The New Year Is a Good Time to Review Your Credit Report

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

Now that the holidays are over and the New Year is upon us, it’s a good time to check your credit report. You are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the big three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

You can choose to get all three credit reports at once; however, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you space them out every .....

READ HERE.

Good Policy Is Good Politics

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

We are just days into 2012 and already the demands of a frantic election season threaten to draw time, attention, and focus away from our nation’s most pressing priorities. Our country can’t afford 2012 to be a wasted year in Washington. With chronically high unemployment and a mounting deficit, a year of inaction by the administration and Congress would hold severe consequences for our sluggish economy.

The administration has signaled a slim legislative agenda for 2012 so that the president can focus on his reelection. Some members of Congress will quickly settle into campaign mode, often neglecting...

Click HERE for full article.

Put The Brakes On Overregulation

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Washington seems to be stuck in neutral when it comes to some of the most basic responsibilities of government, like reauthorizing core transportation programs or extending key tax provisions. In stark contrast, it is in regulatory overdrive. This administration is churning out significant new rules and regulations at a breathtaking pace—many designed to accelerate an ideological agenda. The flood of new regulations is weakening the labor market as employers, grappling with economic uncertainty, are forced to freeze hiring.

One agency, in particular, has pushed the pedal to the medal. Driven by a pro-union majority of members, the National Labor Relations Board is using ...

Click HERE for full article.

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts Calls for Legislative Action and Launches Statewide Radio Campaign

© By RAM (Retailers Association of Massachusetts)

“Amazon’s latest stunt wouldn’t be possible without the 6.25% advantage they enjoy in Massachusetts because state and federal law doesn’t require them to collect sales taxes like community-based retailers,” said Jon Hurst, President of Retailers Association of Massachusetts. “It is time for Senators Brown and Kerry, our members in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as our leaders on Beacon Hill to support local retail employers by putting an end to tax advantages online giants now enjoy.”

Click HERE for full article.

One Step Forward For Job Creation

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

A rare point of consensus in Washington today is that we need jobs—a lot of them and fast. But agreement on how to get those jobs can be elusive. So when we can rally folks around a job-creating policy—even a small one—that’s good for business, good for government, and good for American workers, we’ve got to jump on it. Action on the ...

Click HERE for full article.

NLRB approves union election rule

By TIM MAK, Politico

The National Labor Relations Board voted Wednesday to move forward with a contentious new labor rule that Republicans and business groups charge would restrict the ability of employers to bring concerns about union elections to the regulatory agency.

A 2-1 vote was along party lines, with the two Democratic members backing it and the lone Republican voting no. The rule will now be drafted into final language for ....

Click HERE for full article.

Reduce Home Heating Costs this Winter

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

As the temperature cools, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation offers a dozen money-saving tips to reduce heating costs:

READ HERE.

Hiring Our Heroes Is The Right Thing—and The Smart Thing—to Do

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

This Veterans Day, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and businesses across America highlighted one of the most tangible ways to honor our veterans: meaningful employment opportunities.

Nationwide, 1 million veterans are out of work. A staggering 27% of young veterans aged 18 to 24 are unemployed. And as forces are drawn down in Iraq and Afghanistan, tens of thousands of servicemembers will separate from the military and enter the civilian workforce. We must welcome these heroes home to an open, robust job market and work to stem the rising tide of veterans’ unemployment.

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

With ‘Solutions’ Like These, Who Needs Problems?

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

For years, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has fought a provision that would give the IRS sweeping authority to hold hostage 3% of nearly every business transaction that takes place between the public and private sectors. The 3% withholding tax effectively grants the federal government an interest-free loan. Worse still, the costs and burdens of the provision far outweigh any benefits.

Yet lawmakers have repeatedly passed up opportunities to repeal this job-killing mandate. With unemployment stubbornly hovering around 9%, and this provision set to take effect in 2013, Washington needs to wipe the 3% withholding tax off the books once and for all. Fortunately, lawmakers may finally be on the verge of doing just that. ...

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

Small Businesses Lead the Way in Green Technology Innovation

By Office of Economic Impact and Diversity

It should come as no surprise that small businesses are leading the way in green technology innovation - and the statistics back that up. The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy released a report today that analyzed small business innovation and patents in the field of green technology, studying the difference between small and large firms.

The results are clear - while small firms hold about 8 percent of all U.S. patents, they have 14 percent of the green technology patents. These include over 32 percent of patents in smart grids and solar energy, and 15 percent of the total batteries and fuel cell patents. Moreover, the report found that small innovative firms are 16 times more productive than large innovative firms when you look at patents per employee. Additionally, their patents are cited 2.5 times more than their large counterparts.

READ HERE.

National Protect Your Identity Week

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

Identity theft is a serious crime affecting more than 10 million Americans every year, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). To raise awareness of this issue and give consumers with the tools to protect themselves, Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Undersecretary Barbara Anthony encourages Massachusetts consumers to participate in National Protect Your Identity Week (PYIW), which is October 16-22.

READ HERE.

October 18, 2011 - Antiquated Regulatory System Won’t Meet Modern Challenges

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The last time anyone tried to overhaul the federal regulatory process, Harry Truman was president, Frank Sinatra and Bette Davis were in their prime, and the microwave oven was a modern marvel.

Today’s regulatory system is no modern marvel. Instead, ...

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

October 10, 2011 - Health ‘Reform’—Promises Broken, Predictions Fulfilled

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The health care law is becoming a sad tale of promises broken and predictions fulfilled. The administration promised that the sweeping overhaul of the health care system would drive premiums down. It hasn’t, nor is it likely to—ever. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, health policy experts, and business owners across the nation warned ....

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

October 4, 2011 - Steps Toward A Secure Energy Future

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

I recently visited Banff, Canada to speak about energy policy at the Global Business Forum, and I was reminded of an arresting statistic. In June, more jobs were created in the province of Alberta than in the entire United States. How? Canada is embracing....

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

October 3, 2011 - Fall 2011 Political Preview

© By Serlin Haley

Serlin Haley from time to time publishes reports alerting its clients to upcoming political events and trends. Our latest such report looks at upcoming elections and ballot measures in states around the U.S.

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

September 27, 2011 - The Truth About Taxes

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The tax debate is heating up—and so is the rhetoric surrounding it. The president recently delivered an impassioned speech calling for tax code “fairness,” arguing “wealthy” Americans aren’t paying their fair share. He also maintained Warren Buffett paid a lower tax rate than his secretary and proposed the “Buffett Rule” to prevent that from happening. But does the president’s rhetoric match reality? Is he telling...

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

September 2011 - White House Jobs Plan Falls Short

© By Tom Donohue
President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

While the president’s jobs plan contains some ideas that American business supports, it falls short by focusing too much on government spending and temporary tax breaks and too little on the trade, energy, tax, regulatory, and entitlement reforms we need.

The proposed payroll tax cut might give some small and medium-size businesses relief. But ...

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

July 2011 - STATE, DEVELOPER MOVING FORWARD WITH MAJOR DEVENS FILM COMPLEX

© By Michael Norton
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE, July 21, 2011

The state’s economic development agency has agreed to enter into negotiations over a sale price and tax incentives with a development company that plans to build a 600,000 square foot, state-of-the-art film and television production complex in Devens.

After declining to release details following a unanimous board vote a week ago, MassDevelopment officials on Thursday elaborated on plans to move ahead with MJM Development LLC of Andover, which plans to build the studio complex, including four 18,000 square foot sound stages, over ten years.

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

July 2011 - PATRICK SIGNS MUNI-HEALTH BILL

© STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE, July 12, 2011

Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday signed into law municipal health insurance reforms that lawmakers have debated for years, providing a new option for cities and towns to make health plan changes under a new process. Under the new law, which proponents claim will help cities and towns collectively trim their own costs by $100 million, municipalities may opt for an expedited collective bargaining process to negotiate new benefit plans for employees.

If municipalities and unions fail to reach agreement in 30 days under that process, the case would be submitted to a three-person review panel for resolution - a panel that would include one union appointee, one municipality appointee and an appointee selected by the Secretary of Administration and Finance, a post controlled by the governor. The three-person panel would need to resolve matters within ten days.

According to Patrick's office, municipalities will be able to use the process to adopt copayments and deductibles and other cost-sharing health plan features that are not higher than those offered by the state-run Group Insurance Commission. Municipalities may also transfer employees into the state-run plan if it would result in at least a 5 percent savings compared to the local health care plan.

The reform allows a portion of savings to be returned to employees and includes protections for retirees and employees with existing health concerns who are likely to incur higher copayments, according to the administration. Patrick signed the bill in the Governor's Council chamber at a ceremony attended by Senate President Therese Murray, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, as well as other state lawmakers and labor and municipal officials.

June 2011 - News Release: Enhanced Retiree Benefits

© Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

MTF Analysis: Enhanced Retiree Benefits Would Undercut Municipal Health Reform

The Mass Taxpayers Foundation has just released the analysis of a Senate amendment that requires municipal contributions for retirees be the same as for active employees. Under this provision, all communities would have their hands tied in controlling unaffordable retiree health care costs and dozens of communities statewide would immediately lose the benefits of municipal health reform because of increased costs for retirees. House and Senate conferees are negotiating a final version of municipal health reform to send to the Governor as part of the 2012 budget.

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

Drive Away the Summertime Blues

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

Read how to hit the road smoothly this year...

READ HERE.

NVCoC Opposes HB1398

Did you know that there is currently a bill being filed that would require employers to provide seven days of paid sick leave to their workers (House Bill 1398)? The Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee has written letters AGAINST this bill to all of our area Legislators.

The Chamber encouragages you to read up on the proposed bill (http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/Search) and contact your Legislators to voice your concerns on this bill.

For a copy of the letter we sent.. CLICK HERE!

Small Business Warns Against Paid Leave

© NFIB
Bill Vernon

Legislation that would require employers to provide seven days of paid sick leave to their workers would weaken the demand for labor even as many Massachusetts residents are searching desperately for jobs, the National Federation of Independent Business warned today.

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

Report on Senate President Therese Murray’s speech to the Greater Boston Chamber

By Kyle Cheney and Michael Norton
By State House News Service

SENATE PREZ LOOKING TO DATA TO MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAMS

BOSTON, APRIL 7, 2011…..As state government implements complex overhauls to Massachusetts’s transportation and economic development bureaucracies and lawmakers eye similar restructuring of the health care, criminal justice and pension systems, Senate President Therese Murray on Thursday outlined a plan to redouble the state’s effort to track their progress on these efforts.

CLICK HERE for full article.

Report on Senate President Therese Murray’s speech to the Greater Boston Chamber

By Kyle Cheney and Michael Norton
By State House News Service

SENATE PREZ LOOKING TO DATA TO MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAMS

BOSTON, APRIL 7, 2011…..As state government implements complex overhauls to Massachusetts’s transportation and economic development bureaucracies and lawmakers eye similar restructuring of the health care, criminal justice and pension systems, Senate President Therese Murray on Thursday outlined a plan to redouble the state’s effort to track their progress on these efforts.

CLICK HERE for full article.

Data Breach Could Affect Millions

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

Read how to protect yourself when a large data breach happen..

READ HERE.

Consumer Affairs Warns Consumers of Tax-Related Scams

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

As the April 15 tax filing deadline looms, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation warns taxpayers about tax-related scams.

READ HERE.

Attention States: Public Policy Matters

By Tom Donohue, President and CEO, US Chamber of Commerce

Being part of the solution-not the problem-requires you to assess the facts, understand underlying trends, and offer innovative, commonsense proposals. That's why the U.S. Chamber has been doing a deep dive on how local, state, and federal regulations are impeding job creation and economic growth. Our top three priorities are jobs, jobs, and jobs-and a dramatically growing regulatory burden is holding us back.

READ HERE.

Know your Travel Rights during a Natural Disaster

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

What happened in Japan is a huge tragedy. Would you know what to do if you were traveling in Japan during this time? To find out your rights when travelling please read our Consumer Advisory.

READ HERE.

Municipal Reform Efforts

From our friends at AIM (Associated Industries of Massachusetts)

The legislature’s joint committee on public service held a hearing this past Tuesday on bills granting cities and towns greater authority over health plan design without requiring changes be collectively bargained. The committee also heard testimony relative to requiring that all age eligible municipal retirees be enrolled in Medicare.

A panel of reform coalition members presented testimony, which is attached for your review and information.

READ HERE.

U.S. House Passes Version of 1099 Repeal

From our friends at AIM (Associated Industries of Massachusetts)

The United States House of Representatives voted 314-112 today to repeal a provision of the health reform law that would have required businesses to file 1099 tax forms for every vendor that sold them more than $600 worth of goods and services.

Seventy six House Democrats joined a unanimous group of Republicans in supporting H.R. 4, which would offset lost revenue from the repeal by increasing the amount of health insurance subsidies that could be recaptured in cases where a family's income exceed certain thresholds.

Freshman Congressman William Keating was the only member of the Massachusetts delegation to vote on favor of the bill.

The Senate approved a separate version of the 1099 repeal on February 2. House and Senate will now attempt to reconcile the different revenue offset plans contained in the two versions. President Obama has indicated that he supports a 1099 repeal, but has problems with the House bill.

The 1099 mandate, due to take effect in 2013, would require more than 30 million U.S. companies that currently only have to tell the IRS the value of services they purchase from vendors to also report the value of goods and merchandise they purchase. Lawmakers added the 1099 reporting footnote to the federal health reform bill in an effort to fund a portion of the massive overhaul.

Associated Industries of Massachusetts believes the provision would saddle employers with significant administrative and accounting expense at a time when many are already struggling with the soft economy.

February 15, 2011 - President Obama Addresses The U.S. Chamber

By Tom Donohue, President and CEO, US Chamber of Commerce

President Obama made the short trek across Lafayette Park from the White House last week to address the U.S. Chamber. Referring to what's often described in the press as a contentious relationship between the administration and the Chamber, the president quipped, "... maybe if we had brought over a fruitcake when I first moved in, we would have gotten off to a better start." READ HERE.

February 8, 2011 - 1099 Repeal Moves Ahead

By Free Enterprise; US Chamber of Commerce

Small businesses everywhere cheered as the Senate passed a U.S. Chamber-supported amendment that would repeal the 1099 reporting requirement contained in the 2010 health care reform law. READ HERE.

February 7, 2011 - The Consumer Insider

By Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) send us their newsletter - and we wanted to share.

CLICK HERE for The Consumer Insider.

OCABR website: www.Mass.Gov/consumer
News & updates at consumer.blog.state.ma.us/blog
and follow us at www.twitter.com/Mass_Consumer

January 21, 2011 - Protect the "swipe fee" Reform

Retailers Association of Massachusetts (RAM)

HELP PRESERVE THE DEBIT CARD SWIPE FEE REFORM! CONTACT CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK TODAY!

Last summer, the Retailers Association of Massachusetts and other industry partners were successful in scoring a major victory in Congress for retailers, restaurants and consumers by obtaining the inclusion of “swipe fee” regulation in the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

January 21, 2011 - PATRICK OUTLINES LATEST PLANS FOR LOCAL AID, MUNICIPAL HEALTH REFORMS

Johnson Haley/State House News Service

The State House News Service has just reported that Gov. Patrick is proposing requiring cities and towns to either join the state’s health-insurance program or institute “equivalent” reforms of their own:

Read report here

Dec 28, 2010 - Filing Changes for Public Charities

from Attorney General Martha Coakley

As you may be aware, Chapter 165 of the Acts of 2010, "An Act Further Regulating Public Charities" (the "Act"), modifies some of the Office of the Attorney General's ("AGO") current filing requirements for the Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division ("Division"). This email outlines the changes in filing requirements for public charities and professional fundraisers and discusses the new dissolution guidelines made effective earlier this fall. This email also discusses the AGO's recent decision to modify the requirement to submit a Federal Form 990-EZ for organizations whose annual gross support and revenue is less than or equal to $5,000.

See Attorney General Martha Coakley's website for additional details.

Dec 20, 2010 - New Income-Tax Withholding Tables

© IRS

The Internal Revenue Service released instructions and new income-tax withholding tables to help employers implement the provisions of H.R. 4853, Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act Of 2010. Employers should start using the new withholding tables and reducing the amount of Social Security tax withheld from employees as soon as possible in 2011 but not later than Jan. 31, 2011.

See News Release IR-2010-124 and Notice 1036 (Rev. December, 2010) for additional details.

October 2010 - Preventative Care — State officials seek employer input on federal health reform implementation

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) are teaming up to conduct interactive employer sessions on federal health care reform and its implementation in the commonwealth. Seven programs will be offered – from Pittsfield to Cape Cod – with support from many business groups throughout the state.

Join us for a unique opportunity to speak directly with executives and other staff from key regulatory agencies. In addition, AIM’s in-house experts will discuss day-to-day management and administrative implications for the business community.

For full letter.. CLICK HERE!

October 2010 - News Release: Question 3

© Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Question 3 Proponents Inflate State Spending

In order to try to minimize the enormous consequences of Question 3, the proponents argue incorrectly that total state spending is $52 billion when the correct number is approximately $32 billion, as shown on page 137 of the 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (see copy attached)....

For full article.. CLICK HERE!

April 2010 - What Businesses Need to Know About the New Health Care Law & Implementation

The timeline for the new health care legislation, passed by Congress and signed into law last month, sees many reforms go into effect 2014 with other aspects coming even later. The various government agencies, particularly the Department of Health and Human Services and Internal Revenue Service, will be working over the next several years on drafting the regulations necessary to implement the new laws, and it will be through this process that we’ll work to change and improve the regulations to help businesses.

In regards to the timing of these provisions as well as effects this legislation will have on businesses, we’ve attached two documents you might find helpful:

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