[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Could all members and guests please be seated
and subdue your conversations?
It's now my great pleasure to introduce
lady who just came from a great victory
yesterday as the Senate President, a good friend,
a great colleague.
Please give a warm welcome to Senate President Karen Spilka.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Please have a seat.
The joint session will come to order.
And first things first, I'd like to wish everybody
a happy and healthy new year.
The senator from Essex and Middlesex, Mr. Tarr,
has offered an order which the clerk shall read.
Order that a committee be appointed
that consists of members of the Senate and House
of Representative to wait upon the governor-elect,
the lieutenant governor-elect, and the several councils elect.
Inform them that the two branches of the general court
are now in convention for the purpose of administering votes
required to qualify them for the discharge of their duties
of their offices.
The question comes on adoption of the order.
All those in favor, say aye.
Opposed, no.
The ayes have it, and the order is adopted.
The committee on the part of the Senate will be as follows--
Ms. Creem of Middlesex and Norfolk,
Mr. Boncore of Suffolk and Middlesex,
Ms. Chang-Diaz of Suffolk, Mr. Fattman
of Worcester and Norfolk, and Mr. O'Connor
of Plymouth and Norfolk.
On behalf of the House, the chair
appoints Representative Nagle of Lowell, Representative Kane
of Shrewsbury, Representative Ferguson of Holden,
Representative Ehrlich of Marblehead,
Representative Crocker of Barnstable,
Representative Hay of Fitchburg, Representative Zlotnik
of Groton, Representative Linsky of Natick,
Representative Day of Stoneham, Representative Frost of Auburn,
Representative McKenna--
I'm sorry-- McKenna of Yarmouth, Representative Donato
of Medford, and Representative Gonzalez of Springfield.
And if I missed anyone else in the House who's here--
[LAUGHTER]
Thank you.
The committee will form in the well of the House,
and the Sergeant at Arms will escort the committee.
The joint session will be in a brief recess.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GAVEL TAPPING]
Admit the honorable committee.
You missed the announcements, [INAUDIBLE] announcements.
Oh, yeah.
Admit the honorable committee.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
The Madam President, Mr. Speaker, the governor,
lieutenant governor are anxiously
awaiting their entrance into this chamber.
In the spirit [INAUDIBLE],, they are looking forward
to another terrific session with our 191st legislative session.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for your hard work.
Do you want to say something, too?
[LAUGHTER]
I know that was a very difficult task,
and I join with the Senate President.
And your ability to go up the hall and to do your duties
was a great start of the new year, I think.
And with that, I would dismiss the members of the House.
And dismiss the members of the Senate.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
The joint session will be in a brief recess.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
The chair recognizes the Sergeant at Arms.
Madam President, [INAUDIBLE],, Karyn E. Polito,
the Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth,
and the executive council, the constitutional officers,
and the supreme judicial court.
Admit the lieutenant governor, the honorable councilors,
the constitutional officers, and the members of the judiciary.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Day's already there.
[INAUDIBLE] The governor's waiting.
OK.
[INAUDIBLE]
When she comes out, we go right to Director [INAUDIBLE]..
OK.
[APPLAUSE]
Hello, hello.
[INAUDIBLE]
Congratulations to you.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Madam President, His Excellency, Charles Baker,
the Governor-elect of the Commonwealth.
Admit His Excellency, the Governor of the Commonwealth,
Charles D. Baker.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Do you want a glass?
Yeah, that would be great.
Go get me a glass.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Madame President, do you have the oath [INAUDIBLE]??
I don't have it, yeah.
[CHEERING]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Congratulations.
[INAUDIBLE] Same to you.
Guy like me, I get stage fright.
He's nervous, and he's good.
[CHEERING]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Just getting ready.
As most of you may know, the governor today
dedicated his arrival ceremony in honor of the Massachusetts
first responders.
For the posting of the colors today, I
would like to recognize the honor guards from the police
department of the Massachusetts towns of Weymouth and Yarmouth
and the fire department of the city of Worcester.
We have invited these honor guards here today
because each of these Massachusetts communities
lost one of their own first responders this past year.
These include Officer Michael Chesna of Weymouth,
Officer Sean Gannon of Yarmouth, and firefighter Christopher Roy
of Worcester.
Please post the colors.
Detail, attention.
Forward march.
Left, left, left, right, left, left.
Left.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Left, left, left, right, left, left, left, left, right, left,
left.
Left.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Left, left, left, right, left, left, left, left, right, left,
left, left, left, right, left, left.
Left.
Left, right, left, right, left, left, left, left, right, left,
left.
Detail, halt.
Center face.
Present arms.
OK.
At this time, I would ask all members, guests, and staff
to please observe a moment of silence
in honor of Officer Chesna, Officer Gannon, and firefighter
Roy.
Thank you.
Today, to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance,
we are joined by another very special Massachusetts resident.
Sophia Casini is a second grader from Milton, Massachusetts.
Sophia is the founder of Sofia's Socks for the Homeless,
a yearly sock drive to help the homeless
at St. Francis House in Boston.
She started her annual drive, believe it or not,
when she was only four years old.
Each year, Sophia leads family members, friends,
business owners, and others in a collection drive
to help collect and distribute socks.
It is estimated that she has collected
many thousands of pairs of socks to distribute to those in need.
Let's welcome Sophia to the chamber
and give her a big round of applause
for her extraordinary efforts.
[APPLAUSE]
Sophia, our Commonwealth is very lucky to have you.
Will you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?
Thank you.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United
States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Good work.
Detail, order arms.
Center face.
Forward march.
Left, left, left, right, left, left.
Left.
Left, left, left, right, left, left.
Left.
Left, left, left, right, left, left, left, left, right, left,
left.
Left.
Left, left, left, right, left, left.
Left.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Left, left, left, right, left, left.
Left.
Let's all thank our officers once again for their service.
[APPLAUSE]
Today, joining us to offer our invocation
is his eminence, Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox
Metropolis of Boston.
Your Excellency.
Heavenly king, comforter, the spirit of truth
who is ever present and fills all things,
the treasure of all blessings and the source of life,
we beseech you to dwell in our hearts
and accept our humble prayer of invocation.
We fervently pray that you, who enlightens and sanctifies
every human being, bestow your blessings
upon our governor, Charles Baker, and our lieutenant
governor, Karyn Polito, whom you in your divine providence
have called to continue serving the citizens
of this Commonwealth.
Seal them with the light of your countenance
that they may perceive the radiance of your divine will.
Continue to inspire their decisions with your wisdom,
their evaluations with your love,
and their judgments with your mercy, fairness, and justice.
Continue to imbue them with the spirit of truth,
granting them wisdom, insight, and boldness
as they address the challenging issues confronting
our Commonwealth.
May they continue to lead with courage, compassion,
and confidence.
We pray that you'll captivate their hearts, mold their ethos,
inspire their minds, and guide them
in the difficult execution of their high trust.
May they always be protected under the shield
of your righteousness and be armed
with the sword of your spirit.
May they be sensitive to the sadness
of those who are neglected, sensitive to the terror
of those victimized by crime, sensitive
to the suffering of the unemployed,
sensitive to the humiliation of the homeless
and those oppressed by discrimination.
May they break down any existing walls of enmity and distrust,
and open the gates to a new era of reconciliation
and brotherhood of justice, equality, and opportunity.
We ask this in your name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Oops.
Thank you.
I would like to take a moment to recognize some of the other
honored guests-- and you can all be seated--
that we are thankful that we have here today.
These include members of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial
Court, the chief justices of many of our district courts,
Mayor Walsh of the city of Boston,
Governor Phil Scott of Vermont.
And I know we have with us today many other mayors
from across our great Commonwealth,
many of our district attorneys and sheriffs,
city and town counselors, select board members,
and other elected officials.
Let us welcome all of these very dedicated public servants.
Thank you for your service and your presence here today.
[APPLAUSE]
At this time, I would ask that all of the councillors
elect assemble in the well to be sworn in.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
I will recite the oath of office for all of you
to be sworn in at once, although insert your own name.
And then each one would come up to sign a piece of paper.
So please raise your right hand.
I-- insert your name-- do solemnly swear--
I [INAUDIBLE] do solemnly swear--
--that I will bear true faith and allegiance--
--to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts--
--and will support the Constitution thereof--
--so help me God.
I-- state your name-- do solemnly swear and affirm--
I [INAUDIBLE] do solemnly swear and affirm--
--that I will faithfully and impartially--
--discharge and perform--
--all the duties incumbent upon me--
--as executive councilor--
--according to the best of my abilities and understanding--
--agreeably--
--to the rules and regulations--
--of the Constitution and the laws of this Commonwealth--
--so help me God.
I-- please state your name-- do solemnly swear--
I [INAUDIBLE] do solemnly swear--
--that I will support the Constitution of the United
States.
--that I will support the Constitution of the United
States.
Congratulations, and all the best.
[APPLAUSE]
So now all you want to do is [INAUDIBLE]----
Pull each up.
OK.
Thank you.
I will now call each individual councilor one
at a time to ascend the rostrum and sign the oath
of qualification sheet.
I will ask the honorable Joseph C--
oh.
OK.
Brief recess first.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
OK.
We'll do that afterwards.
OK.
Why don't you go back to your seats
and we'll do that later on?
But we will do it.
Don't worry.
[LAUGHTER]
You can go.
Go right to lieutenant governor swearing in.
Yeah, yeah.
OK.
Yeah.
Yeah, do you want to hold this?
Yeah.
OK.
At this time, I would invite--
wait a minute.
Where's the lieutenant governor?
I pulled them all up.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Does the governor have one?
[INAUDIBLE]
It should go over here.
Brief recess.
[INAUDIBLE]
Right.
OK.
Where is she?
[INAUDIBLE]
OK.
At this time, I would invite Lieutenant Governor-elect
Polito, her husband Steve Rodolakis, and their children,
Judy and Bobby, to come up to the rostrum
for the purpose of administering the oath of the Commonwealth.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
This is so nice.
[INAUDIBLE]
Congratulations.
Thank you very much.
Congratulations.
[INAUDIBLE]
I can stand here.
[INAUDIBLE]
[INAUDIBLE] the cameras this way.
I want to just change positions [INAUDIBLE]..
Sure.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
We're going to get this right.
[LAUGHTER]
Ready?
OK.
I-- please state your name-- do solemnly swear--
I, Karyn E. Polito, do solemnly swear--
--that I will bear true faith and allegiance--
--to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts--
--and will support the Constitution thereof--
--so help me God.
I-- your name-- do solemnly swear and affirm--
I, Karyn E. Polito, do solemnly swear and affirm--
--that I will faithfully and impartially--
--discharge and perform--
--all of the duties incumbent upon me as lieutenant
governor--
--all the duties incumbent upon me as lieutenant governor--
--according to the best of my abilities and understanding--
--agreeably--
--to the rules and regulations of the Constitution--
--and the laws of this Commonwealth--
--and the laws of the Commonwealth--
--so help me God.
I do solemnly swear--
I, Karyn E. Polito, do solemnly swear--
--that I will support the Constitution of the United
States.
--that I will support the Constitution of the United
States.
Congratulations.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
OK.
At this time, I would invite Governor-elect Baker,
his wife Lauren, and their children, Caroline, Charlie,
and Al, to come to the--
Just my dad.
Oh.
OK.
Just my dad.
We would like to invite governor's dad up
to the rostrum.
[APPLAUSE]
Congratulations.
You're going to hold the Bible.
OK?
[INAUDIBLE]
I-- state your name-- do solemnly swear--
[LAUGHTER]
I, Charles D. Baker, do solemnly swear--
--that I will bear true faith and allegiance--
--to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts--
--and will support the Constitution thereof--
--and support the Constitution thereof--
--so help me God.
--so help me God
I-- your name-- do solemnly swear and affirm--
I, Charles D. Baker, do solemnly swear and affirm--
--that I will faithfully and impartially discharge
and perform--
--that I will faithfully and impartially discharge
and perform--
--all the duties incumbent upon me as governor--
--according to the best of my abilities and understanding--
--agreeably--
--to the rules and regulations of the Constitution--
--and the laws of the Commonwealth--
--and the laws of this Commonwealth--
--so help me God.
I-- your name--
do solemnly swear--
I, Charles D. Baker, do solemnly swear--
--that I will support the Constitution of the United
States.
--that I will support the Constitution of the United
States.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Thanks, Dad.
[INAUDIBLE]
Congratulations, sir.
You've done well.
OK, I'm going to [INAUDIBLE] a recess.
Maybe you can-- all right, a brief recess.
[CHEERING]
The joint session will be in a brief recess
as Secretary of State Galvin certifies the taking
of the oath of office.
Need you, too.
Oh.
Remember it from last time?
You fill in your name three times.
And sign your name here.
And we'll date it.
And she signs on the other side.
You date or I date it?
I'll take care of that.
OK.
You just sign your name.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Right.
You're next after this.
There's nothing that's designed for lefties.
Madam President, you just sign--
I'll just show you.
Sign your name, and President of the Senate
Right here?
Yes.
And I'll sign underneath you.
Lieutenant governor.
Three places.
And down here.
Three?
OK.
Filling it in.
One, two, three.
Sign it?
Yeah.
One more time.
I'll do it.
So you're going to [INAUDIBLE].
I think it's coming up, yeah.
Let me do the proclamation after this.
OK.
And then--
So he will read the proclamation--
And then-- yeah.
So I'll announce him.
He's ready.
So, Bill, are you ready?
I'll go announce you.
OK.
Secretary of the Commonwealth will now
issue a joint proclamation.
Secretary Galvin.
Thank you, Madam President.
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
in the year of our Lord 2019 and of the independence
of the United States of America the 243rd,
to all persons of goodwill, greetings.
Whereas it appears by the returns of votes
cast for governor and lieutenant governor, on November 6, 2018
and made to the Secretary of the Commonwealth
and duly examined and certified by our governor and council
agreeably to the requirements of our constitution and laws,
the Charles D. Baker of Swampscott
in the county of Essex and Karyn E. Polito of Shrewsbury
in the county of Worcester have been duly elected governor
and lieutenant governor.
And whereas the said Charles D. Baker and Karen E. Polito,
having appeared before a joint convention of the general court
this day at Boston and having taken and subscribed
the oaths prescribed by the Constitution
and the laws of this Commonwealth,
now therefore, I, William Francis Galvin, Secretary
of the Commonwealth, proclaim that His Excellency, Charles D.
Baker, and her honor, Karen E. Polito,
have qualified as Governor and Lieutenant
Governor of the Commonwealth for a term of four
years from the first Thursday next following
the first Wednesday in January 2019.
And I call upon all citizens to take notice of the same.
God save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
[APPLAUSE]
It is my pleasure to now introduce
the Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth, Karyn Polito.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Thank you, and good afternoon.
It's an honor to be here in the House of Representatives.
And I want to start by thanking Mr. Speaker for hosting us
today.
I want to thank Madam President for officiating today and doing
a wonderful job to our constitutional officers.
Members of the governor's council,
happy to see all of you here today in Sydney as well.
Justices of the Supreme Court, it's
an honor to be in your presence.
To our sheriffs, our district attorneys, mayors,
local officials, and distinguished guests
and friends, to our cabinet secretaries,
it's great to see all of you.
Thank you for being here today, all of you,
for this very, very important and special day.
And just want to say thank you for all of your hard work
in partnering and representing the great people
of this Commonwealth.
[APPLAUSE]
I want to give a special shout out
to my dear friend, Jan Celluci.
And I see Reese is in the House.
Reese, it's great to see you.
[APPLAUSE]
Your grandfather would be so proud of you.
And it's an honor for me to be able to host his portrait
in my office as a reminder of his great work
and the great work that your family continues
to give to this Commonwealth.
Thank you.
I love you.
[APPLAUSE]
And to our friend, Charlie Baker, my partner in governing,
I want to thank you for your leadership and, most
of all, your compassion and heart
that you put into your work every single day.
You are an example to all of us and an inspiration to me.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
And on behalf of the children in the care of our Department
of Children and Families, I want to sincerely thank
Lauren Baker for loving--
[APPLAUSE]
--for loving these children as much as you do.
We thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
To my brother, Ken, and his family, to my friends,
thank you for being here today.
To my parents, Fran and Judy Polito,
the proudest parents in the room--
maybe one other, right--
thank you for instilling in me the values of hard work
and perseverance.
I love you so much.
[APPLAUSE]
To my husband, Steve, you are always, always my rock.
And I thank you.
And I love you.
[APPLAUSE]
He absolutely deserves that.
And to Bobby and Judy in the front row,
you're doing a great job.
[LAUGHTER]
And I just want to say how proud Mommy and Daddy are of you
and how much I love you all.
[APPLAUSE]
Four years ago when I stood here to take the oath of office,
I spoke of my great grandfather, Francesco Polito.
Good old Francesco.
And as I stand here today, I'm reminded of him once again.
He immigrated to this country from Sicily,
moved to Worcester County--
Sicily.
[ITALIAN] I'll give you a shout out for that one.
[LAUGHTER]
And he came to Worcester County to build a better life
for his family.
And at that time, he started a business
making concrete blocks.
And just as those concrete blocks
became the foundations of homes and businesses and buildings
here in Massachusetts, his good career and growing business
became the foundation for our family.
And when I think about the work that we have all
shared over these last four years,
I think about that strong foundation
of partnership and progress that we have all built together.
And in Governor Baker's first executive order,
our community compact program was created.
And it's been my great honor to lead this initiative.
Because, like Governor Baker, I started my public service
in local government.
And it was there and later in representing
my hometown of Shrewsbury in Westborough in this chamber
that I learned that those we serve judge our success not
by what's happening on Beacon Hill,
but by what's happening in their communities
and in their neighborhoods.
[APPLAUSE]
And with that in mind, I want to recognize and honor
the contributions of our local officials
and municipal workforce because their efforts,
their efforts every single day, make this state stronger.
[APPLAUSE]
And since we issued that executive order,
I've had the pleasure to visit with every city and town
and partner with the leadership in these communities
all across our state, all 351.
And on an exciting note, one of these communities,
one of these cities is now the home of the Worcester Red Sox.
[APPLAUSE]
Some of you have been to my office,
and you might know this.
But if you don't, I keep a flag of Mount Washington
in my office.
[INAUDIBLE]
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Thank you, Representative Pignatelli and Senator Hinds.
Make sure you return that flag to its rightful place.
[LAUGHTER]
But I keep that flag in my office as a reminder--
this community is 150 strong--
as a reminder that the work we do here
extends to every border of Massachusetts,
touching a truly diverse expanse of people and places.
And through our partnership with you,
our legislative colleagues, we have
a long list of accomplishments to be proud of.
We've led the nation on our efforts
to tackle an opioid crisis that has terrorized
too many families across this Commonwealth and this nation.
And we've supported our teachers and students
by funding education at record levels
and given direct support to make our schools safer.
[APPLAUSE]
And we've provided our public safety professionals
and first responders with dedicated funding,
needed and deserved, and with dedicated funding
for their equipment and training so that they
can do their jobs even better.
[APPLAUSE]
And we brought innovative approaches
to combating domestic violence, establishing
a toolkit that empowers local law enforcement and victims
to identify abuse and hold offenders accountable.
[APPLAUSE]
We formed a Black Advisory Commission
and a Latino Advisory Commission that
have issued a robust set of recommendations
that we will fund in our upcoming budget.
[APPLAUSE]
And we've lead the nation on procuring renewable energy,
reducing our carbon footprint, and helping our communities
become far more resilient--
[APPLAUSE]
--and so much more that we've accomplished to be proud of.
And just like my great grandfather's concrete block
business that became the foundation
for our family and its future, our work over these last four
years serves as a strong foundation
for this Commonwealth to build on in the years ahead.
[APPLAUSE]
And that's exactly why we are all here today.
And throughout this nation's history,
Massachusetts has been a leader.
And together, we're continuing that proud tradition
of leadership.
And at this unique time--
sometimes troubling time in our American history--
we have found a pathway to progress.
We have chosen partnership over partisanship
and have worked to find common ground at every turn.
[APPLAUSE]
We have focused on doing the work we were elected to do,
rather than getting bogged down in political gamesmanship.
And we've never forgotten, never forgotten, that what we do here
matters.
[APPLAUSE]
We are blessed.
We're blessed to have so many hardworking, creative,
and passionate people here in this Commonwealth that
are seeking nothing more than the opportunity
to build a better life for their families,
just like my great grandfather.
[APPLAUSE]
And now is the time to press forward--
collaborating, finding common ground,
and remembering that solemn responsibility
that we have to our Commonwealth and to its people,
and recognizing the gravity of this opportunity and trust
we've been given.
Because this is the Massachusetts way.
[APPLAUSE]
And because of our collective work over the last four years,
we are in a uniquely strong position
to build on these successes.
So we must continue to strengthen
our public education, realizing that our work isn't done
until every student in every community
has access to great schools.
[APPLAUSE]
And we'll create further opportunities
in STEM, vocational, and technical schools
and online learning, innovating our public education system,
and better connecting our students to good careers.
And I've witnessed firsthand the transformational impact
that these programs can have on women
and underserved communities.
[APPLAUSE]
And we know we must work hard to create more housing
choices in our communities, pushing forward
with our opportunities for all economic development agenda.
Creating more housing is important.
It's important not only for our economic competitiveness,
but so that the next generation, our children,
can afford to live in this great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
[APPLAUSE]
And we must continue.
We must continue to modernize our aging transportation
infrastructure, finding innovative approaches
to increase mobility and connecting more people
to places efficiently.
And we must continue to make our state
government and our communities more resilient,
recognizing the effects of climate change,
assessing vulnerabilities, and preparing our infrastructure
so that future generations may continue to prosper here.
[APPLAUSE]
And on each of these initiatives,
I look forward to working with Governor Baker, our cabinet,
our administration, and all of you to make real progress
and to keep Massachusetts moving forward.
[APPLAUSE]
And while the challenges ahead of us are real
and our goals are ambitious, we recognize
why and how we will meet them.
We have accepted the solemn responsibility
because the amazing people that call Massachusetts home have
turned to us.
And we will resist the temptations
to react to the headlines coming out of Washington, DC,
and we won't regress to partisan bickering.
[APPLAUSE]
And we will achieve these goals because we must--
by building on the foundation of partnership and progress
that we've established together over these last four years.
Because this is who we are, and this is the Massachusetts way.
[APPLAUSE]
This is our way.
And I, for one--
this is our way.
And I, for one, am filled with optimism and excitement
and gratitude for the opportunity
to stand with each of you and continue this great journey.
Thank you.
God bless you, our communities, and this great Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
[APPLAUSE]
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Yeah, [INAUDIBLE] you, Karyn!
[LAUGHTER]
Love you right back!
[LAUGHTER]
And now it is my great honor to introduce
the Governor of the Commonwealth,
His Excellency, Charles D. Baker,
to deliver an inaugural address.
[APPLAUSE]
[INAUDIBLE]
That works.
Thank you.
[CHEERING]
Thank you.
Speech.
Speech!
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Save it.
[LAUGHS]
See if they're still clapping at the end.
[LAUGHTER]
Mr. Speaker.
Madam President.
Governor Phil Scott from the great state of Vermont,
thanks for joining us.
[APPLAUSE]
Members of the House and the Senate.
Fellow constitutional officers.
Members of the governor's council, congratulations.
Members of the judiciary.
Members of the cabinet and our administration.
Mr. Mayor, thank you for letting us hang out in your city.
Sheriffs, district attorneys, local officials, [INAUDIBLE]
clergy, distinguished guests.
I want to start by saying to our lieutenant governor,
my partner in leading this administration,
that I want to extend our gratitude on behalf
of all of us here today for your commitment
to this endeavor and the sacrifices
that are made by your family on your behalf.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Members of my family who are here today--
my brothers, Jonathan and Sandy, hanging out there
in the balcony.
[APPLAUSE]
My dad, the best and smartest guy I know.
[APPLAUSE]
You have been an incredible role model for us all.
Our children, who have been giving me
grief ever since I got up here, Charlie, AJ, and Caroline.
[APPLAUSE]
My wife Lauren, the awesome first lady of the Commonwealth
and the love of my life for the past 31 years.
[APPLAUSE]
To my fellow citizens, let me begin
by thanking the people of the Commonwealth
for giving the lieutenant governor and me four more
years to serve them.
We both remember election night in 2014.
It was so close it didn't end until the next day.
We had a lot to prove to the people of Massachusetts
about our vision for the Commonwealth,
our approach to governing, our priorities, our work ethic,
and our capacity to get things done.
We said we'd work to build a state government that
was as thrifty, hardworking, and creative as the people
of this great state.
And we're grateful for your continued faith in us.
And to the lawmakers who are returning to this chamber,
we say welcome back.
And we look forward to building on the partnership
we've established and the progress that we've made.
And I want to give a special welcome
to those of you who are embarking
on a new journey on Beacon Hill.
Now I'm quite sure you've heard about all the good work that
goes on up here, as well as those areas in which we
fall short.
We all strive to build a community of hope, opportunity,
and possibility.
And we seek to do so in a way that
ensures that people are heard.
My advice?
Spend time outside of the statehouse.
Listen to your constituents.
Lead with your head and your heart.
And make the best decisions you can for those you serve.
And in this era of Snapchats, tweets, Facebook and Instagram
posts, put-downs and smack-downs, I'd ask all of you
to remember that good public policy is often
about perseverance and collaboration.
Many times, it's a story written frame by frame by many players
who write it over time, relentlessly
pursuing an objective.
I want you to think about the Commonwealth's leadership
on national issues.
We have the highest rate of health care coverage
in the nation.
But that story was written across two decades,
10 legislative sessions, five governors, and four presidents.
We have best in the nation gun laws, a story that was also
written across multiple legislative sessions
and several governors and was almost always done
on a bipartisan basis.
We have a K through 12 education system
that, despite its limitations, is the envy of this country.
This story was written by a large cast
of leaders and contributors across decades
of deliberation and action.
As we approach the third decade of the 21st century,
we're engaged in a number of difficult policy issues.
Some will be with us all long after our time on Beacon Hill
is done.
But it's incumbent on us to pursue these tasks
with foresight, intelligence, and commitment
so that we can rest assured that when our time is done,
those who come after us will be able to build on the foundation
that we've established.
As I look forward, I'm grateful that we're
taking on difficult policy issues
from a position of strength.
Massachusetts no longer has a structural budget deficit.
With your help, we ended last year with a major budget
surplus, deposited over $650 million
into the stabilization fund, and anticipate
making another major deposit to that fund
at the end of this year.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
And we did it without raising taxes.
[APPLAUSE]
That was for you, Benny.
When we took office, the annual growth rate
in Medicaid spending was in double digits,
dramatically reducing what funds were available to support
other important programs.
Today, it's growing at a rate that is more in line
with the increase in overall state spending.
We added 4,000 seats to our superb vocational and technical
schools.
And we invested $50 million in capital grants
to upgrade equipment and expand programs in high demand fields.
And with your help, the Department
of Children and Families has made major progress,
serving some of the Commonwealth's most
at-risk children and families.
Caseloads are at historic lows, and virtually all
of our social workers are licensed.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you, Madam Secretary.
Now I'm pretty sure I'm the only governor who's
talked about the Registry of Motor Vehicles
not in one but in two inaugural addresses.
[LAUGHTER]
Yes, Madam Secretary.
I know how important that is to you.
The registry implemented a major new technology platform
at the same time they implemented the federal Real ID
program.
This was a big lift, and there were some bumps along the way.
But this past fall, the registry served 90% of its customers
in under 30 minutes and virtually everyone else
in less than an hour.
Best all-time performance.
[APPLAUSE]
We enacted the BRAVE Act and broke ground on a $200 million
rebuild of the Soldiers' Home in Chelsea,
proving once again that no state is more committed
in serving and delivering for its veterans
than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
[APPLAUSE]
[INAUDIBLE]
We doubled the Earned Income Tax Credit for 450,000 low income
families, invested over $100 million in new funding
into our early education system, and reduced
the use of hotels and motels to shelter homeless families
by over 95%.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
We also worked with the legislature
on two procurements that will lead
to 50% of our electricity being generated by clean resources
and then delivered a bid process that
came in far below the prices anybody anticipated.
I want you to think about this for a minute.
We delivered huge environmental benefits
at lower energy prices.
And now everybody in the country wants
to duplicate what we pulled off.
That's a huge win for everybody who
cares about our environment.
[APPLAUSE]
Our Regulatory Reform project reduced the complexity
of state government across the board,
allowing our small businesses to become more competitive
in a dynamic economy.
And the get stuff done approach that we've
taken on public-private partnerships
in economic development, advanced manufacturing,
robotics, and smart materials has
created jobs and opportunity across this Commonwealth.
As a result, our economy is booming.
We have more people working than at any time in state history.
Over 200,000 new jobs have been created since we took office.
Our labor force participation rate is at an all-time high.
And people are moving to Massachusetts
because we offer good jobs and opportunity for them.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
So I'm just going to ask you to stay standing for one second.
Thanks to the hard work of so many, many of whom
are in this room.
I can say with complete confidence
that the state of our Commonwealth is strong.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
By putting the public interest ahead of partisan politics,
we've made our Commonwealth a better place
to live for our residents.
But there's always more left to do.
25 years ago, Massachusetts wasn't a national leader
in public education.
Since then, we've achieved remarkable success
by working together on a series of education reforms.
And as a result, Massachusetts students
have scored number one on the National Assessment
of Educational Progress exams in English and math
for much of the past decade and, last year,
finished first on the Advanced Placement exams as well.
But when it comes to the difference in performance
between urban and suburban school districts,
we can and we must do better.
The foundation formula needs to be updated,
and we'll propose updates when we file our budget later
this month.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
The progress here is not just about money.
Education Commissioner Jeff Riley
proved during his time as receiver in Lawrence
that significant progress can be made
in improving school and student performance by changing
the way our schools operate.
And before that, Jeff transformed
the Clarence Edwards Middle School in Boston
from the lowest performing middle school in the city
into one of the best.
Now with that success in mind, our budget
will also include opportunities for underperforming school
districts to invest jointly with the Department of Education
in proven best practices like acceleration academies,
professional development programs, after school
enrichment initiatives, and leadership development
programs.
[APPLAUSE]
We all have an opportunity to give our kids the best
chance to succeed in a 21st century economy.
And it's up to us to come together, seize
this opportunity, and lay the groundwork
for their future success.
[APPLAUSE]
Surprisingly, there's also much to do in transportation.
[LAUGHTER]
I'll begin with a quick shout out to our Transportation
Futures Commission.
Predicting a future when there's so much possibility is
difficult. And they did great work,
and I want to highlight some of their recommendations.
First, continue to invest in public transportation.
[APPLAUSE]
[LAUGH]
This is an area in which the Commonwealth sat on its hands
for far too many years.
And we're all playing catch up and paying the price for it.
Over the course of the next five years,
the T plans to spend over $8 billion
on infrastructure, much of which will
be invested in its core system.
This is more than twice what has ever been spent by the T
in any five year period of time.
[APPLAUSE]
Now this will be no small task.
One of the reasons previous administrations didn't invest
in the core system is the complexity
of upgrading and modernizing a system that
operates 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
The constant tug between getting people where they want to go
and disrupting that system to make it better
is a big challenge.
But it's one that must be identified, scoped,
and overcome if we're to succeed in delivering
on that $8 billion objective.
The T also needs to leverage its automated fare system
once it's in place in 2020.
When that system's up, for the first time,
the T will have real-time data on how its riders actually
use the system.
This creates huge opportunities to improve service,
to think differently about fares and routes and pricing,
and to modernize operations to better serve customers,
and to create a truly customer-focused transportation
infrastructure.
Second, we must make the investments
in public infrastructure that will enable the next generation
of zero emission vehicles and autonomous vehicles
to thrive here in the Commonwealth.
Getting this right will require unprecedented collaboration
with local government, our New England neighbors,
as well as innovative partnerships
with the private sector.
Third, reduce greenhouse gas emissions
within the transportation system.
The work we're poised to do with our Northeast
and mid-Atlantic partners should produce
a cap-and-investment system for transportation
that mirrors our successful model for energy.
It will be the largest program of its kind in US history.
[APPLAUSE]
And finally, we need to more fully appreciate
the relationship between where people live
and where they work, and how state and local government
policies affect their ability to get from one to the other.
And I've spoken before-- probably more than any would
care to remember--
about the housing crisis.
For over 20 years, we've produced less than half
the new units of housing that we produced like clockwork
for the previous 40 years.
As a result, we have limited inventory.
And the inventory we have gets priced out of sight the second
it comes on the market, forcing people
to live farther and farther away from where they work.
I believe that our housing bill was
a strong step in the right direction to deal with this.
It respected the need for communities
to plan for themselves, but created incentives
to tie development more closely to overarching strategies
concerning transportation and land use policy generally.
In the end, it failed because it was too much for some
and not enough for others.
We should not let the perfect become the enemy
of the good on this one.
[APPLAUSE]
Or maybe not.
Building a stronger, more equitable, more resilient,
and more successful Commonwealth rests on several pillars.
But one of the most important ones
is delivering a big increase in housing production.
We absolutely, positively must get
this one done in this session.
[APPLAUSE]
We've also made progress on criminal justice.
Three years ago, we enacted legislation
that prohibited sending women who been civilly committed
due to an addiction to prison.
[APPLAUSE]
And two years ago, we brought the curtain down
on 30 years of shame and reformed the operations
at Bridgewater State Hospital.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
And last year, we worked together
on an ambitious comprehensive criminal justice reform
package, one that, among other things,
gives us more tools to help the men and women who will someday
return to our communities get the training, life skills,
and support they need to succeed upon their release.
But our work here is not done.
[APPLAUSE]
In deciding whether or not it makes sense
to hold a dangerousness hearing, current law
requires a judge to ignore any previous criminal history
and to focus only on the crime before the court.
In addition, the list of crimes for which
a prosecutor is allowed to make that request is very narrow.
Too often, career criminals are arrested only
to be released as soon as they appear in court.
This sort of revolving door serves
to undermine people's faith in law enforcement and the courts.
And it's a threat to public safety.
Now nobody wants to see somebody's life ruined
over a small time lapse in judgment.
And the law that we worked on together last year
addresses many of those issues.
But we still need a common sense approach
that provides the system with the ability
to schedule a dangerousness hearing when
individuals with violent histories
come before the court.
Yarmouth Police Sergeant Sean Gannon,
Weymouth Police Sergeant Michael Chesna, Auburn Police Officer
Ron Tarentino, and State Trooper Thomas Clardy all
gave their lives carrying out their sworn duty--
protecting the people of the Commonwealth.
We've been joined here today by Yarmouth Police Chief Frank
Frederickson, Weymouth Police Chief Richard Grimes, Auburn
Police Chief Auburn--
Andrew, you're screwing me up here, buddy--
Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis,
and Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police,
Colonel Kerry Gilpin.
[APPLAUSE]
We owe it to them, to their brothers and sisters
in law enforcement, and to our citizens
to ensure that we're doing all we
can to keep dangerous people off our streets.
[APPLAUSE]
And Massachusetts is also a national leader in health care.
We're one of the healthiest states in the nation.
And we have the highest rate of health care coverage.
Our health care cluster is a wonder
economically and clinically.
It's constantly delivering solutions
to some of the most challenging and complicated problems facing
patients and their families.
The flip side is the price we pay.
Small businesses in Massachusetts
have among the highest health insurance costs in the country.
The price for the same medical service
can vary by as much as 300% depending
upon where it's provided.
Our community hospitals continue to struggle.
And ironically, some of the Commonwealth's rules
make it tough to practice modern medicine.
Later this year, we'll file legislation
to address these and other issues
by expanding the use of telemedicine,
rethinking some of our scope of practice guidelines,
and dealing with the parity issues that have negatively
affected individuals and families dealing
with mental health issues.
[APPLAUSE]
And opioid addiction-- as the lieutenant governor
said, we've made great progress.
But we didn't get into this crisis overnight,
and we won't get out of it overnight either.
The members of this legislature have
been true partners on this issue,
enacting two major bills that build
on our four pillars of reform--
prevention, education, treatment, and recovery.
And it was not all that long ago when
families, providers, and first responders
had virtually no hope.
Today, we're one of a handful of states
that can say that overdose deaths have dropped since 2017.
There are interventions and policy changes that have worked
and others that show progress.
And we've also added in initiatives
like credentialed recovery coaches
that will be coming online throughout 2019 and beyond.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Dealing with opioid addiction is enormously difficult.
Relapse is an inevitable part of the story.
Helping people to avoid becoming addicted in the first place
remains a challenge.
And diffusing the presence of fentanyl,
which is now present in 90% of all drug overdose deaths,
is an enormous challenge.
But on behalf of the people of this Commonwealth,
and especially the families and family members
who deal with this addiction issue every single day,
I want to thank you for all that you've done.
And we look forward to working with you going forward
as we continue to battle this deadly disease.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Now on the afternoon of September 13,
a series of explosions rocked Greater Lawrence,
resulting in one of the biggest disasters in the history
of the Merrimack Valley.
Dozens of house fires broke out across the region.
And one young man tragically lost his life.
Fire and police teams from across Massachusetts and New
Hampshire raced to and spread out
across Lawrence, North Andover, and Andover,
putting out fires and directing and redirecting traffic.
They worked closely with the Red Cross, local non-profits,
state officials, and the leadership of the three
communities to get people safely out of their homes
and, if they had no place to go, into shelter.
For the next 90 days, there was an army
of operators, tradespeople, first responders, inspectors,
and state and local officials working throughout the three
affected communities to lay down 50 miles of new mainline pipe
to replace thousands of service lines
into houses, businesses, and apartment buildings
and repair or replace thousands of hot water heaters, stoves,
dryers, and boilers.
It was an enormous and complex undertaking.
Throughout this ordeal, homeowners, families,
and businesses affected by this disaster
showed a tremendous amount of patience, resilience,
flexibility, and fortitude.
There were hundreds of local officials
and elected officials who went above and beyond the call
on this one.
But I want to give special message and thanks
to several local officials who are with us today--
Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, his fire chief Brian Moriarty,
and Police Chief Roy Vasque, Andover Town Manager Andrew
Flanagan, their Fire Chief Michael Mansfield,
and Police Chief Patrick Keefe, and North Andover Town Manager
Andrew Maylor, Fire Chief William McCarthy,
and Police Chief Charles Gray.
These people delivered, and we're
honored to have them here.
[APPLAUSE]
It's in moments like that that everyone remembers
why committed and creative public service matters.
But at the same time, the day-to-day work often
goes on without much notice.
The fact that 351 cities and towns in this Commonwealth
have worked with state government on over 800
best practices and now use that program
to spread the word on other smarter, better ways
to deliver services doesn't make much news.
The work we've done together to invest billions
of dollars in housing, downtown, and regional economic
development and public private partnerships in communities
across the Commonwealth are stories that come and go.
The 16,000 trees we've planted and the thousands of LED lights
we've installed with our colleagues and local government
is just doing our job.
Each day, the wheels turn.
And when they turn well, they build strong communities,
support great schools, grow the economy,
clean up the environment, promote justice,
and give people a chance.
Those wheels create hope, opportunity, and possibility
from one end of Massachusetts to the other.
[APPLAUSE]
Sure, there's noise.
Tons of it.
Most of the time, that back and forth is positive.
It's people offering a point of view
with heart and intelligence in a democracy that's
designed to encourage it.
But these days, too much of what pretends to be debate
is just rhetoric or character assassination.
And every time someone joins that chorus,
they steal time, attention, and focus
away from finding common ground, creating solutions, and doing
the work that matters.
Now whether it's the grind of the day to day or a crisis,
we all need to work together because that's
what great public service is all about.
[APPLAUSE]
During the winter of 2015, we saw firsthand
during those snowstorms how amazing
this nation's mutual aid programs between states can be.
Other states bailed us out as the snow
kept falling with no end in sight.
And during that first chaotic and terrifying 24 hours
in the Merrimack Valley, the number of first responders
who just dropped whatever they were doing and headed
there was amazing.
That's public service, and people appreciate it.
Over the past four years, the lieutenant governor and I
have heard time and time again that the way we all
work together is a model for the nation.
People like our collaborative approach to governing.
And they say they're proud to be from Massachusetts.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
You know what?
So am I.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
[INAUDIBLE]
[LAUGHTER]
This state is bursting with talent, humor, and decency,
boldness and common sense.
Our abiding sense of patriotism, belonging, and community
has made us strong, and it's carried us forward
for almost 400 years.
Let others engage in the cheap shots and the low blows.
Let's make our brand of politics positive and optimistic
instead of cruel and dark.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
And instead of the bickering and the name-calling
that dominates much of today's public debate,
let's build on the work of those who came before us
and make our work about how we can
make this state better for the people who
call this glorious place home.
Thank you.
God bless the Commonwealth, and God bless
the United States of America.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
Hey, there you go.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
[INAUDIBLE] president.
[LAUGHTER]
Thank you, governor, for that terrific speech.
I would like to welcome, also, and acknowledge
Sam Kennedy from the Red Sox.
And thank you for the World Series this year.
[APPLAUSE]
And now we are joined by representatives
of another exemplary Massachusetts community.
Performing in honor of the governor, the lieutenant
governor, our first responders, and our guests today
is the Chelsea High School Cantare
who will perform "On Winter Mountain."
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
[INAUDIBLE]
Right.
OK.
[MUSIC - CHELSEA HIGH SCHOOL CANTARE, "ON WINTER MOUNTAIN"]
(SINGING) The night wears on.
The air is chilled.
Alone, I walk this road.
Alone, I walk this road, as higher yet
I go on the well-worn path.
The soft moon rises.
The stars give light, shining in the midnight sky--
in the midnight sky--
on Winter Mountain-- on Winter Mountain.
Shifting winds and gathering clouds begin the change.
[VOCALIZING] Subtle colors, textures,
hues appear to rearrange as, one by one, they float to earth,
the gentle flakes of snow.
A world of white begins to grow here on Winter Mountain--
here on Winter Mountain.
Free from the cares of life I know, I find myself refreshed.
I find myself refreshed.
Passing through this winter scene
brings the calm of inward peace as my heart finds
rest, as my heart finds rest.
From the summit's towering view, all I've seen has been renewed.
The light of dawning bursts ahead, and hope breaks forth
in glory.
And hope breaks forth in glory.
And hope breaks forth, breaks forth in glory.
[APPLAUSE]
[CHEERING]
Thank you so much for that both inspiring as well as peaceful
performance.
That was beautiful.
Thank you.
And joining us today to offer the benediction
is Reverend Calvin McFadden, senior pastor
at St. John's Congregational Church
in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Reverend McFadden.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you.
And to Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito,
we are praying for you and wishing you God's best.
Please join me in prayer.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
thou who has brought us thus far along the way,
thou who has, by thy might, led us into the light,
keep us forever in the path, we pray,
lest our feet stray from the places, our God,
where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine
of the world, we forget thee.
Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever
stand true to our God and truth to our native land.
Most gracious and loving Father, we truly
give thanks for this glorious experience
we've shared this day.
We thank you, O God, for the inauguration of our governor
and lieutenant governor and ask that you
would lead them as they lead this great Commonwealth.
We know, O Lord, that you are able
and we are willing to work through faithful leadership
to maintain stability, to mend brokenness,
to heal wounds, and deliver from the exploitation of the poor,
the least of these, and from favoritism toward the rich,
the elite of these.
O Lord, deliver these difficult days from us
in our nation where national leadership seeks to divide.
Help us in this state to make choices on the side of love,
not hate, to encourage inclusion, not exclusion,
and to promote tolerance, not intolerance.
Bless Governor Charlie Baker and his family.
Keep them safe.
We know, God, that you don't play favorites.
But we are grateful, Lord, that you favored us
with the nation's most favored governor.
[LAUGHTER]
Bless those who will work for him and with him,
and help them to refrain from personal attainment
so that they may serve your people faithfully.
Help us all, Lord, to work toward that day
when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness
as a mighty stream.
Empower us to embrace what is right, to do justice,
and to love mercy.
We ask that you would bless us and keep us,
that you would make your face shine upon us
and be gracious to us, that you would lift up your countenance
upon us and give us peace.
We ask this in respect to other faiths and religions, the name
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you, Reverend McFadden.
The Sergeant at Arms will now escort His Excellency,
the governor, Her Honor, the lieutenant governor,
the constitutional officers, the counselors,
and the distinguished guests from this house chamber.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Going to do this while they're exiting or--
[INAUDIBLE]
Yeah.
Yeah, so she'll [INAUDIBLE] the session,
and then you can do [INAUDIBLE].
OK.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Good to see you.
Congratulations.
Nice job.
That was terrific.
[INAUDIBLE]
Yeah.
Good luck.
When [INAUDIBLE] suggests that you stay in your seats,
as I said--
OK.
They let him-- aw.
[LAUGHTER]
Security.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
The senator from Plymouth and Bristow, Mr. Pacheco,
moves that the joint session do now adjourn.
All those in favor, say aye.
Opposed, no.
The ayes have it, and the joint session stands adjourned.
Will the Sergeant at Arms please escort the Senate President
and all the members of the Senate from the chamber?
See you, Mr. Speaker.
Congratulations.
Happy New Year, sir.
Just want to make sure that this is the same.
I got this from the Senate.
[INAUDIBLE] exactly the same as the one I got.
Oh, OK.
You're fine.
[SIDE CONVERSATION]
[MUSIC PLAYING]