The Massachusetts House is poised to pass a bill that would spend $100 million to spur business growth.
The wide-ranging bill would fund computer science education in public schools. It would award grants to clean up plots of land contaminated by hazardous materials. And it would create a new tax credit for angel investors, in the hopes of making it easier for entrepreneurs to raise money for Massachusetts startups.
Representative Joseph Wagner, of Chicopee, is a sponsor of the bill.
“The idea here is to bring investment dollars from private individuals to Massachusetts that are currently being invested elsewhere.”
Some Republicans objected to the bill, saying government shouldn’t try to pick winners and losers in the marketplace.
The legislation now moves to the Senate.
Governor Deval Patrick said that he was delighted with the bill, but he wants lawmakers to restore a provision that would ban non-compete agreements in the private sector.
