By Senator Richard T. Moore

August 31, 2010 ... Talk show hosts, newspaper columnists, bloggers, political opponents and a variety of citizens have claimed that the Patrick-Murray Administration has added thousands of publicly funded jobs at a time when the state and nation are experiencing the deepest economic recession since the Great Depression of the Nineteen Thirties. Those claims have fueled public anger because it contrasts with the loss of jobs in the private sector as well as general antipathy toward “big government.” The facts, however, seem to contradict the general opinion of the situation

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August 30, 2010 ... “Team Moore,” the running team sponsored by Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, made a strong showing in the 2010 Ronny’s Fun Run in Whitinsville this past Saturday.  Team Moore’s seven runners captured five spots in the top twenty places in a field of 84 participants.

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By James Vaznis and Michael Levenson, 
Boston Globe Staff 

August 25, 2010 ... The Obama administration yesterday awarded Massachusetts $250 million in a national education competition, a victory for the state that reaffirms its reputation as a national education leader and injects desperately needed money into struggling school systems.

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August 25, 2010 ... As students return to campuses across Massachusetts for the fall semester, a Massachusetts authority is urging more to take advantage of fixed-rate state loans.  Citing a new Fidelity Investments report showing that parents nationwide are only prepared to meet 16 percent of their children's college costs -- down from 18 percent in 2009 -- the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority is recommending that families take advantage of its 6.89 percent fixed-interest loans, after exhausting federal loan options. 

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Commends Governor for applying state education formula

August 25, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, welcomed the news that the Patrick Administration has allocated $204 million from the federal Education Jobs Fund to school districts across the Commonwealth. The additional funding brings state support for public schools to its highest level in history, Sen. Moore explained. A combination of state and federal dollars totaling $4.07 billion will ensure that school districts receive more state aid - at least $25 per student - than they did last year. The new funding, will support an estimated 2,700 teaching positions, including many in area communities within the Worcester & Norfolk Senatorial District

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By Ashley Studley
Milford Daily News

August 21, 2010 ... A $3.5 million project to improve the timing and coordination of seven traffic signals along Rte. 16 has been approved by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization.

"This just shows us that the state and federal government really work hard to respond to our needs," said state Sen. Richard Moore. 

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August 20, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined this week with other legislators who are members of the National Legislative Association for Prescription Drug Pricing (NLARx), to prepare for changes to prescription drug policy resulting from the Affordable Care Act; to discuss successes and innovation in the past legislative session; to get briefed on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding Maine's data-mining law; and to brainstorm policy options for 2011. 

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Cops N Kids closes out program

By Brian Lee 
Telegram & Gazette Correspondent

August 19, 2010 ... About 120 youths, the most ever, registered for Southbridge’s summer Cops N Kids, which ended Aug. 12 with a cookout at Streeter Point Recreational Area.

Police said state Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, and Rep. Geraldo Alicea, D-Charlton, played a big part in past funding for the program, and both legislators attended the end-of-summer cookout.

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Northbridge High School Baseball Team Honored Wednesday

August 19, 2010 ... The Northbridge Rams baseball team continued to receive accolades Wednesday, August 18th, as they were presented with newly created signs recognizing their great accomplishment. 

“These student-athletes have served as such tremendous ambassadors not only on the diamond, but in the classroom, and throughout their entire community,” said Sen. Moore. “To have their impressive accomplishment prominently displayed for their friends, families, and neighbors to see is a fitting token of the delight their success has brought all of us.” 

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Senator Moore studies ideas to stimulate economic recovery

August 18, 2010 ... New England's economic downturn is proving to be deeper and more persistent than expected, but the region can rebound through a green economy, one of Maine's leading economists, told state officials gathered at a conference in Portland, Maine recently. Senator Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, who was a featured panelist discussing health care quality and cost, also attended the plenary session on New England’s economic prospects to gain ideas to promote economic growth and jobs in Massachusetts in the next legislative session.

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By Senator Richard T. Moore

As I begin my term as NCSL President, I want to focus some of my energies on helping states with the implementation of health reform. I recognize that it was not achieved with the bipartisan coalition that we might have all desired, and that it remains a contentious issue for many of our members. Nevertheless, helping all of our constituents to gain access to affordable, high quality health care should be among our priorities whether it’s achieved by federal law, state action or private sector leadership. While we may not all agree on the means of achieving health reform, I hope that we might all agree that wellness and prevention—health rather than health care—could be one of our priorities in the coming year. After all, if we don’t get sick or injured, health care can be very affordable!

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Moore recognized as school food pioneer

The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle

August 12, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) was recognized with the Public Health Pioneer Award for his significant contributions to school health legislation. “An Act Relative to School Nutrition” (H 4459), mandates that the Department of Public Health create food guidelines through the regulatory process.

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August 11, 2010 ... Now in the 65th installment in Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Citizens’ Legislative Seminar (CLS) continues served as a valuable forum for residents to learn and understand about the intricacies of the Massachusetts Legislature and Massachusetts’s governmental processes. CLS was established in 1976 through a joint effort of the Massachusetts State Senate and the University of Massachusetts. Senator Moore, who is a perennial speaker for the event, is now encouraging his constituents to apply, if interested.

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August 10, 2010 ... Senator Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined with Governor Deval Patrick, D-Milton, today in delivering immediate health care cost relief to thousands of individuals across the Commonwealth with the signing of comprehensive legislation authored and championed by the veteran legislator. The new law, endorsed today by the Governor, will reduce the costs of health care for small businesses and individuals by addressing various cost drivers and market fluctuations, ultimately resulting in job retention and eventually job creation. 

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By Senator Richard T. Moore

August 9, 2010 ... Nearly twenty years ago, the Legislature reformed its rules to eliminate perceived abuses in so-called “Lame Duck” sessions held after state elections and to reduce the chance for political grandstanding during the fall election period. The major change was to end “formal” sessions – sessions where debate and roll calls votes occur – at the end of July in election years. However, this doesn’t mean that legislators are taking a long vacation. Informal sessions – when nearly any legislation can be approved, as long as it receives unanimous consent – continue through the rest of the year until the new Legislature convenes in January.

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Sen. Moore voted for economic development package that included break for consumers and retailers 

August 6, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, is notifying residents of the Worcester & Norfolk District that a Sales Tax Holiday will be held during Saturday and Sunday, August 14-15, across Massachusetts. Sen. Moore and his colleagues in the Legislature initiated the holiday as part of a bipartisan economic development bill that was signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick this past week.

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By Josh Farnsworth
The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle

August 5, 2010 ... The change is only noticeable by one less word appearing in his title, but represents a landmark accomplishment for a local state senator.

The National Conference of State Legislatures unanimously elected Sen. Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) as the 38th president of the organization. Moore served as president-elect last year.

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August 4, 2010 ... In one of his first official acts as the new President of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), State Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call the House of Representatives back into session as soon as possible to act on supplemental Medicaid funding for the states. Last week, Speaker Pelosi promised Sen. Moore and other state legislative leaders, that if the U.S. Senate sent a bill providing additional funding to the House, she would ask the House to support the urgently needed funding for financially challenged state and local governments. The promise was delivered in a private meeting following the Speaker’s address last week at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in Louisville, Kentucky.

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August 3, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, recently joined Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray, D-Worcester, in discussing some of the major accomplishments and ongoing local projects of the Senator’s Worcester & Norfolk District during a taping of the Lieutenant Governor’s television program, “The Commonwealth Report.”

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Sen. Moore calls on residents to support efforts that will preserve local state treasures

August 3, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, a longtime advocate for the preservation of many of South Central Massachusetts’ natural treasures in the Worcester & Norfolk District, is encouraging residents to vote for the Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, which has been included on Coca-Cola’s “America is Your Park” list of America’s greatest parks. In an effort to maintain and rebuild parks across the nation, Coca-Cola has forged a partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF) and is calling on people of all ages to vote for their favorite recreational area—the winning location receiving a $100,000 grant for maintenance and recreational expansion. 

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Sen. Moore cautions colleagues on bill; hesitantly votes against legislation, citing little time for review 

August 2, 2010 ... The Legislature passed a crime bill on Saturday that proponents say will give employers easier access to criminal records and help former offenders who have stayed out of trouble to re-enter the workforce. Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined eight of his colleagues in voting against the conference committee report, cautioning that the final legislation did not guarantee that harm to public safety was wholly at bay.

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Sen. Moore leading Senate sponsor of bill that paves way towards broader reforms

August 2, 2010 ... The Senate’s principal leader on health care, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined his colleagues on Saturday in approving a compromise conference committee report on legislation that will reduce small business health insurance costs and promote job retention and job creation. The conference committee report reduces premium fluctuations in the market and requires insurers to offer affordable health plans. The conference report was filed Friday night, meeting approval from the Legislature on Saturday.

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Sen. Moore secures provisions in bill that promotes business-friendly environment; sales tax holiday approved

August 2, 2010 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined his colleagues in the Legislature in approving a conference committee report on economic development legislation that includes a sales tax holiday and promotes job growth, fostering a business-friendly environment and improving the ease with which Massachusetts businesses can operate in the markets they serve. The compromise bill filed on Friday and sent to the Governor on Saturday, overhauls the state’s network of business development agencies, establishing a streamlined, cohesive model with built-in oversight and transparency to reduce redundancy and waste. 

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