THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 23-27.

APPROVE JOINT RULES FOR 2025-2026 SESSION (S 2545): House 157-3, Senate 40-0, approved a package of joint House-Senate rules under which the House and Senate will operate in the 2025-2026 session.

Provisions include increasing from three days to 10 days the advance notice that must be given before a committee hearing is held; allowing the public to participate remotely in committee hearings; posting on the Legislature’s website the attendance record of each legislator at hearings of his or her committees and how each individual senator or representative voted on the bills acted upon by the committee.

Other provisions include requiring committees to produce and post on the Legislature’s website plain-language summaries of all bills in time for their hearings; requiring committees to adopt rules making written testimony submitted to the committee to be made publicly available; requiring committees to report out bills by the first Wednesday in December of the first year of the two-year session; allowing the Legislature to meet in formal session after July 31 in the second year of the legislative session to take up only reports of conference committees formed on or before July 31, appropriation bills filed after July 31 and gubernatorial vetoes or amendments; requiring that the public be allowed to attend the first meeting of any conference committee that is working on hammering out a compromise version when the House and Senate approve different versions of a bill; and requiring a minimum of 24 hours between when a conference committee report is filed and legislators are asked to vote on it.

Reps. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) and Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick) were the only two legislators to vote against the rules package. Neither one responded to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to explain why they opposed the package.

(A “Yes” vote is for the new joint rules. A “No” vote is against them.)

Rep. Natalie Blais, Yes; Rep. Mindy Domb, Yes; Rep. Homar Gomez, Yes; Rep. Kelly Pease, Yes; Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Yes; Rep. Aaron Saunders, Yes; Sen. Joanne Comerford, Yes; Sen. Paul Mark, Yes; Sen. Jacob Oliveira, Yes; Sen. John Velis, Yes

REPRODUCTIVE AND TRANSGENDER CARE PROTECTIONS (S 2538): Senate 37-3 approved and sent to the House legislation that would strengthen health care protections in the Bay State. The bill is designed to fortify protections for people seeking and providing reproductive and transgender care.

The legislation would prohibit state agencies and law enforcement from cooperating with other states or federal investigations into legally protected reproductive or transgender health care provided in Massachusetts. Under the bill, businesses that manage electronic health information would similarly be limited in sharing patient data connected to these services.

Other provisions would allow prescriptions to be issued with the name of a healthcare practice rather than an individual practitioner; exclude certain reproductive and gender-affirming medications from the state’s drug monitoring programs; limit third-party access to related medical records; enhance license protections for attorneys and anyone providing reproductive or transgender health care services; and forbid insurance companies from discriminating against or penalizing providers who offer reproductive and transgender health services.

“As we face new, more unpredictable threats from a hostile federal government that is targeting those engaged in care that is legally protected under Massachusetts law, we must again stand up to defend our autonomy and the rights of Massachusetts residents,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington). “The passage of the [the bill] upholds the Senate’s commitment to always keep the health and safety of Massachusetts residents at the forefront of our work.”

“With today’s vote, Massachusetts is reinforcing its legacy of safeguarding abortion care despite ever-evolving and escalating efforts from a hostile federal administration to empower anti-abortion extremists and undermine access to reproductive health care and our fundamental right to bodily autonomy nationwide,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now.

“Abortion and gender-affirming care providers and patients are under escalating attacks, facing lawsuits, harassment and intimidation by hostile states around the country,” said Carol Rose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. “Massachusetts has long recognized that access to these forms of health care is essential – for our health, our families and our bodily autonomy. This legislation builds on our state’s already-strong shield law protections in a time of tremendous urgency.”

“This bill is looking to solve a problem that doesn’t exist and in doing so actually creates problems,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton), one of only three senators to vote against the bill. “For example, the bill prevents the disclosure of health information when requested by other states even during criminal investigations. If a child is raped by a family member and then trafficked to Massachusetts for abortion services, this bill would allow the commonwealth of Massachusetts to prohibit outside agencies from obtaining any information that may be germane to a criminal investigation. The bill also calls into question parental rights and custodial issues regarding minors from out of state who are seeking healthcare services unbeknownst to their parents.”

Sens. Kelly Dooner (R-Taunton) and Pater Durant (R-Spencer), the only other members who voted against the proposal, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to explain why they opposed the legislation.

(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote Is against it.)

Sen. Joanne Comerford, Yes; Sen. Paul Mark, Yes; Sen. Jacob Oliveira, Yes; Sen. John Velis, Yes

REGULATE DOCUMENTS REQUESTS (S 2538): Senate 5-34, rejected an amendment that would require the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate regulations related to document requests made by other states and the federal government and maintain a database of the requests. The amendment would also require HHS to provide a record of the requests to the House and Senate Clerks.

“The top priority we should all have is the safety of our friends, family and neighbors” said Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth) who voted for the amendment. “I will continue to work to ensure that the rights and protections that these individuals have are safeguarded by the Legislature and that everyone has access to their right to proper healthcare without interference from other states or legislative bodies.”

Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the sponsor of the amendment, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to explain why he proposed the amendment.

“I voted against [the amendment] because, while I agreed with the intent [of the amendment], I didn’t believe it could be implemented without a lot of further research to make it possible to implement as written,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington). “Having not spoken with HHS, we couldn’t do that in time to redraft it.”

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote Is against it.)

Sen. Joanne Comerford, No; Sen. Paul Mark, No; Sen. Jacob Oliveira, No; Sen. John Velis, No

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

GOV. HEALEY SIGNS $1.3 BILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATION PACKAGE (H 4227): Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a $1.3 billion fiscal 2025 supplemental budget that uses funds generated from the surtax imposed on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually, to fund $593 million for education-related projects and $716 million for transportation-related ones. The surtax was created by voters in November 2022 when they voted for a constitutional amendment, dubbed by supporters as the “Fair Share Amendment,” that allows a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and imposes an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually.

A total of $535 million of the $716 million for transportation will be used for various MBTA projects. Other provisions include $80 million for Chapter 90 aid to ensure every city and town receives funding to maintain local roads and bridges; $16.4 million for municipally owned small bridges and culverts; $7 million for the improvement and maintenance of unpaved roads; and $5 million for transportation improvements associated with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The $593 million for education includes $248 million for special education; $115 million for public higher education infrastructure investments; $25 million for tutoring to support accelerated literacy growth and success for students in kindergarten through grade 3; $10 million for English Language Learning Programs; $10 million to support the Holocaust Museum in Boston; and $10 million for grants to eligible local school districts for clean energy infrastructure improvements and upgrades.

CHANGE DATE OF STATE PRIMARY ELECTIONS (S 532): The Election Laws Committee held a hearing on legislation that would change the Bay State primary election date from September to the second Tuesday in June. The bill also permits municipalities to schedule local elections on the same dates as presidential or state primaries which supporters say would enhance voter engagement, improve efficiencies and reduce costs.

“It is outrageous that voters continue to face barriers to engagement, clerks continue to face significant administrative burdens and taxpayers continue to bear overly high costs due to our woefully outdated primary election schedule,” said sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch (D-Needham). “The proof is in the pudding — our state’s primary date has conflicted with Jewish holidays, rendered our clerks unable to comply with federal election law or clashed with other conflicts every single cycle for the better part of two decades, necessitating a date change each time.”

Rausch continued, “The replacement dates have not been much better, falling on the Tuesday after Labor Day more than once. To the greatest extent we can, we should fix the aspects of our democracy that are broken, and our last-in-the-nation primary date is among the top of the list.”

TAX CREDIT FOR CARING FOR ELDERLY OR DISABLED (H 3018): A bill heard by the Revenue Committee would provide up to a $600 state income tax credit to any Massachusetts resident who care for an elderly or totally disabled relative with Alzheimer’s disease in the person’s home. Taxpayers are eligible if they provide more than half of the support for a relative age 70 or older or a totally disabled relative with Alzheimer’s disease; if their income is less than $20,000 for a single filer or less than $35,000 for a joint filer; and if the cared-for relative lives with the taxpayer for more than six months of the tax year.

“Caring for an aging parent or a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be emotionally and financially overwhelming,” said sponsor Rep. Bruce Ayers (D-Quincy). “This bill provides a modest but meaningful tax credit to help families offset the high costs of home care, and to support those who are making great personal sacrifices to care for someone they love in the comfort and dignity of their own home.”

PROHIBIT LEVEL 3 SEX OFFENDERS FROM LIVING WITH OTHER LEVEL 3 OFFENDERS (H 1786): Legislation that would prohibit individuals who have been classified as a Level 3 sex offender from renting, residing or otherwise occupying a single-family dwelling or a unit in a multi-family dwelling with another level 3 sex offender, unless they are legally related by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, was one of the bills before the Judiciary Committee. Violators would be subject to a $1,000 fine and/or up to a 2.5-year prison sentence.

“Individuals classified as Level 3 sex offenders have committed serious crimes and pose a significant threat of reoffending in the future,” said sponsor House Minority Leader Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Having two or more dangerous sex offenders residing together can create an extremely volatile situation that makes it even more likely they will reoffend. By preventing these individuals from living together, we can protect the public by minimizing their ability to potentially work in concert to reoffend.”

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS (H 4124): The Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a hearing on a measure that would ban prisons from prohibiting an inmate from playing Dungeons and Dragons or other role-playing games.

“Current law allows correctional facilities to ban role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons under the misguided belief that they promote gang activity or inappropriate behavior,” said sponsor Rep. Jack Lewis (D-Framingham). “This restriction is not only baseless, but it echoes the outdated paranoia of the 1980s ‘Satanic Panic.’ Denying incarcerated individuals the opportunity to engage in creative, collaborative and mentally stimulating games is an unreasonable infringement on their free time and rehabilitation potential.”

NO RIGHT TURN ON RED (S 1715): Another bill heard by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee would prohibit vehicles from turning right on a red or stop signal.

“Eliminating right turns on red improves pedestrian safety by reducing conflicts between turning vehicles and people crossing the street, especially protecting children, seniors and individuals with disabilities,” said sponsor Sen. Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester). “It supports walkable, equitable communities with minimal impact on traffic flow while addressing risks from distracted or rushed driving.

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com.