Mark James Cusack (born July 3, 1984) is the
State Representative of Massachusetts from the 5th Norfolk District. Serving his sixth term in that capacity. Representative Cusack is a democrat from
Braintree, Massachusetts
Braintree (), officially the Town of Braintree, is a municipality in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a towBraintree is a city, with a mayor-council government, mayor-council form of government, and ...
. The 5th Norfolk District encompasses all precincts in the town of Braintree, Precinct 1 in the town of
Holbrook Holbrook may refer to:
Places
England
*Holbrook, Derbyshire, a village
* Holbrook, Somerset, a hamlet in Charlton Musgrove
* Holbrook, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, a former mining village in Mosborough ward, now known as Halfway
*Holbrook, Suffolk, ...
and Precinct 4 in the town of
Randolph. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Revenue. He had previously served as the assistant to Braintree Mayor
Joe Sullivan
Michael Joseph O'Sullivan (November 4, 1906 – October 13, 1971) was an American jazz pianist.
Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in si ...
. He was sworn in on January 5, 2011.
Public life
Mark is the State Representative of Massachusetts from the 5th Norfolk District, representing the town of Braintree and Holbrook (precinct 1), and Randolph (precinct 4). He graduated from
Braintree High School
Braintree High School (BHS) is a four-year public secondary school located in Braintree, Massachusetts. The school is part of the Braintree Public School district and is situated on the northwest side of Sunset Lake at 128 Town Street.
Genera ...
in 2003 and
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, ...
in 2007 with a B.A. in Political Science. He interned for Congressman
Stephen Lynch. He then became the Assistant to the Braintree Mayor in 2007.
In 2011, Mark was sworn into the Massachusetts House of Representatives, he was re-elected to his seat for his sixth term in 2021.
Mark is the Chairman for the Joint Committee on Revenue for the second straight legislative session (2019–Present). He previously served as the Chairman for the Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy for the 190th Session (2017–18), the Chairman for the Committee on Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs for the 189th Session (2015–16) and Vice Chair for the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy for the 188th Session (2013–14).
Additionally, Mark served as a Commissioner as appointed by then-House Speaker Robert DeLeo on the Online Gaming, Fantasy Sports Gaming and Daily Fantasy Sports Commission. Rep. Cusack currently serves on the Tax Expenditure Review Commission.
Marijuana Policy Committee
On November 8, 2016 during the Presidential Election voters of Massachusetts were able to vote on a ballot initiative (Question 4) to legalize adult-use marijuana in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The question passed by a percentage of 53.7% Yes to 46.3% No. An extension was then passed by the legislature and the Governor in order for the legislature to review the current law as it stood. The task was to create a law that maintained the will of the voters, while making sure there were the correct consumer protection, public safety, and economic equality in the industry of marijuana. This task was given to the newly created Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy.
Rep. Cusack was appointed Chairman for the Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy by Speaker
Robert Deleo
Robert Emile DeLeo (born February 2, 1966) is an American musician, songwriter and producer, best known as the bassist for rock band Stone Temple Pilots. He is part of Delta Deep and he has also played in Talk Show and Army of Anyone. He is th ...
at the beginning of the 190th Session of the Massachusetts General Court (2016–18). The committee held five hearings throughout a three month period to hear from elected officials, experts in the industry, law enforcement, veterans, concerned constituents, patients, and many other individuals whom testified with information pertaining to legalizing adult-use marijuana. The Committee did not reach a consensus bill between the House of Representatives and Senate, therefore two separate bills were passed in June 2016. The House bill was "an act to ensure the public health and safety of patient and consumer access to medical and adult use of marijuana in the Commonwealth" (House, No. 3776), and the Senate amendment to that bill was Senate No. 2097. A Conference Committee was appointed, whereas Rep. Cusack was one of the three members of the House of Representatives, in hopes to come to an agreement on a consensus bill. A consensus bill was signed by all conferees (6-0) in favor to pass and "An act to safe access to marijuana" (House No. 3818) was signed by Governor
Charlie Baker
Charles Duane Baker Jr. (born November 13, 1956) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Baker was a cabinet official under two governors of Massach ...
on July 28, 2017.
Special Commission on Online Gaming, Fantasy Sports Gaming and Daily Fantasy Sports
A special commission on online gaming, fantasy sports gaming and daily fantasy sports was created through the Economic Development Bill signed by Gov. Baker in 2016. This commission has nine commissioners appointed including the two co-chairs. Rep. Cusack was the appointment of Speaker
Deleo to represent the leadership within the House of Representatives along with the Co-Chair. The commission's directive entailed a comprehensive study of the regulations surrounding daily fantasy sports and online gaming, which was officially legitimatized by
Attorney General Maura Healey through the AGO's final regulations in January, 2016. Meetings of the special commission took place throughout 2016-17, totaling eight, where the commissioners listened to testimony from experts in gaming, esports, daily fantasy sports, the attorney general's office, casinos, and other fields relating to online gaming in Massachusetts.
The special commission met on July 25, 2017 to finalize a report that was to be sent to the legislature for suggestions on how to proceed with online gaming and daily fantasy sports. Some disagreement ensued and the meeting was recessed until July 31, 2017 (the deadline for a report), On July 31, 2017 a final report was given to the commissioners for a vote in order to allow the report to be sent as is to the legislature. In a vote of 5-3 with one commissioner abstaining, the report was sent out of the special commission to the legislature. Rep. Cusack dissented to the report for multiple reasons, one of those reasons was defining daily fantasy sports as "online gaming". Another was the negative impact that this definition will have on investors for the DFS companies and the ultimate repercussions that will come to Massachusetts in the loss of innovative businesses.
See also
*
2019–2020 Massachusetts legislature
The 191st Massachusetts General Court was the meeting of the legislative branch of the state government of Massachusetts, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It convened in Boston at the Massachusetts State House, on Janua ...
*
2021–2022 Massachusetts legislature
The 192nd Massachusetts General Court is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the state government of Massachusetts. It consists of elected members of the Senate and House of Representatives. It first convened in Boston at the Massachu ...
References
External links
Biography of State Rep. Mark Cusack at Mass.govMark J. Cusack for State Rep
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cusack, Mark
1984 births
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Politicians from Braintree, Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Social and Behavioral Sciences alumni
21st-century American politicians
Braintree High School alumni