Thanks to everyone who contacted their state senators about the dark-sky bill. The news from Kelly Beatty (below) is not good, but it could be worse. We may well call on you again. MPD ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Kelly Beatty (k.beatty@comcast.net) Date: Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 2:54 PM hi, folks . . . debate on the Senate's energy bill and its 100+ amendments finally happened yesterday. because so many of you contacted your state senators to support Amendment 52 (our dark-skies bill), combined with the overt support of Sen. Creem and Sen. Barrett, we felt really good about the outcome. but our Legislature is an awful, archaic, back-room deals kind of place, and it became clear yesterday morning that our amendment was opposed by one high-ranking Senator (or more) and therefore was marked for rejection before the vote could even be taken. so, to save face, the amendment was withdrawn before it came up for consideration. this is not the end of the road in the Senate; our original bill (S.2102) remains viable and currently rests with Senate Ways & Means. but that's where the opposition lies, and so we're not confident that (as a standalone bill) there's much hope of passage through "normal" channels. Tim and I are still working some angles there. the bright spot continues to be in the House, where Rep. Jeff Roy (co-chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy) has included our bill in H.4502, a bundle of energy-related bills that is currently working its way to the House floor for a vote. see https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4502 should the House approve H.4502 as is, then it’ll be up to the House-Senate conference committee to get Senate approval of the House-passed dark-sky bill . . . or not. this is all taking place against the backdrop of open hostility between the two chambers, and particularly between the two TUE co-chairs. there is still time in this session, and (paraphrasing Monty Python, “we’re not dead yet!” again, special thanks to those of you who contacted your Senators last week, and to all of you for your continued support. clear skies, Kelly You have received this message as a member of: Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston Change preferences (including opt-out): Online Profile <https://www.atmob.org/content.aspx?page_id=13&club_id=71141>. Click on 'Forum Memberships' to change your settings for this forum, or 'Forum General Preferences' for all forums.

You're very welcome! Thanks for letting us try. Bummer the news isn't better. :( Christine Caton-McGill Salem, Massachusetts ca.caton.mcgill@gmail.com 857.207.6931 On Wed, Jun 26, 2024, 4:53 PM Michael Deneen < michael.patrick.deneen@gmail.com> wrote: > Thanks to everyone who contacted their state senators about the dark-sky > bill. The news from Kelly Beatty (below) is not good, but it could be > worse. We may well call on you again. > > MPD > > ---------- Forwarded message --------- > From: Kelly Beatty (k.beatty@comcast.net) > Date: Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 2:54 PM > > hi, folks . . . > > debate on the Senate's energy bill and its 100+ amendments finally > happened yesterday. because so many of you contacted your state senators to > support Amendment 52 (our dark-skies bill), combined with the overt support > of Sen. Creem and Sen. Barrett, we felt really good about the outcome. but > our Legislature is an awful, archaic, back-room deals kind of place, and it > became clear yesterday morning that our amendment was opposed by one > high-ranking Senator (or more) and therefore was marked for rejection > before the vote could even be taken. so, to save face, the amendment was > withdrawn before it came up for consideration. > > this is not the end of the road in the Senate; our original bill (S.2102) > remains viable and currently rests with Senate Ways & Means. but that's > where the opposition lies, and so we're not confident that (as a standalone > bill) there's much hope of passage through "normal" channels. Tim and I are > still working some angles there. > > the bright spot continues to be in the House, where Rep. Jeff Roy > (co-chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and > Energy) has included our bill in H.4502, a bundle of energy-related bills > that is currently working its way to the House floor for a vote. see > https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H4502 > > should the House approve H.4502 as is, then it’ll be up to the > House-Senate conference committee to get Senate approval of the > House-passed dark-sky bill . . . or not. this is all taking place against > the backdrop of open hostility between the two chambers, and particularly > between the two TUE co-chairs. > > there is still time in this session, and (paraphrasing Monty Python, > “we’re not dead yet!” > > again, special thanks to those of you who contacted your Senators last > week, and to all of you for your continued support. > > clear skies, > > Kelly > You have received this message as a member of: Amateur Telescope Makers of > Boston > Change preferences (including opt-out): Online Profile > <https://www.atmob.org/content.aspx?page_id=13&club_id=71141>. Click on > 'Forum Memberships' to change your settings for this forum, or 'Forum > General Preferences' for all forums. > astro@lists.gaac.us > https://gaac.us > http://www.facebook.com/GAACpage