Sen. Spilka Named Chair of Economic Development Reform Conference Committee

Boston - 07/13/10 - Senate President Therese Murray named Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) the Chair today of a six-member conference committee that will seek to produce a final version of the economic development reform bill passed by the Senate in April. The Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, Senator Spilka was a primary author of the Senate bill, which established a MetroWest Tourism and Visitors Bureau.

"This reform bill, which will change the way we do business in Massachusetts, has been and remains a top priority for me," stated Senator Spilka. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with my colleagues on the conference committee on a final bill that will free up access to capital for small businesses so they can start hiring again and get our residents back to work."

The House passed its version of an economic development reform bill on July 8, 2010. The conference committee, which also includes Senator Ben Downing (D – Pittsfield) and Senator Bruce Tarr (R - Gloucester), must reconcile differences between the House and Senate bill before July 31, 2010 if it is to receive a final vote and go before the Governor for his signature by the end of this legislative session. House Speaker Robert DeLeo has not yet named House conferees.

The overall purpose of the reform is to create a ‘one-stop shop’ for businesses seeking to expand or locate in Massachusetts, provide a boost to small businesses by reducing costs and creating a more favorable climate for entrepreneurship, increase accountability and oversight of state agencies, quasi-publics and others involved in economic development, and merge those organizations tasked with marketing the state nationally and internationally into the newly-created Massachusetts Marketing Partnership.