming year and the health care topics being discussed on Beacon Hill." Health care is an area where Democrats have been unable to build consensus on major initiatives. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Contact dcarroll@masstaxpayers.org for information)
CANNABIS COMMISSION: Cannabis Control Commission holds a regular business meeting, the type that typically features a large slate of business license decisions as well as a policy discussion. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Union Station, Public Meeting Room, Worcester | Agenda and Access Info)
MBTA WORKFORCE COMMITTEE: MBTA Board of Directors Planning, Workforce, Development and Compensation Subcommittee meets. (Thursday, 10 a.m., State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | Agenda and Livestream)
TUE COMMITTEE: Senators on the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee hold a public hearing to consider home rule petitions, miscellaneous bills and late files. The agenda includes bills filed by co-chairs Rep. Roy and Sen. Barrett requiring utilities to make greater use of grid enhancement technologies (H 4222 / S 2531), which both Democrats said they hope form the foundation for a larger omnibus climate and clean energy bill this term. Other items before the panel involve municipal efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions or require the use of cleaner energy sources. (Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Room A-2 and Virtual | Agenda and Access Info)
SENATE FORMAL: Senate plans to hold a formal session, according to President Spilka's office. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)
HOUSE: House plans an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)
MBTA SAFETY COMMITTEE: MBTA Board of Directors Safety, Health and Environment Subcommittee meets. (Thursday, 11 a.m., State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | Agenda and Livestream)
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING: MassDOT Highway Division's Office of Outdoor Advertising holds a public meeting. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)
CONFLICT CONVERSATIONS: Massachusetts Municipal Association holds a free webinar about strategies for communicating during "challenging times" and "how to overcome feelings related to volatility." It's led by Kiana Pierre-Louis, chair of the Sharon Select Board and assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion at Northeastern University. (Thursday, 12 p.m. | Register)
EARLY ED GRANT: Department of Early Education and Care holds another information session about a grant opportunity for capital projects at early education and care programs serving low-income families. There's $4 million in total funding available. Grant applications are open through Feb. 1. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m. | More Info and Register)
ARLAB LAUNCH: Jewish Vocational Services Boston in collaboration with Quincy College launches ArLab, a new health care, biotechnology and life sciences career institute and workforce training facility in Boston. The lab is designed to train people for medical and life science jobs, and will focus on recruiting immigrants, English language learners, justice-involved citizens, caregivers, individuals with disabilities and younger workers. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Quincy College President Richard DeCristofaro and JVS President and CEO Kira Khazatsky are scheduled to make remarks. Labor Secretary Lauren Jones and Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler are also scheduled to attend. (Thursday, 6 p.m., 122 Arlington St., Boston)
Friday, Jan. 12, 2024
DRISCOLL AT CHAMBER: Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the Good Morning North Central business breakfast, hosted by the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. Marc Dohan, executive director of NewVue Communities, is also scheduled to present on the Fitchburg Arts Community development project. (Friday, 6:45 a.m., Great Wolf Lodge, 150 Great Wolf Drive, Fitchburg)
MANCHIN AT POLITICS & EGGS: U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is the speaker at "Politics & Eggs," a forum for presidential candidates and political leaders as they visit New Hampshire for the presidential primaries. The New Hampshire primaries are Jan. 23. The series is an initiative of The New England Council and The New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Sen. Manchin will discuss his new organization, Americans Together, intended to "[create] a platform for the middle to connect and empower moderate voices around the country." (Friday, 8:30 a.m., The New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Dr., Manchester)
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE -- PET CEMETERIES: Joint Committee on Agriculture welcomes written testimony on a single bill dealing with preservation of pet cemeteries (H 4206). Testimony will be accepted until 5 p.m. (Friday, 9 a.m., More Info)
VETERANS SERVICES HEARING: Executive Office of Veterans Services holds a virtual public hearing dealing with criminal offender record checks. The proposed regulation looks to create a "core standardized policy and procedure" for the office, agencies and vendor programs for reviewing the criminal records of job applicants to state-run veterans' homes, as well as volunteers. "It is the policy of EOVS that an individual’s background, including any Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and other relevant information, be carefully considered so that the vulnerable populations served by EOVS, and its agencies are protected," the policy states. "It is also the policy of EOVS that qualified rehabilitated offenders are given a fair opportunity to be employed and reintegrate successfully into the workforce." (Friday, 10 a.m. | More Info and Livestream)
