This spring, and during the busiest months of the 2023-2024 legislative session, the Roundtable engaged with external partners, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and the legislature on a variety of issues impacting our members and the state. Through testimony on the budget, economic development, data privacy, and more, to engaging with the State Workforce Board and MassSkills Coalition, the Roundtable helped to support solutions aimed to address the biggest issues impacting the Commonwealth.

See below for a recap of what the Roundtable team was up to over the past 3 months.

Testimony

This quarter, the Roundtable submitted testimony on member priorities, including the FY25 budget; economic development; data privacy; housing; and child care. The testimony, which is summarized below, was framed around a competitiveness message, highlighting strong headwinds the state is facing and an urgency to address these challenges and increase Massachusetts’ long-term competitive position.

  • FY25 Budget: In April, the Roundtable submitted testimony to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means on our priorities for the FY25 budget. The testimony highlights the investments and opportunities to ensure the Commonwealth remains competitive and a desirable place to live, work, and do business. You can read the testimony here.
  • Mass Leads Act: In April and May, the Roundtable submitted testimony and joined in a joint letter with over 80 businesses and business associations in support of the Mass Leads Act, the Administration’s economic development bill. First, the Roundtable testified at the Committee hearing and submitted written testimony, reminding the Joint Committee that: “Our mission, your work, and our mutual collaboration is more crucial now than ever. Massachusetts’ high cost of living, high cost of doing business, and the related outmigration trends are posing a direct threat to our economy. For an economy historically based on access to the best talent in the world, this is a direct threat to the state’s competitiveness and cause for urgency to pass H.4559 this session.” You can read the Roundtable’s testimony here. Second, the Roundtable joined Roundtable member organizations, businesses, and other associations in a letter to the House and Senate supporting the critical investments in the climatetech industry included in the Mass Leads Act. You can view the letter and all supporting organizations here.
  • Data Privacy: In June, the Roundtable joined with the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) to coordinate 20 business associations in opposition to a Data Privacy Bill that is currently sitting in the Committees of Ways and Means of both chambers. Based on direct feedback from members, the Roundtable opposes these bills in their current form given the significant impact they would have on competitiveness and how they vary from bills that have passed in 18 other states. You can view the letter here.
  • Housing: This quarter, the Roundtable took two opportunities to convey the importance of addressing the state’s housing crisis. First, in April we submitted testimony to the Joint Committee on Bonding as the Affordable Homes Act – a $4B piece of capital legislation dedicated to housing production – moved through the legislative process, saying “The business community has been sounding the alarm about the economic consequences of this housing challenge primarily because of its impact on the ability of employers to attract and retain talent.” You can read the Roundtable’s testimony here. In May, the Roundtable joined with 25 other business associations conveying support for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) noting that, “Legalizing ADUs is a common-sense and cost-effective solution that must be part of the state’s strategy to combat the housing crisis.” This provision has been included in the bills passed by the House and Senate and is soon to become law. You can read the letter here.
  • Early Childhood Education: In May, the Roundtable joined with the Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education to submit comments to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means supporting the continuation of the Commonwealth Care for Children Grant Program and has been engaging with the Healey-Driscoll Administration to support its “whole of government” Early Education Task Force.  The Roundtable also joined with the Business Coalition to support the inclusion of an early education public-private partnership program to support employees’ child care needs which is included in the Senate FY25 budget.

State Workforce Board

The MassHire State Workforce Board advises the Governor and the Administration on ways to build a strong workforce development system that is aligned with education policies and economic development goals. Roundtable Executive Vice President Tonja Mettlach joined the board earlier this year and is working with fellow board members and the Healey-Driscoll Administration to begin implementing the Administration’s Workforce Agenda, which sets forth strategies to attract, retain, and develop a future workforce. At the June Board meeting, the Board focused on youth employment strategies and heard updates on new committees aimed to oversee system performance and transform and modernize the state’s workforce system. Given the Roundtable’s long focus on workforce development through our Talent Agenda, we see this work as vital to ensure coordination and employer input to the state’s workforce system.

MassSkills Coalition

The MassSkills Coalition, of which the Roundtable helps to co-lead, held its first convening in May. The virtual meeting, which attracted over 80 attendees, brought together employers, business associations, nonprofits, academia, and workforce organizations to begin to discuss what a skills-based talent strategy is and how employers can begin to adopt these practices in their organizations. Guest speakers included representatives from Bay State Health; BEST Hospitality; Vertex; the national Business Roundtable; and Grads of Life. You can see a PowerPoint from the meeting here. Also, if you are a Roundtable member interested in learning more about the MassSkills Coalition and how you can get involved, reach out to Tonja Mettlach anytime!

Energy Permitting and Siting Commission

In March, the Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting, a commission that JD Chesloff represented the Roundtable on, released its recommendations aimed to streamline and advance clean energy development. Recommendations, which can be read here, include consolidating existing permits, mandating community engagement, and creating guidance on site suitability. Other Roundtable member organizations that participated in the commission include, National Grid and Eversource. You can read the press release here. Of importance, last week a Climate bill passed by the Senate included many of the recommendations of the Commission.

DC Convening of State Roundtables

In April, JD Chesloff and Tonja Mettlach attended a meeting of State Business Roundtable Executives (SBRE) from around the country, hosted by the national Business Roundtable (BRT) in Washington, D.C. The SBRE, which the Roundtable leads, is an invaluable peer network of leaders that periodically meets and shares organizational and policy updates and best practices, providing insights that are shared across organizations. This annual convening provides an opportunity to share experiences, priorities, and compare notes with peers from around the country. It is also a productive forum to discuss both organizational and policy issues and is always a fascinating peek into the psyche of other parts of the country. You can read the reflections from the trip on the Roundtable’s blog here.