The Bedford Citizen The Massachusetts House and Senate passed a statewide program that will provide a Paid Family and Medical Leave program to most all workers in the Commonwealth, as part of a consolidated bill that will also incrementally raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour over five years and raise the minimum wage for tipped workers to $6.75.  The bill will also create a permanent sales tax holiday each August and eliminate the requirement that employers pay their workers time a half on Sundays and holidays. Rep. Gordon authored much of the Paid Family Leave bill that was incorporated in the package.  He spoke about the family leave policy at the State House as 126 House members voted in favor of the bill, to 25 against.  In the Senate, the bill passed 30-8. “We in government like to talk about family values.  Here today, in Massachusetts, we are passing a bill that reflects our family values,” said Gordon.  “The Paid Family Leave program is designed to keep families together at times of great joy and to allow families to be together at times of great stress and great sorrow. Compare that to what we see coming out of Washington, where for the past few weeks all we’ve heard is excuses for ripping families apart.  Once again Massachusetts sets the example”. The family leave portion of the bill will provide partial wage replacement for up to 12 weeks for workers to care for the birth or adoption of a child, or to care for a hospitalized child, parent, spouse or other specified relative or one who is under constant medical care.  It will provide for up to 20 weeks of wage replacement for a worker’s own non-workplace related injury.  Lower paid workers will receive a greater wage replacement than higher paid workers. Read the Full Article Here

Representative Ken Gordon(D-Bedford)joined his colleagues in the House to establish a process for family, household members or licensing authorities (petitioners) to petition the court for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) for individuals who “pose a risk of causing bodily injury to self or others” by owning, possessing or having a firearm.  An ERPO, if issued by the court, is in effect for up to one year and results in the immediate suspension and surrender of all firearms and ammunition. Licensing authorities are required to provide the recipient of ERPO with a list of services “relating to crisis intervention, mental health, substance abuse and counseling.” “This is a well-balanced and common sense approach to protecting our residents,” said Representative Ken Gordon. Read Full Article

   Wicked Local Bedford Rep. Kenneth Gordon joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass legislation that seeks to reduce tobacco use and nicotine addiction among youth across the Commonwealth. An act to protect youth from the health risks of tobacco and nicotine addiction, H.4479, will prohibit the sale of all tobacco, including nicotine delivery products and other vapor products to individuals under the age of 21. Additionally, the bill expands Massachusetts’ Smoke-Free Workplace Law to include e-cigarettes and vapes, thereby ensuring that all tobacco and vapor products will be banned in establishments where the use of traditional tobacco is currently prohibited. More than 170 cities and towns in Massachusetts have already raised the minimum sales age for tobacco products to 21 years old. With this legislation, Massachusetts will join five other states who have established a statewide minimum sales age of 21, including California, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey and Oregon. Needham pioneered this movement in 2005 by becoming the first municipality in the country to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. “Plenty of research shows at 18 years old our brains may be more susceptible to addiction,” Gordon said. “I’m especially pleased this bill covers e-cigarettes or ‘vaping’ which introduces a sweet tasting and highly addictive form of nicotine attractive to young people.” Read Full Article

The Bedford Citizen Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing its budget for the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) last week. In addition to local aid, the over $41.065 billion spending bill targets areas such as education, health and human services, housing and homelessness, and veteran services. In addition to funding important programs and services throughout the Commonwealth, the House FY19 budget included important local aid and Chapter 70 Education funding increases for the Twenty-First Middlesex District. “I am proud of this fiscally responsible budget that ensures our cities and towns have the resources they need to operate at the highest standard. We are once again following through on our promise to protect local aid and assistance to our schools” said Rep. Gordon. A $15,000 allocation was included to support renovations at Burlington Council on Aging. “I am happy to see that the House budget includes funding for the Burlington Council on Aging so that Burlington can continue to provide improved services for our seniors,” said Rep. Gordon. The House appropriated funding pursuant to another Rep. Gordon amendment, which will be used for the education of the children of military families who live on Hansom Air Force Base and attend Bedford Public Schools.  Rep. Gordon joined Senator Mike Barrett in the 2015 session to pass a law that requires the Commonwealth to reimburse the town for the education of the military students, but the law is subject to appropriation. Read Full Article

The Bedford Citizen Bedford will kick off Memorial Day this year in a special way, as Gov. Charlie Baker and Congressman Seth Moulton will come to town to honor two fallen heroes, Pfc John Hart and Lance Corporal Travis Desiato, by naming a bridge in their honor.  The ceremony will commence at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 25, at the boat launch beside the bridge on State Road 225 that spans the Concord River. The dedication was arranged by Senator Mike Barrett (D-Lexington) and Rep. Ken Gordon (D-Bedford), who carried the bill dedicating the bridge in honor of these heroes through the legislature.  Governor Baker signed the bill into law in December. The soldiers were killed within 13 months of each other in Iraq, fighting the war on terror.  Hart, who served in the Army, lost his life in an ambush in Tikrit on October 18, 2003.   He graduated from Bedford High School in 2002.  Desiato joined the Marines after his graduation from Bedford High in 2002.  He was lost on November 15, 2004, in Fallujah. “Each year we remember our fallen heroes on Memorial Day, but this year will be special in Bedford,” said Rep. Gordon.  “This year we will pause to be with a family and recognize a town that has given so much.  As Memorial Day weekend approaches and the tumult of travel begins for some, Bedford will slow down and reflect.” Read Full Article