Community Gift Cards are Perfect for the Holidays

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Do something different this year….
Community Gift Cards are Perfect for the Holidays

Delight your employees, clients and partners with a gift that shows your community spirit!

Unique to the communities of North Central Massachusetts, the new Gift Local eGift Cards work exclusively at a variety of local small businesses. Recipients can choose among food, retailers, salons and spas, entertainment and more – and every purchase helps our local businesses thrive. There is always something for everyone!

It’s Easy. Here’s how!

  • Start at Giftlocal.net and select “Buy E-Gift Cards” then follow the instructions;
  • Send one or a whole batch of gifts via text, email or print 1 to 99 gifts from a file of PDFs to hand-deliver;
  • Write your message and schedule the eGift Cards for delivery if you want;
  • Check-out and pay with your credit card. You can edit individual messages and amounts in the cart before your checkout;
  • Need help? Contact Lauren Goulet at 978.353.7600 ext. 222 or email lgoulet@northcentralmass.com

You have options with the new gift card program:

Monthly reminders: Send gifts by email whenever possible so recipients get monthly reminders to spend them. Upload a spreadsheet with your recipients’ contact information to your account to send all your gifts at once.

Recoup unspent funds: No waste! You can set an expiration date for your gifts by contacting us. You can re-gift the rebate or request a check.

Get a discount on the $1+5% eDelivery fee to $0.50+3% if you are spending more than $1,000 and are paying in advance with a check or ACH. Contact us to get your discount. This is the best option for large purchases and/or ongoing employee rewards and recognition.

Get a free business account that allows you to deposit funds in advance to send gifts at the discounted rate, set expiration dates to recoup unspent funds, give access and budgets to managers for ongoing programs like spot bonuses, employee rewards or anniversary gifts, and run reports and analytics anytime on card distribution and usage.

The Chamber has recently partnered with Yiftee, a national community gift card provider, to power our Gift Local eGift Card Program. The Gift Local eGift Card is an effort by the Chamber to encourage consumers to shop local and help keep local dollars circulating in the region.

For more information or additional question, please visit www.Giftlocal.net or contact Lauren Goulet at 978.353.7600 ext. 222 or lgoulet@northcentralmass.com.

Visit North Central Massachusetts Update

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The Chamber’s destination marketing arm, Visit North Central Massachusetts (VNCM), finalized its FY23 annual marketing plan. Proposed marketing efforts included in the plan range from digital advertising campaigns, sponsored campaigns, public relations, social media, trade show participation and several collaborations with state and local partners. The primary focus of marketing efforts will continue to be on attracting the weekend and daytrip leisure traveler from within a 250-mile radius, including key origin markets like Boston, Southern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. Other target markets for our efforts in FY23 include the youth/amateur sports market and corporate/associations. The plan was approved by the Board of Directors and submitted to the Mass Office of Travel and Tourism as part of our annual tourism grant submission. We hope to hear back on our final grant award in December.

Throughout the Fall season, we also worked on updating and refining the content on our travel website – Visitnorthcentral.com. Visitors use the site as a guide and can easily find out about places to visit, where to stay, culinary experiences and local services offered in the region. We updated listings and the event calendar. We also added new content to help promote the region, including some seasonal landing pages; a section highlighting communities in our region; and a new landing page to help promote the region as a destination for youth and amateur sports tournaments and events. In addition, we posted several stories highlighting activities and attractions, such as “Choices, Choices! How Do You Pick The Perfect Apple?” which promoted the region’s orchards; “It’s Festival Season” which highlighted the region’s abundance of Fall festivals and events; and “Tunes & Taps” which promoted the region as a destination for craft beer lovers.

The Fall/Winter edition of the Guide to North Central Massachusetts was published in September. This popular publication is a glossy, full color magazine with pieces that aim to inform and inspire readers, and brand North Central Massachusetts as a unique destination and a dynamic place to live, work and visit. Over 35,000 issues were distributed to over 300 high traffic locations through-out the region and state. A digital version was also posted on the website and shared via social media and email. We have seen strong demand for the publication this year and anticipate running out of the remaining supply of the Winter edition at the visitor center by early December. Costs for producing and printing the guide have increased, so we will need to carefully evaluate advertising interest to weigh if we can increase the number of issues for the next edition to meet the increasing demand we have been seeing. Members interested in advertising in the 2023 Spring/Summer edition are strongly encouraged to contact the Chamber as soon as possible.

We also invested in several paid campaigns executed through Facebook that were targeted to the drive market during the Fall season. The ads highlighted Fall activities in North Central Massachusetts, including apple picking, Fall foliage, festivals and other activities. The campaigns ran in September and October and resulted in a paid reach of 448,894 and 1,545,900 impressions. Organic reach during the same period was 398,967. The campaigns also resulted in 18,013 engagements and our Facebook following growing by over 2,000 followers. During the same period, our Instagram posts had a reach of 19,383 and saw 78 new followers.

Our other paid advertising efforts during the Fall included a Labor Day campaign with Media News Group to promote Fairs and the kick-off of the Fall season. The campaign included digital and print ads in their publications. The digital ads resulted in 190,689 impressions and 156 clicks. We also complemented the campaign with radio advertisements. During the season, we also partnered with the Hampshire County Regional Tourism Council on an advertising campaign in the Boston Spirit and we secured an ad in the Dream Destinations Guide targeted towards the Western Massachusetts and Connecticut market. We also hosted a booth at the Dream Destinations Travel Show in Springfield and helped to staff the Massachusetts booth at the Big E in Springfield.

Lodging data was very strong for the Fall season. Hotel occupancy for YTD through September was 70.9%, a 20.7% increase over the previous year; ADR was $173.76 which is a 41.5% increase; RevPar was $123.18, a 70.9% increase over the previous year; total room revenue was up 70.9%; and rooms sold was up 20.7% for YTD. AirDNA data also showed that demand for short term rentals (vacation rentals) in the region has increased 53.1% YTD through September and revenues have increased 62.6%. Although we saw strong lodging data and social media results, website traffic was down modestly about 6% during the season.

Our Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center also saw strong traffic during the Fall season. Sales at the gift shop were at a record high, up 35% over the previous year and 10% over 2018 which was our previous record year. We also saw eighteen group tour buses stop at the center in the Fall, an increase over previous years.

With Fall behind us, we have shifted gears to focus on promoting awareness and visitation to North Central Massachusetts during the Winter season.

Chamber’s Economic Development Affiliate Closes Out Successful Year

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The Chamber’s economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), completed its fiscal year on September 30, 2022. The NCMDC works in partnership with local banks, credit unions, chambers of commerce and area nonprofits to support emerging microenterprises, small businesses, and community projects in North Central Massachusetts with loans and technical assistance. The NCMDC provided a total of 31 micro-loans for a total of $1,680,500. Of note, 74% of these loans were granted to historically underserved communities of minority, women or low income owned businesses. The loans ranged from $7,500 to $206,000. Our loans helped to leverage another $2,286,138 in bank financing and owner capital and resulted in the retention/creation of 174 jobs.

In addition to the loans, our economic development team also provided 1,162 hours of direct technical assistance and counseling to small businesses over the year. We also provided an additional 10 micro-grants, for a total $44,219.64, to support technical assistance needs of local small businesses. The average micro-grant awarded was $4,422.

Since the microloan program was established in the 1990s, the NCMDC has provided a cumulative total of 341 microloans totaling $11,642,617 which have helped create 620 jobs and retain another 846 jobs. The numbers do not include any fixed asset loans (SBA 504 loans) made during the early history of the NCMDC. When factoring in these loans, the NCMDC has made over $24 million in loans.

The NCMDC is certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) program and is a micro-loan intermediary for the U.S. Small Business Administration.

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation provides $10,000 grant to City of Fitchburg

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Grant supports pop-up shop approach for artisans, crafters, entrepreneurs to share their work with the community

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, today announced it provided a grant of $10,000 to the City of Fitchburg for the development of pop-up shops to provide temporary space for local artisans, crafters and entrepreneurs to sell their products to the community.

InTown Fitchburg has been working in collaboration with the City of Fitchburg to identify multiple areas feasible for pop-up businesses, which are planned to begin in December 2022. Identified locations for the pop-up shops include vacant storefronts in the downtown area which have the potential to generate much needed economic activity for the properties and interest in the storefront.

Over the next few months, two pop-up shops will be coming to Fitchburg. InTown Fitchburg is partnering with Bonfire Books to lead a Retail Pop-Up Market from December 1 to December 23, 2022, and a post-holiday week event with additional discounts from January 2 to January 6, 2023. The shop will be located at 37 Boulder Drive in Fitchburg. Bonfire Books will be selling used, new and unusual books as well as hosting vendors who will be featured throughout the pop-up shop schedule. Participating vendors include local paper artists, woolens and winter accessories, custom cards and calendars, stationary and stickers, locally made soaps and candles, and other art, gift and craft items.

“A pop-up shop provides a tremendous benefit to the business owner while also helping to develop vibrant downtown areas,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “This funding will help support the ongoing revitalization efforts of the downtown Fitchburg area by bringing together local small business owners to share their work with the community.”

In addition to highlighting vendors featured in the pop-ups, placing pop-up shops in an existing business has the potential to attract a new customer base and could lead to future collaborations with featured vendors.

“As we continue our work to revitalize the downtown area, we are excited to open up our vacant storefronts for our local small business owners to share their products with the community through this program,” said Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale, City of Fitchburg. “It’s always wonderful when organizations come together to create unique opportunities for our business owners, and through this collaboration with the city, InTown Fitchburg, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, and the property owners willing to participate in the program, we are able to provide spaces for local artists and entrepreneurs to grow their business while we grow our downtown.”

Additional details, including opening times and updates for these pop-up shops, can be found by visiting www.intownfitchburg.com or following Bonfire Books on social media.

Chamber Member Is Bringing Scuba Diving Back to Central Mass

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For those in the know, the distinctive diagonal white stripe on a red background displayed on Main Street in Downtown Leominster is a pleasant surprise. They immediately recognize the diver down flag used to alert vessels that scuba divers and snorkelers are underwater. “A lot of customers see the diver down flag while driving by and stop in to check us out,” say first-time small business owners Matt and Pam DeMar, who opened Descent Divers, only the second dive shop in Worcester County, to have fun and grow the local underwater community.

The shop’s prime location at 6 Main Street boasts floor space for an array of scuba diving merchandise, from face masks to flippers. Even more convenient is the space upstairs that serves as a classroom for the wide range of courses offered at Descent Divers. Some of those courses, like Open Water Diving, cater to beginners. But the DeMars also offer an array of specialized certification courses, from Rescue Diving to Night Diving, for more experienced divers. And for those who want to dive year-round closer to home, the shop’s certification courses in Full Face Mask Diving and Dry Suit Diving are big hits. Since scuba divers equipped with a full-face mask and dry suit leave nothing exposed to the elements, they can continue diving in local lakes or along the South Shore well after the traditional end of diving season in November.

Whichever course customers choose, it’s helpful to know that Descent Divers is affiliated with internationally recognized PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), which issues the scuba diving certifications. “Many of our courses are also ACE (American Council of Education) accredited,” adds Matt about the accreditation, which means that some courses can count as transferable college credits in physical fitness or environmental science.

Enriched air for longer dives
Matt is a certified scuba diving instructor who volunteered for years with Operation Blue Pride, a nonprofit based in Newton, MA, which offers free scuba training to veterans. So, he knows the ins and outs of diving and offers other essential services at Descent Divers, everything from repairing regulators to producing and selling enriched air nitrox (EANx). The enriched air tanks are essential to deep-water divers who run the risk of getting the bends, a potentially deadly nitrogen saturation in tissue that occurs when divers remain submerged for a long time. EANx increases the amount of oxygen in the tank up to 40% to minimize nitrogen intake. Luckily, the shop’s Main Street location also includes a basement that houses the compressor used to manufacture EANx. And the certification you need to purchase the enriched air? Descent Divers offers that non-dive training course right upstairs.

Seal pups, scallops and lobsters
“It’s amazing what you can see underwater even out here,” says Matt of New England’s waterways, which tend to be murkier than tropical destinations. Seeing seal pups play underwater is one of those amazing sights, while more adventurous souls can scuba dive for lobsters. Although picking up a lobster at your local grocer might be more convenient, Matt insists that “it’s more fun to dive for your own.” Rest assured, the shop offers essential gear for lobster diving, like squeeze-handle claw-proof bags and curved tickle sticks used to coax lobsters out of hiding.

Networking and community outreach
When it came to handling the logistics of opening a scuba diving shop, like booking pool time for underwater training, the couple say being members of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce was invaluable. “The Chamber is good about helping businesses network with other businesses and institutions in the area,” explains Pam. “Especially when we needed additional pool times, having those connections was very helpful.”

According to the owners of Descent Divers, their Chamber of Commerce membership is also great for community outreach since it connects them with community organizers, like those who might plan beach cleanups. “People often forget to clean up what’s in the water,” Matt cautions. “We’re eager to participate in those beach cleanups since we can dive underwater and pick up discarded litter that washes into the waterways.”

Whether you’re a seasoned scuba diver or want to get certified, the dive shop owners encourage you to stop by for a chat. “But bring a friend,” warns Matt. “You’ll need a dive buddy.”

Learn more
Stop by Descent Divers at 6 Main Street in Leominster, MA, or learn more about its extensive course offerings at descentdivers.com.
Email: info@descentdivers.com
Phone: 978-230-7300

Mass. Retailers Forecast 10 Percent Spike In Holiday Sales

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Source: State House News Service
Author: Michael P. Norton

High inflation and steady recession talk do not appear to be dampening holiday shopping appetites.

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts on Thursday morning forecast a 10 percent increase in local holiday shopping sales this year. The prediction, based on a survey of association members, contrasts with a forecast calling for a 6 to 8 percent increase in holiday sales nationally.

“We are asking Massachusetts’ holiday shoppers to remember that how they invest their dollars makes a big difference in the local economy,” RAM President Jon Hurst said. “We are asking consumers to commit to investing a good portion of their spending budgets right here in our communities.”

Holiday sales for the 2021 season increased 16 percent in Massachusetts and 14 nationally due to pent-up demand from COVID, the association said.

Numbers released Thursday morning show U.S. inflation was up 7.7 percent over the year in October, down from an 8.2 percent year-over-year increase reported in September, and RAM said retailers are also feeling inflation’s pinch on outlays for inventory, wages, and energy.

“A projected 10 percent sales increase over prior year leaves little margin for error or increased profitability given the 8 percent inflation rate,” Hurst said.

The health of retail is important on main streets across the state where stores offer a base for commerce and community development, but also to the roughly 600,000 people who are employed in the sector, accounting for about 17 percent of all jobs in the state, according to the association, whose 4,000 members include “retailers and restaurants of all types and sizes.”

The association said consumer spending in Massachusetts has “remained relatively strong for the year to date,” with members reporting an average sales increase of 6 percent so far. But retailers are seeing changes in consumer purchasing patterns.

“Consumer savings rates increased during COVID, and debt levels dropped as well,” the association said. “Yet those numbers are now reversing again given the inflation rate, and some sellers report experiences of customers now ‘buying down’ on their purchases, even as the number of transactions continue at positive numbers.”

Hurst reported that 60 percent of the association’s members report selling online, compared to 26 percent during the 2019 holiday season.

Baker Signs Eco Dev Package, With Preference for ARPA Spending

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Source: State House News Service
Author: Chris Lisinski

Months of uncertainty about the fate of a multibillion-dollar spending package came to an end Thursday when Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a $3.76 billion compromise bill that, to his disappointment, does not feature the tax relief Democrats once promised.

Baker used his veto pen to strike only $1.1 million from the bill’s bottom line and sent back two proposed changes dealing with certified nurses’ aide exams and retirement buybacks. He also vetoed two dozen outside sections, most dealing with in-state tuition retention language Baker said would be more appropriate in an annual budget or “considered as part of a comprehensive public higher education finance reform effort, not made piecemeal.”

Baker also struck down a section of the bill that would have created a special commission to examine “the potential negative environmental and economic impacts” of discharging radioactive spent fuel pool water, which lawmakers included as Holtec weighs dumping contaminated water into Cape Cod Bay in the process of decommissioning the former Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant.

The governor said that proposed panel’s work “would be duplicative of, and would interfere with, ongoing work on waste disposal and decommissioning issues by the responsible federal and state agencies.”

The most significant change Baker made is more or less an accounting one. He vetoed language setting a $510 million cap on the amount of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds that could be spent toward the bill’s goals, a move that the administration said would allow Massachusetts to prioritize committing its full pot of $2.3 billion in remaining ARPA money.

That veto does not change the legislation’s bottom line, but it will effectively shift around spending sources so that Gov.-elect Maura Healey and the Legislature will need to decide the fate of carried-forward surplus fiscal 2022 state tax revenues rather than untapped federal aid.

In his signing letter, Baker said he was “deeply concerned” that the proposed cap would have left that much ARPA money unused ahead of an end-of-2024 deadline to commit the full pot and an end-of-2026 deadline to spend it.

“It is imperative that the Commonwealth does not put these funds at risk through further delay in allocating them. Therefore, I am vetoing section 264, which would restrict ARPA-FRF spending to only $510 million,” Baker wrote. “This will allow the Commonwealth to allocate federal dollars first for uses as authorized in line items in this bill. Relative to the enacted bill, the same amount of money will remain unallocated, and that money will still be subject to appropriation, but it will be state money, and it will not expire.”

The bill will steer funding to a range of industries and toward numerous public programs. It includes $850 million in relief for financially strained hospitals, human services providers, nursing facilities, rest homes and community health centers as well as $200 million for the state’s ongoing COVID-19 response.

Other spending highlights include hundreds of millions of dollars for housing production and homeownership supports, $150 million for early education and care providers, $150 million for clean energy initiatives and $100 million for port infrastructure improvements.

The new law additionally provides the MBTA with another $112 million for critical work and safety improvements in the wake of a blistering Federal Transit Administration investigation, which found myriad problems and incurred mandatory corrective action plans. That money adds to $666 million lawmakers and Baker already approved for the T to address those issues.

“The significant investments in this bill will fortify health and human services, advance clean energy and resiliency efforts, expand affordable housing production, and support Massachusetts communities, businesses, and families,” Baker wrote.

Legislative leaders spent months weighing spending ideas and tax relief measures behind closed doors before both branches in July unanimously approved versions of the bill. Those drafts each included $500 million in one-time rebates for middle-income Bay Staters and authorized about half a billion dollars annually in permanent estate tax reforms and tax breaks for renters, seniors, caregivers and others.

Top Democrats tossed their original plan back onto the shelf, however, when they learned in late July that Massachusetts owed taxpayers nearly $3 billion in relief under a 1986 voter-approved tax cap law. The compromise they revived after months of inaction featured none of the previously approved tax reforms as legislative leaders warned about an uncertain economic future.

“As I have also previously expressed, I was disappointed that permanent tax relief reforms were not included in this bill. The measures that I proposed in January and that were supported by the Legislature in earlier versions of this bill are affordable and sorely needed by Massachusetts taxpayers,” Baker wrote in his signing letter. “Recognizing the importance of childcare investments, I am approving sections in this bill that redirect $315 million from the Commonwealth Taxpayer Relief Fund to the High-Quality Early Education & Care Affordability Fund. However, we can invest in childcare and make sensible tax changes at the same time. With the state in a historically strong fiscal position, the tax cuts that the Legislature has committed to prioritizing next session will be affordable without a special set-aside.”

In addition to authorizing spending for economic development goals, the bill includes measures that will allow Comptroller William McNamara to close the state’s financial books on the fiscal year that ended June 30.

McNamara under state law faces an Oct. 31 deadline to file an annual financial report, but delayed action on the closeout budget pushed his work past that date.

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation approves financing toward purchase of popular dance and performing arts studio

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Paula Meola Dance and Performing Arts now known as MEM Dance Theatre

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $100,000 loan to Paula Meola Dance and Performing Arts as new leadership takes over the popular studio following the retirement of Paula Meola, founder of the studio. This loan retained two full-time employees and 13 part-time employees.

Now known as MEM Dance Theatre, the studio is located at 50 Leominster Road in Sterling and was purchased by Matthew Kooyomjian and Mary Elizabeth Tinervin in early 2022. In addition to ownership, Kooyomjian coaches and manages the elite competitive dance team, and will continue his role as Administrative Manager and Director of Competitive Teams. Tinervin has served as an instructor at the studio for the past two years and has an extensive dance background, including dancing professionally in Europe, Boston and New York City, which will serve her well as a new owner.

“With a proud heritage dating back more than 20 years, the primary mission of MEM Dance Theatre is to provide a safe, fun, skilled experience for families and their children who desire to study dance and theatre arts,” said Kooyomjian. “With the funding provided by the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, we are able to continue Paula’s legacy of offering our community access to unique performance opportunities, and our students with dance techniques provided by talented faculty and guest artists.”

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.

For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation approves financing toward purchase of Birchtree Bread Company

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Funding to support business growth for popular Crust Bake Shop

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $125,000 loan as part of a funding package with TD Bank, for owners of Crust Bake Shop to purchase Birchtree Bread Company, located on Green Street in Worcester.

The restaurant was purchased by Alexis Kelleher and Nate Rossi, owners of the popular Crust Bake Shop in Worcester, to expand Crust Bake Shop with a larger commercial kitchen facility while enabling Birchtree Bread Company to continue servicing the booming canal district.

In 2016, Kelleher opened Crust focusing on artisan breads, pastries, baked goods, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches. In August 2020, Crust expanded to a second location on West Boylston Street in Worcester. This loan helped to retain 22 full-time and 35 part-time jobs and was referred by NCMDC by the Small Business Development Center.

“We have experienced tremendous growth over the past six years and after looking for a large, commercial kitchen we learned Birchtree Bread Company was for sale,” said Kelleher. “This was the perfect opportunity for us to expand our business and continue providing the dedicated customers at Birchtree the food and beverages they’ve come to love over the years. We are grateful to the Small Business Development Corporation, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation and to TD Bank for helping us achieve our goals.”

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.

For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.

Baker-Polito Administration Joins Military Families and Legislators to Celebrate Signing of SPEED Act

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The Baker-Polito Administration today joined military family members and legislators for a ceremonial signing of the SPEED Act, a comprehensive new law that makes Massachusetts a more welcoming place for military families and strengthens efforts to support and honor the Commonwealth’s veterans. Governor Charlie Baker held a ceremonial signing of the legislation today at Hanscom Air Force Base with Secretary of Veterans’ Services Cheryl Lussier Poppe, Massachusetts National Guard Adjunct General Major General Gary W. Keefe, and leaders from the military family community.

“Massachusetts has a strong history of supporting our nation’s military, and we are proud that thousands of service members and their families call the Commonwealth their home,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The SPEED Act makes Massachusetts a more welcoming place for military families transferring here by streamlining the occupational licensing process so military spouses can continue their professional careers and by making it easier for those families to access educational opportunities in the Commonwealth. In addition, I am pleased that this new law will create a Medal of Fidelity so that Massachusetts can recognize fallen heroes who lost their lives to the hidden wounds of war. We are grateful to the many military family members who supported this important proposal and to our legislative colleagues for passing this bill.”

“Military families sacrifice so much for our country, and it’s important we do all we can to make their transitions as seamless as possible,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.“We are glad that the SPEED Act will help military spouses continue their professional careers and military family members access educational opportunities here in the Commonwealth. We are grateful for the partnership of our legislative colleagues on this important issue.”

The SPEED Act streamlines the processes for occupational licensure and school enrollment for military families transferring to Massachusetts, so families can continue their careers and education when a servicemember is newly stationed in the Commonwealth. Governor Baker initially proposed legislation to improve the licensing process for military families last year. The SPEED Act also includes language first proposed by Governor Baker creating a new Medal of Fidelity to honor veterans who lost their lives due to service-related injuries or illnesses. The Military Spouse Licensure Portability, Education and Enrollment of Dependents (SPEED) Act was passed by the Legislature this summer and signed by Governor Baker on August 5, 2022.

“The SPEED Act is momentous legislation that will improve the lives of every single service member, Veteran, and military family member who resides in our Commonwealth, now and in the future,” said Senator John Velis (D – Westfield), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “This new law supports our military families in their transition to Massachusetts, introduces new benefits and services for Veterans and National Guard members, and expands the ways our Commonwealth recognizes the sacrifices of those who have served. I am grateful to Governor Baker for signing this bill into law, to my colleagues in the Legislature for their support, and to all our Commonwealth’s service members and military families for their advocacy and their service.”

“The SPEED Act recognizes our veterans most immediate issues and addresses them head on to provide the highest quality of life,” said Representative Paul McMurtry (D – Dedham), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “Veteran-related issues have been a top priority from the start of this session and along with Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito and their administration, we have worked collaboratively to continue the Commonwealth’s long history of recognizing deserving veterans and their families.”

“This is a historic bill and is most likely the most encompassing military and veterans bill passed in the Commonwealth in the last century,” said Major General Gary W. Keefe, Adjunct General of the Massachusetts National Guard. “This bill recognizes both the sacrifice of our military service members, as well as veterans and their families, and it establishes programs that will recruit and retain service members, attract future military missions, and continue to provide for our growing veteran population. Our thanks to Governor Baker, all the Massachusetts legislators in the House and the Senate, as well as the tenacity and leadership of the Joint Committee on Military and Veterans’ Affairs who worked tirelessly to get this bill over the goal line. This bill will make it clear to every state in the republic that Massachusetts is unmatched in its care and support of it military members, veterans, and their families.”

“The SPEED Act provides critical resources that our veterans, service members and their families so rightfully deserve,” said Secretary of Veterans’ Services Cheryl Lussier Poppe.  “Through this legislation, Massachusetts continues to lead the way in providing an array of services and benefits to ensure that veterans and family members can thrive. I am grateful to Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito, members of the Legislature and other key stakeholders who helped make this legislation possible.”

“The Army recruits Soldiers, but retains Military Families; the other Services do the same.  I see the Massachusetts SPEED Act as a big step forward in alleviating several challenges facing Military Families,” said Maria McConville, Registered Dietitian, Army Veteran, and Military Spouse. “As an Army Spouse of 35 years, in a profession requiring state licensing, I am excited to see the Act’s focus on portability of licensure for all professions and expedited licensure for teachers. Valuing Military Children through the Purple Star school designations, In-state tuition, and simplification of school enrollment, speaks volumes of Massachusetts’ commitment to Service Members and their Families. On behalf of Military Spouses, I am grateful for this legislation and encourage Massachusetts, along with other states, to continue advocating for and supporting their Military residents.”

SPEED ACT Major Components:

Expedited Licensing: The SPEED Act creates a new 30-day expedited licensing process for military spouses to receive licenses issued by the Division of Occupational Licensure (DOL) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) if they are licensed in another state and meet necessary requirements. The law also allows for granting of automatic 3-year teaching certificates for spouses of active-duty military members serving in Massachusetts or a bordering state if they are licensed in another state, enabling them to work before completing testing requirements for the regular certificate.

Medal of Fidelity: The SPEED Act includes legislation first filed by Governor Baker in 2020 and again in 2021 to create a Medal of Fidelity to be awarded to the next-of-kin of Massachusetts service members who died as the result of service-connected diseases, conditions, or injuries, including PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or exposure to harmful toxins.

Educational Access for Military Families: The SPEED Act helps military families transferring to Massachusetts by allowing them to enroll students in K-12 school in advance and without having to physically appear. The law also extends Massachusetts residency or “in-state” status at public colleges and universities to any active-duty US military member, spouse, or child who is stationed in the Commonwealth.

Other Measures: The SPEED Act also:

  • Creates a new $2,000 tax credit for businesses with less than 100 employees who hire and retain National Guard members;
  • Allows several public colleges and universities to establish a pilot mentoring program to assist non-enrolled veterans to adjust to civilian life; and
  • Codifies existing practice by requiring the Governor annually to issue proclamations on the anniversaries of the founding of the US Army, the US Air Force, the US Coast Guard and the National Guard.