Small Business Day on Beacon Hill 

"Helping Small Businesses Compete"

May 15th, 2024
10:00 am - 2:00 pm

at the Massachusetts State House

REGISTER FOR EVENT
 

This year's program will stress the importance of meeting with your legislators in the State House to tell them, face to face, how their policies have a real-world impact on your small business. There are far too many policies that will harm the small business economy and lawmakers need to hear real stories from real business owners like you. Make no mistake, those who advocate for making it more expensive to run a business in Massachusetts are at the State House every day, pushing us further away from affordability and making it harder to compete. Now it’s your turn. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to be a part of the solution!

RAM members, as well as members from other participating groups and guests, are welcome to attend. However, advanced registration is required. 

Click here for more information.

RAMHIC Offerings for 2024  

Click image above to view a BCBS produced informational video on the power of the RAM/BCBS Cooperative. 

Please see our brochure for more detail on the expanded benefit package.  Specific information regarding each benefit may be found below: 

• Life, Accident & Hospital Benefits provided by USAble Life
• Employee Assistance Program provided by New Directions
• Blue 20/20 Vision Benefit
• Waived Fees for Health Equity Personal Spending Accounts (available at renewal)
• A 1% year end employer wellness reward

For more information please visit the RAMHIC page of our website. 

Downtown Boston Has a Public Safety Problem

When it comes to public safety in Boston’s downtown retail shopping districts, the city is at an inflection point. Many of our once thriving retail areas are already suffering, as evidenced by the growing number of darkened stores fronts. If we don’t act soon, the public safety concerns attributing to these closures will continue to spiral. More businesses will flee, fewer consumers and their families will visit the city, and the tax revenues we need to address these issues will plummet.

This isn’t a new problem. Last summer media coverage detailed nearly weekly stories of new public safety issues arising in these areas. Spillover from the challenges at Mass and Cass resulting in major stores having to deal with extensive drug use and overdoses in public restrooms. Groups of teens harassing, and even assaulting, workers and passersby. These issues are not simply a matter of perception. According to Boston Police Department data at that time, violent and attempted robberies in Boston shot up nearly 10 percent over the previous year – while the number of thefts jumped by 14 percent. The end result is an unsustainable environment in which to do business and for consumers to shop.

To keep reading, click here.

MA DPH Recommendations to Prevent the Spread of Respiratory Viruses for the General Public

On March 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated Respiratory Virus Guidance. The guidance provides practical recommendations and information to help people lower their risk from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, including COVID-19, flu and RSV. Most notably, the guidance updates the isolation period for individuals who are sick. Previous guidance had suggested a five-day isolation period. The updated guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). To learn more about the Respiratory Virus Guidance, updates to the isolation period, and FAQs please visit the CDC’s website.

Joint Committees Act on Thousands of Bills at Reporting Deadline

February 7th was Joint Rule 10 Day in the MA Legislature, the date by which the Legislature’s joint committees were to report on the thousands of bills still pending before them. Many bills will be sent to Study, typically signaling the end of their consideration by the Legislature this session. Others may receive extensions, giving the committees further time to review and make decisions on bills. Others will be passed favorably out of committee, often after some redrafting. RAM staff is now in the process of reviewing all those bills and redrafts, that received a favorable report, including, but certainly not limited to:

• H.4263, An Act to save recycling costs in the Commonwealth – establishes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and paint
• S.570, An Act to reduce plastics – omnibus single use plastics ban, including bags, food service wares, bottled water and more
• S.2562, An Act relative to bereavement leave – requiring employers to provide ten days of bereavement leave to all employees
• And more…

Even after receiving an initial favorable report from its originating committee, any bill still has a long way to go in the process before reaching the Governor’s desk. The Formal Session of the current MA Legislature ends at midnight on July 31st.

Gov. Healey Proposes $58.1 Billion Budget

In January, Gov. Maura Healey filed a $58.1 billion budget plan for fiscal year 2025, projecting a slight increase in tax revenue growth and taking an overall belt-tightening approach to budgeting for the next fiscal year. The proposal level funds spending in many areas and utilizes a series of fund transfers and redirection to balance the budget without dipping into the Stabilization Fund, the “Rainy Day” reserve fund that closed out FY24 with a balance of $8.3 billion.

Keep reading, Click here