HOUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOND BILL (MASS LEADS ACT) OUTCOMES
Picture features Ashley Occhino, Executive Director of Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition, speaking in support of the Downtown Vitality Act at a town hall in New Bedford in November 2023.
On Thursday, June 27, the House passed their $3.4 billion Economic Development Bond Bill (Mass Leads Act H.4789) with an additional $700 million in tax credits. Among other policies that make investments in life sciences and biotech, the final bill includes a live theater tax credit and $50 million for the Cultural Facilities Fund.
Representative Dan Cahill (D-Lynn) filed Amendment #104, “Stabilizing Space for the Creative Economy,” to include the Creative Space Preservation Act in the final economic development package. H.3241/S.530, An Act to preserve space for the creative economy or the “Creative Space Preservation Act,” is one of five bills included in the 2023-2024 Creative Sector Legislative Agenda. This bill would create a defined property restriction for creative maker space and performance or exhibition space. It would also allow cities and towns to establish trust funds to hold assets and property for the creation and preservation of creative spaces, giving them more tools to keep artists in their communities. The Creative Space Preservation Act was reported favorably out of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development earlier this year.
Additionally, Representative Tony Cabral (D-New Bedford) filed Amendment #321, “Downtown Vitality,” to include the Downtown Vitality Act in the House’s final version of the Mass Leads Act. H.228/S.130, An Act to promote downtown vitality, is another legislative priority in this session’s Creative Sector Legislative Agenda. The Downtown Vitality Act would establish a fund to allocate 1% of revenues from online sales originating in Massachusetts to support staffing and operations of cultural districts, business improvement districts, main street associations, and parking benefit districts in Gateway Cities and other low-income communities. The Downtown Vitality Act received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses.
ADVOCACY UPDATES
Earlier in the week, MASSCreative circulated an advocacy call and encouraged supporters to contact their state representative and urge them to co-sponsor Amendments #104 and #321. Thanks to advocates’ efforts, 26 state representatives co-sponsored Amendment #104 and 34 state representatives co-sponsored Amendment #321. This is a strong showing of support! Thank you for your work securing these co-sponsorships.
Ultimately, Amendments #104 and #321 were not included in the House’s final Economic Development Bond Bill.
Did your state representative co-sponsor these amendments? Review the list of co-sponsors below.
If you see your state representative’s name on this list, consider calling or emailing their office and thanking them for their support!
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In order of co-sponsorship:
*Sponsored by Rep. Dan Cahill (D-Lynn)
Rep. Mary S. Keefe (D-Worcester)
Rep. Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham)
Rep. Kathleen R. LaNatra (D-Kingston)
Rep. Brian W. Murray (D-Milford)
Rep. David Paul Linsky (D-Natick)
Rep. Christopher Richard Flanagan (D-Dennis Port)
Rep. James C. Arena-DeRosa (D-Holliston)
Rep. Manny Cruz (D-Salem)
Rep. Carmine Lawrence Gentile (D-Sudbury)
Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville)
Rep. Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge)
Rep. Carol A. Doherty (D-Taunton)
Rep. William F. MacGregor (D-Boston)
Rep. David T. Vieira (R-Teaticket)
Rep. Natalie M. Higgins (D-Leominster)
Rep. Lindsay N. Sabadosa (D-Northampton)
Rep. Carole A. Fiola (D-Fall River)
Rep. Christine P. Barber (D-Somerville)
Rep. Sean Garballey (D-Arlington)
Rep. Kay Khan (D-Newton)
Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley (D-Boston)
Rep. Andres X. Vargas (D-Haverhill)
Rep. William J. Driscoll, Jr. (D-Milton)
Rep. Jennifer Balinsky Armini (D-Marblehead)
Rep. Kristin E. Kassner (D-Hamilton)
Rep. Margaret R. Scarsdale (D-Pepperell)
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In order of co-sponsorship:
*Sponsored by Rep. Tony Cabral (D-New Bedford)
Rep. Christopher Hendricks (D- New Bedford)
Rep. David T. Vieira (R-Teaticket)
Rep. Mary S. Keefe (D-Worcester)
Rep. Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham)
Rep. Kathleen R. LaNatra (D-Kingston)
Rep. Brian W. Murray (D-Milford)
Rep. David Paul Linsky (D-Natick)
Rep. Christopher Richard Flanagan (D-Dennis Port)
Rep. Paul A. Schmid, III (D-Westport)
Rep. James C. Arena-DeRosa (D-Holliston)
Rep. Manny Cruz (D-Salem)
Rep. Andres X. Vargas (D-Haverhill)
Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville)
Rep. Natalie M. Higgins (D-Leominster)
Rep. Carol A. Doherty (D-Taunton)
Rep. Dylan A. Fernandes (D-Falmouth)
Rep. William F. MacGregor (D-Boston)
Rep. Shirley B. Arriaga (D-Chicopee)
Rep. Lindsay N. Sabadosa (D-Northampton)
Rep. Carole A. Fiola (D-Fall River)
Rep. Christine P. Barber (D-Somerville)
Rep. Carmine Lawrence Gentile (D-Sudbury)
Rep. Sean Garballey (D-Arlington)
Rep. Ryan M. Hamilton (D-Methuen)
Rep. Kay Khan (D-Newton)
Rep. Daniel M. Donahue (D-Worcester)
Rep. David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf (D-Worcester)
Rep. Vanna Howard (D-Lowell)
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield)
Rep. Tram T. Nguyen (D-Andover)
Rep. William J. Driscoll, Jr. (D-Milton)
Rep. Chynah Tyler (D-Boston)
Rep. Kristin E. Kassner (D-Hamilton)
Rep. Margaret R. Scarsdale (D-Pepperell)
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The 2023-2024 legislative session isn’t over yet and there are still opportunities to advocate for the Creative Sector Legislative Agenda.
Register for our July Policy & Advocacy Webinar on Friday, July 12th for a conversation about how we can still advocate for the Creative Space Preservation Act, Downtown Vitality Act, PLACE Act, and ACE Act before the end of July.
