MAY 8, MOTHER’S DAY. GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER IS OUR GUEST, LET’S GO ON THE RECO.RD HIS DECISION NOT TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTIOBRN INGS BOTH OPPORTUNITY, AND CHALLENGE. FROM ROE, TO COVID, TO TAXES, WHAT STEPS WILL HE TAKE INHE T FINAL MONTHS? THE GOVERNOR IS HERE, LET’GOS ON THE RECD. >> FROM WCVB CHANNEL 5, ETH INSIDE WORD FROM WASHINGTON TO BEACON HILL. THEY ARE GOING ON THE RECORD. WELCOME TO OTR, I’M ED HARDI,NG ALONG WITH NEWSCENTER 5 POLITICAL REPORTER JANET W >> GUYS A HAPPY GRANDMOTHER’S DAY? >> NOT A DAY FOR THAT. BUT THERE SHOULD BE. >> WE’RE PLEASED TO HAVE GOVERNOR BAKER WITH US THIS MORNING. HE IS A REPUBLICAN, TAKING OFFICE AS THE COMMONWEALTH’S 72ND GOVERNOR IN 2015. A RESIDENT OF SWAMPSCOTT. HE AO LSSERVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF BILL WELD AS SECRETARY OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, AND SECRETARY OHEF ALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. HE HOLDS DEGREES FROM HARVARD AND NORTHWESTERN. THK ANYOU FOR BEING HE.RE GOV. BAKER: GLAD TO BE HE.RE >> LET’S DIVE RIGHT IN. IT ISHE T NUMBER ONE TOPIC ON EVERYONE’S MIND. ABORTION. RIGHT NOW, ABORTION IN MASSACHUSETTS APPEARS TO BE SAFE, BUT 14 MONTHS AGO, YOU VETOED A BILL, NOW LAW, ATTH CODIFIED ROE AND ALLOWED ABORTIONS AFTER 24 WEEKS FOR A NON VIABLE FETUS. ARE YOU SAYING A WOMAN CARRYING A FETUS WITH SEVERE DEFECTS SHOULD GIVE BIRTH? GOV. BAK:ER I AM GLAD THAT MASSACHUSETTS IS IN THE POSITION WE ARE IN. WE SIGDNE LEGISLATION PRIOR TO THAT LAW TO ELIMINATE A NUMBER OF STATUTES TTHA PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT FOR MANY YEARS. PEOPLE WERE AFRAID WOULD AFFECT THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE MASSACHUSETTS, SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO ROE. WERE A SUPPORTING FUNDING FOR A WIDE RANGE OF REPRODUCTIVE HETHAL SERVICES HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, SO THERE ARE NO BARRIERS TO THOSE SERVICES. I MADE IT CLEAR DURING THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BILL YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT I SUPRTPO ALL OF THE SECTIONS AND THAT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE CODIFIED ROE. MY CONCERN IS WITH TWO. ONE IS WITAH SECTION OF THE BILL THAT DROPPED THE AGE OF CONSENT FROM 18 UNTIL 16. IT TOOK PARENTS OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. THE SECOND WAS THE LATE-TERM ABORTION LANGUAGE. IT WAS SUBJECT TO A LOT OF DEBATE AND DISCUSSION OF WHAT IT WOULD MEAN. JANET: THAT IS WTHA I AM ASKING YOU ABOUT. ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF A MOTHER HAS A NONVIABLE FETUS, THEY SHOULD STILL GIVE BIRTH TO THAT? GOV. BAKER: THAT WAS NOT THE INTERPRETATION OF THAT PART OF THE BILL, AS FAR AS WE WERE CONCERNED AS FAR AS MY LAWYERS TOLD ME. I WILL SAY THIS. I SUPPORT A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE. I ALWAYS HAVE. THAT IS WHY I SIGNED LEGISLATION ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS AND ADVOCATED FOR RESOURCES AND FUNDING TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. I DIDN’T AGREE WITH THE DROP IN THE AGE OF CONSENT. I DON’T AGREE WITH THEIR INTERPRETATION. JAT: NOW THAT EVERYTHING HAS HAPPENED, ARE YOU BAT -- GLAD THAT THE BILL IS LAW? THE TWO SECTIONS YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH? GOV. BAKER: NO. I SUPPORTED THE REST OF IT, WHICH I’M GLAD IS A LAW. I SENT BACK AN AMENDED VERSION OF THAT THAT WOULD’VE CODIFIED THE SECTIONS HERE. ED: THE SENATE THIS WKEE APPROVED MORE MONEY FOR ABORTION SERVICES.,BUT, SHOULD MASSACHUSETTS ALSO PASS LEGISLATION TO PROTECT PROVIRSDE HERE AND PATIENTS FROM OUT OF STATE, FINANCIALLY AND LEGALLY? GOV. BAK:ER I THINK THAT IS A SUBJECT WORTH DISCUSSION, AND PEOPLE STAEDRT TO HAVE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS, BUT UNTIL WE KNOW ATWH THAT RULES OF THE GAME WILL BE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WTHA THAT WOULD BE. ED: DO YOU WORRY ABOUT A NATIONAL BAN ON ABORTIONS? GOV. BAK:ER YES. ETH MINUTE THE BRIEF SWA LEAKED, I VIEWED THAT BRIEF AS, IF THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED, POTENTIALLY, I SAID IT WAS A MASSIVE SETBACK FOR WOMEN, IF IT IS WHEREE WEND UP. I BELIEVE THAT TOE B THE CASE. JAT:NE IF ROE IS REPEALED DO YOU HAVE ANY WORRIES THAT OTHER RIGHTS LIKE GAY MARRIAGE, RACIAL EQUALITY AND VOTING RIGHTS WILL BE JEOPARDIZED? GOV. BAKER: I HATE TO MAKE SPECULATIVE COMMENTS BECAUSE WHO KNOWS, BUT I WOULD HOPE THE ANSWER WOULD BE NO. JANET: WTHA IS THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF YOUR LITTLE HEAD TELLING YOU? GOV. BAK:ER IT SAYS NO BUT IM A HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC. LOOK. ROE IS IN A MUCH DIFFERENT PLACE AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN THEN OTHER SEPARATIONS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF. LET’S SEE WHAT THEY DEAL, AND WHAT WE CAN DO IN RESPONSE. ED: LET’S TALK ABOUT TAXES. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TAX BREAKS AT THE END OF THE SPECTRUM, NOW THE SENATE IS SAYING YES. IFHE T SENATE PASSES LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS,ND A NOT THOSE AT THE TOP, WILL YOU SIGN THAT? I AM GIVGIN YOU A VERY EXACT HYPOTHETICAL. GOV. BERAK WE FILED A TAX PACKAGTHE AT MADE SENSE TO PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS. THE MASS MAJORITY OF THINGS WE FILED HAD SUPPORT IN THE LEGISLATURE. THE STATE TAX IS WHAT YOU’RE TALKING TO. THEY’RE ONLY 16 STATES THAT DON’T VEHA AN ESTATE TAX, AND BY OURS, IT IS BY FAR THE MOST AGGRESSIVE. IF YOU OWN A HOME FOR A MILLION DOLLARS, GIVEN HOME PRICES IN THE CMOOMNWEALTH, A LOT OF MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE WORKED THEIR ENTIRE LIVES THAT HAVE HOMES ATTH ARE WORTH MORE THAN $19. YOU ARE SUBJECT TO THE ESTATE TAX. ATTH IS NOT TRUE IN ANY OTHER STATE FROM THE FIRST DOLLAR. MANY OF OUR OTRHE PROPOSALS AROUND RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR SENIORS WHO OWN HOMEINS SUPPORT LOW INCOME PEOPLE WHO DON’T PAY FEDERAL TAXES BECAUSE THEIR INCOME IS SO LOW THAT THEY PAY TNKHI BACK, AND PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT OMFR HAVING AN EXPANSION OF OUR DEPENDENT RECA CREDIT. THOSE SEEM TO ME LIKE THINGS EVERYONE IS DOING. JAT:NEHO SRT-TERM CAPITAL GAINS. THAT IS ON THE HIGRHE END OF THE ECONOMIC SPECTRUM. GOV. BAK:ER MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM SHORT-TERM CAPITAL GAINS, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MUTUAL FUNDS OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, WHERE THEY ARE BEING TRADED ALL DAY LONG. YOU PAID SHORT-TERM CAPITAL GAINS, AND TTHA IS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE. JAT:NE EVERYTHING IS UP FOR NEGOTIATION, IF YOU HAVE THE UPRPE END LOWER END, YOU MAY NOT SIGN IT? GOV. BAKER: WE SHOULD BE CUTTING TAXES. OUR PACKAGE COULD BE FUNDED MORE THAN ONE TIME BASED PURELY ON THE OVERAGE AND TAX COLLECTIONS IN APRIL. THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT ALREADY GINGVI BKAC -- CONNECTICUT SUSPENDED THEIR GAS TAX AND IS ON THE WAY TO PASSING THE LARGTES TAX CUT IN STEAT HISTORY. THAT IS A DEMOCRAT STATE AND A DEMOCRAT LEGISLATURE. SWEHOULD NOT BE, AT THIS POINT TIME, WITSOH MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO DEAL WITH THE RISING COST OF EVERYTHING, HOLDING ONTO EVERYTHING AND NOT PUTTING SEOM OF IT BACK AND GIVING IT TO THE TAXPAYERS. ED: LET’S TALK ABOUT DRIVERS LICENSES. THEY SAY IT WOULD JEORDPAIZE THE INTEGRITY OF THE BALLOT BOX. INCLUDE YOU. I WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. THOSE WITH GREEN CARDS WHO HAVE LICENSES, IT DOESN’T APPEAR THAT THERE HAS BEEN PROBA LEM. THE QUESTION IS, ARE THEY WRONG? GOV. BAKER:HE T LEGISLATION THAT CREATE LAWFUL PRESEENC IN MASSACHUSETTS WAS SOMETHING I NEGOTIATED EARLY ON. THAT INCLUDEDRE GEN CARD HOLDERS. SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, WE PASDSE LEGISLATION WHERE WE USED THE REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES, THE ACTUAL ACT OF GETTING A DRIVER’S LICENSE WAS THE MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH WE ARE AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED TO VOTE. GREEN CARD HOLDERS HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY ARE LAWFULLY PRESENT. THEY THEN COME AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE A U.S. CITIZEN. IF THEY WERE TO SAY THAT, THEY ARE SENT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. WE DON’T KNOW. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS LAWFUL PRESENCE GOES AWAY. AND IT WILL NO LONGER BE A PROCESS AS PART OF THIS, AND YET, WE’LL HAVE A REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND NDSE DAAT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE BASED ON REPRESENTATION AND NOT ANY SORT OF EXISTING DOCUMENT. ED: ONCE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE TWO BILLS ARE RECONCILED, WILL IT BE VETOED? GOV. BERAK I HESITATE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION EVER, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE WERE SOME VERY REASONABLE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE OFFERED FOR BOTH THE HOUSE INCESSANT -- SENATE DEBATE. DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS BOTH RAISED A CONCERN. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. THEY WERE ALL VOTED DOWN. JAT:NE YOU DON’T THINK THAT THE PROVISIONS IN PLACE FOR GREEN CARDS CAN ALSO UBESED FOR UNDOCK- - UNDOCUMENDTE SO IT WOULD WORK? SOMEONE WHO IS NOT SUPPOSED TO VOTE WILL VOTE? GOV. BAK: THE GREEN CARD HOLDER PROCESS WAS BUILT ON THE IDEA THAT THE FRONT END OF GETTING A LICENSE WODUL INVOLVE LAWFUL PRESENCE. WE USE THAT PROCESS TOET G A VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM IN MASSACHUSETTS. THAT IS WHERE IT CREATES A PROBLEM. IF YOU TAKE OUT THE WHOLE IDEA, WE WILL DETEINRME LAWFUL PRESENCE FOR ANYONE, YOU CREATE A DYNAMIC ALMOST AUTOMATICALLY WHERE WE ARE NO LONGER IN THE BUSINESS OF DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY. WE ARE NOW JUST IN THE BUSINSES OF -- WE ARE NO LONGER IN THE BUSINE