Legislative victories elusive for Romney

In the waning hours of this year's legislative session, Governor Mitt Romney said he wanted lawmakers to focus on creating jobs, fixing heathcare, reforming public education, and overhauling the state's auto insurance system.

But the Democrat-controlled Legislature has yet to provide Romney clear-cut victories that he could boast about if he runs for president, and it's not clear if or when lawmakers will in the future.

Healthcare remains in a House-Senate conference committee. Auto insurance reform won't happen until next year, at the earliest. Other big priorities, including job creation and welfare reform, await action by lawmakers.

''Most of the key issues that were on the governor's and the Legislature's agenda are still unresolved," said Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. ''The jury is still out."

Romney's successes and failures on Beacon Hill have taken on a heightened significance because the governor is pondering a presidential bid in 2008, and many observers believe he's eager to eke out legislative wins to cite on the stump.

He has scored some victories this year, most notably, lawmakers and Republicans say, passage of a new drunken-driving law, Melanie's Bill. Romney persuaded the Legislature to pass a tougher bill than some lawmakers first wanted, pleasing the families of drunken-driving victims and burnishing his tough-on-crime image.

At the same time, lawmakers have handed Romney several opportunities to continue running against Massachusetts liberalism. House lawmakers approved over-the-counter syringe sales and roundly rejected his death penalty bill. The Legislature has also overridden his vetoes of bills promoting stem cell research and providing access to emergency contraception pills and largely ignored his call for an income tax cut.

''I think he's certainly had his share of victories," said House minority leader Bradley H. Jones Jr. of North Reading. ''Certainly not every one has been a victory, by any stretch. The House has had some victories, and the Senate has had some victories. In the final analysis, that may be the best thing."

Despite the end of formal sessions this week, legislative conference committees continue to finalize a variety of bills, and the House and Senate may come back next month to approve any agreements that are reached.

Romney spokeswoman Julie Teer said the governor is pleased with progress made on healthcare and looks forward to signing a bill soon. She said Romney also expects to get bills in the coming weeks on job stimulus and welfare.

''The Legislature continues to work on key bills," Teer said in an e-mail. ''But so far Governor Romney is pleased that for the third consecutive year we have a balanced budget with no new taxes, and he was able to sign into a law a major expansion of veterans benefits, as well as one of the toughest drunk-driving laws in the history of Massachusetts."

Of all the issues, Romney has devoted most of his political capital to healthcare, lobbying rank-and-file lawmakers, publicly declaring it his top priority, and making a point of praising the work of legislative leaders. It's a calculation Widmer said could pay off.

''It would be a signal accomplishment to have a real healthcare reform," he said.

Romney has repeatedly put off the announcement of his political plans, deciding recently to wait until December to give healthcare deliberations time to play out, according to Republican strategists.

But House-Senate negotiations over the healthcare bill may well drag past Dec. 21, the date by which Romney has said he will announce whether he's running for reelection. If that happens, Romney would be forced to either push back the timetable for his announcement or reveal his next move and risk coloring the healthcare debate at the 11th hour.

Some Republicans say that not all of Romney's State House victories are easy to measure.

The governor, through vocal opposition to a bill to allow children of illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition at state colleges, persuaded the House not to take it up, Jones said. ''The governor can take some victories in things that didn't happen."

Today, Romney is expected to send back to the Legislature a bill that will determine whether thousands of residents pay a retroactive capital gains tax from 2002.

Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.