[Atmob-announce] Light Pollution Bill

[Mario Motta]

Hello all,

    For those that have been following the news, I am sure you are as
shocked and saddened as much as I am with Sen Jim Marzilli's recent
exploits. In the past when we have met, he always seemed like a very
responsible and great guy to know.  This puts our light pollution bill in
some jeprody, as Mraxilli is the sponsor of the bill. I , as well as Dan
Green and Kelly Beatty, have been frustrated for some time now with Jim, as
he has been absolutely non responsive to our calls and e-mails. In my
current position as president-elect of the Mass Medical Society, I now have
very good access to the State House politico's, and have been in Speaker
DiMasi's office just a few weeks ago, Rep Robert DeLeo (chair ways and
Means) office last month, and Rep Brian Dempsey (chair joint comm on energy)
few months ago and inaddition to discussing health care issues, bring up the
light pollution bill. In each case, they all state: sounds like a great
idea.. no one has spoken to them about it yet.. will discuss with sponsor
and discuss further.

   Well,   now that Jim Marzilli has dropped out of the re-election race,
and is in a Psych hospital, it appears they will never hear from him at all.
Every 2 years, 7,000 bills get filled, only about 200 actually pass. If a
sponsor is not actively pushing a bill, it has essentially little chance of
passing, I think we are dead this year as a result. This is very
frustrating, as I have made quite an effort to meet with the house and
senate leaders and and felt I greased the wheels for the bill to pass. The
one person who I have NOT met with this past year was Marzilli himself. I
have even stopped by his state house office twice, and he "could not meet".
He has not responded to phone calls, or e-mails as he had promptly in the
past, frustrating myself as well as Kelly. I think something medically is
wrong with him to have such a dramatic turn around in behavior, and to go
around accosting women in public places.

     So, that leaves us with a problem, where do we go from here. For those
that do not know, I am currently president-elect of the Mass Medical
Society, and next May will be President. This gives me great access to
politicians both at our state house, and nationally. In two weeks, I will be
at the AMA meeting in Chicago, and I have been nominated to be on the AMA
Science and Public health Council. That would allow me to have a voice on
national scientific issues that affect public health. (Light pollution just
might creep into the discussion if I have my way).  Not certain at all of
course, have to be elected, but my main opponent is a psychiatrist from
Illinois... you would think a cardiologist with a large telescope should be
able to beat out a Psychiatrist, but... will let you know. The point is, I
think I have a golden opportunity to use the power of my office to push the
light pollution bill. When I show up representing the medical society they
actually listen to me.. (I am shocked actually). In addition, the MMS has 2
part time lobbyists who I have already instructed to track the bill and push
whenever appropriate.

    The main issue is now with Marzilli's public fall from grace, we need a
new sponsor if we are to get a light pollution bill. Jim is essentially a
non person now at the State House, and too late for anything to do about it.
I will continue to push the bill, but I have my doubts this year.
I think I now know enough about how to get a bill passed, but will need
ATMOB help. If you guys want this, we all need to work for it.

1. We need a new sponsor. I am sure I could get Sen Tarr from Gloucester to
sponsor, as I have already spoken to him, and he supports, but.. he is a
Republican in a democratic state, and may not be best move. I will however
ask him to be a co-sponsor, thus making it "bi-partisan" legislation, always
a smart move.
I will sit down with the MMS people and decide which legislators have real
power to get this through, then will propose those names to ATMOB. We then
need members in those districts to meet with that legislator and ask they
sponsor for next cycle. This I can not do alone, need a local constituent to
be there as an ask. I want to find some one who will be committed and will
actually work for the bill.

2. I want all ATMOB to make sure they meet with or send notes to ask that we
have plenty of co-sponsors. Bills with many co-sponsors always have a boost.

3.Bills get filled in December for the next legislative cycle. Miss that,
and you are swimming upstream. So.. will get all this arranged this summer,
and pushed in the fall. Be ready for the filling in early December.

4. Make an effort to get to state House during committee meetings.

5. We have a ready built argument that many towns and cities have already
passed their own light pollution law. This has been a very powerful argument
when I have discussed at the State House. Need a full list in NELPAG, so we
can sway the legislators, so... need this soon. Can everyone check their
local town, and at the next meeting give me a list of all towns that have
passed a form of light pollution control? Pass notes to me with your name
and your towns status. If you know the town bill statute number all the
better. I will pass this into NELPAG and build our database and our argument
for state passage becomes very strong.

To Virginia, If we could have a few moments at our June meeting to start
this discussion? Maybe after the club elections.
And by the way, let me be the first to thank you for a great 2 years as
president, you have worked tirelessly on our behalf, and I think have been
one of the best presidents we have ever had, great job. Steve Beckwith will
have large shoes to fill.

To all, I think I have an opportunity to get this passed, but... not worth
the effort unless we do the above and everyone helps. Are you all on board??

Mario Motta
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