GOP Jobs Tour Provides Foundation for New Legislation

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), along with the entire House Republican Caucus, today announced the second phase of the 2011 GOP Jobs Tour as the Statehouse winds down for a 7-week winter recess during which no controversial bills will be debated.

The Massachusetts House Republican Caucus will be using the winter recess to compile the information gathered at each of the 8 GOP Jobs Tour events and to begin drafting an Omnibus Jobs Package designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs. The Jobs Package, to be filed in January, will include ideas shared by citizens who attended the Jobs Tour events.

“The 2011 G.O.P. Jobs Tour was a tremendous success and we have received a lot of information that needs to be organized and translated into action,” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones. “I would hope that our resulting Omnibus Jobs Package can be heard quickly by a legislative committee and be the first priority of the Legislature upon returning in January.”

The legislative package will address a number of key issues discussed at various Jobs Tour events, including: the state’s complex regulatory system; burdensome tax policy; and generally poor business climate.

“I heard loud and clear that people in my area are frustrated with the lack of action on Beacon Hill to improve the business climate in Massachusetts,” said State Representative Angelo D’Emilia (R-Bridgewater), host of the Jobs Tour event in Bridgewater in September. “This plan will encompass ideas from broad spectrum of people with one priority: jobs.”

In addition to using the winter recess to draft a legislative proposal focusing on jobs, the Republican Caucus also calls on the Legislature to enact any non-controversial, yet important, pro-job growth legislation that has already been heard by legislative committees.

“Although the rules of the House do not allow the House to meet in formal sessions after Wednesday, November 16th, I would be shocked if any objections are made by the members of the Republican Caucus to considering any bills with the potential to generate job growth or improve our business climate,” said State Representative Richard Bastien (R-Gardner). “I strongly believe we should be providing as much relief to working families this holiday season as humanly possible.”

Legislation the House could address between now and January includes: freezing the current unemployment rate schedule, which is set to expire in January of 2012; standardizing the independent contractor law; or legislation lowering the cost of health insurance for small businesses.

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