House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North
Reading) is pleased to announce his appointment of Representative David Vieira
(R-Falmouth) as a member of the municipal modernization bill conference
committee.
The House of Representatives and the Senate recently
approved different versions of An Act to
modernize municipal finance and government in an attempt to give cities and
towns more flexibility and local control, in part by updating or eliminating
obsolete laws and streamlining state oversight.
The two bills reflect many of the provisions that were included in the
Baker-Polito Administration’s version of the bill filed last December.
Representative Vieira will serve on the conference committee
alongside Senators Barbara L'Italien (D-Andover), Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport)
and Patrick O'Connor (R-Weymouth), as well as Representatives Ronald Mariano (D-Quincy)
and Paul Donato (D-Medford). The
conferees will try to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate
versions of the bill, with the goal of producing a compromise proposal that can
be sent to Governor Charlie Baker for his signature before the end of formal
legislative sessions on July 31.
“As a longtime town moderator, Representative Vieira has a
tremendous understanding of the issues that are most relevant to our cities and
towns,” said Representative Jones. “David will bring a wealth of
real-world knowledge and expertise to the conference committee as it works to
produce a bill that will give communities the tools they need to better manage
their finances and day-to-day operations.”
Representative Vieira currently serves as a member of the
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security; the House Committee on
Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets; and the House and Joint
Committees on Rules. He represents the
Third Barnstable District, which consists of Precincts 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Bourne;
Precincts 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 in Falmouth; and the town of Mashpee.
