11-03-2024 3:50am

Beacon Hill Roll Call

Alan Earls Editor

If you have any questions about this
week's report, e-mail us at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com or call us at
(617) 720-1562

Beacon
Hill Roll Call

Volume
49 - Report No. 44

October
28-November 1, 2024

By
Bob Katzen

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill
Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on roll calls from
budget vetoes by Gov. Maura Healey. There were no roll calls in the
House or Senate last week.

$2.5
MILLION FOR PROGRAMS TO TREAT PRISONERS SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS
(H 4800)

House 133-25, overrode Gov. Healey’s
veto of the entire $2.5 million for a prison program to treat
prisoners, suffering from serious mental illness, with clinically
appropriate long-acting injectable medications.

The Senate did not act on the veto
so the veto stands and the $2.5 million was eliminated.

“I am vetoing this item due to the
availability of alternative resources,” said Gov. Healey in her
veto message. “This operating funding overlaps with alternative
funding intended to support this purpose.

(A “Yes” vote is for the $2.5
million. A “No” vote is against it.)

Rep.
Jeffrey Roy Yes

$750,000
FOR THE TRANSFORMATIVE DEVELOPMENT FUND (H 4800)

House 134-24, overrode Gov. Healey’s
veto of $750,000 (reducing funding from $1 million to $250,000) for
the Transformative Development Fund which is designed to accelerate
economic development in focused districts that are walkable and have
dense environments; and that have the potential to attract
investment, inspire a wave of growth and transform Gateway Cities and
beyond.

The Senate did not act on the veto
so the veto stands and the $750,000 was eliminated.

“I am reducing this item to an
amount consistent with my [budget] recommendation due to the
availability of alternative resources,” said Gov. Healey in her
veto message. “MassHousing will maximize available alternative
capital funding in the fiscal year 2025 Capital Investment Plan for
the Neighborhood Hub Program that will serve the same purpose as the
funding being vetoed.”

(A “Yes” vote is for the
$750,000. A “No” vote is against it.)

Rep.
Jeffrey Roy Yes

$300,000
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP (H 4800)

House 156-2, overrode Gov. Healey’s
veto of $300,000 (reducing funding from $2 million to $1.7 million)
for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership to maintain
and promote manufacturing as an integral part of the economy, and for
programs designed to assist small and mid-sized manufacturing
companies.

The Senate did not act on the veto
so the veto stands and the $300,000 was eliminated.

“I am reducing this item to an
amount consistent with my [budget] recommendation,” said Gov.
Healey in her veto message

(A “Yes” vote is for the
$300,000. A “No” vote is against it.

Rep.
Jeffrey Roy Yes

ALSO
UP ON BEACON HIL

BREAST CANCER SCREENINGS (H 4918) –
The Senate approved and sent to the House a bill that would require
health insurance companies to provide coverage for diagnostic
examinations for breast cancer, digital breast tomosynthesis
screening and medically necessary and appropriate screening with
breast magnetic resonance imaging.

Supporters noted that although
access to routine preventive screening mammograms is currently
covered under the Affordable Care Act, this legislation would go
further and require coverage for certain screenings and exams
currently not uniformly covered by law.

“I am grateful to see this
legislation, which I have worked on for nearly a decade, move
forward,” said sponsor Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “Early
detection of breast cancer saves lives. This legislation makes those
diagnostic exams used for early detection accessible and affordable,
giving women the vital resources needed to catch breast cancer in its
earliest stages. With this bill we are bolstering the commonwealth’s
commitment to providing higher quality, more equitable and more
accessible healthcare for women.”

“We know that in the fight against
cancer, early detection is absolutely vital for the long-term success
of the patients,” said Sen. Michael Rush (D-Boston). “We also
know that for one out of every ten women, initial mammogram
screenings are not sufficient to detect possible indicators of breast
cancer. This legislation passed by the Senate … ensures that all
women in the commonwealth have access to the digital breast
tomosynthesis and MRI screening they need to catch cancer early
without facing financial barriers.”

DOWN SYNDROME (S 617) – The Senate
approved and sent to the House legislation that would require health
insurance companies to provide coverage for the treatment of Down
syndrome through speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical
therapy and applied behavior analysis services.

“Every child deserves a fair shot
at learning, growing and thriving in their community—and that
includes children with Down syndrome,” said sponsor Sen. Julian Cyr
(D-Provincetown). “Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy has
proven transformative for so many, yet too often, access to this
essential support is out of reach for those who need it most. By
ensuring insurance coverage for at-home ABA therapy, this legislation
will make a powerful difference for families across the commonwealth,
lifting a burden that has existed for too long. It’s about time we
make this gold-standard care accessible to all, so every child has
the chance to realize their fullest potential.”

An estimated 5,000 people in
Massachusetts live with Down syndrome. According to studies performed
by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, speech therapy
intervention improved decoding skills for word reading and had a
positive impact on articulation in children with Down syndrome.

APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEY TO OVERSEE
ELECTION DAY PROBLEMS - Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy
appointed Assistant United States Attorney Lucy Sun as the District
Election Officer who will oversee the handling of election day
criminal complaints, threats of violence to election officials or
staff and election fraud efforts.

“Every citizen must be able to
vote without fear, intimidation or interference and to have that vote
counted in a fair and free election,” said Levy. “Similarly,
election officials and staff must be able to serve without being
subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice
will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election
process.”

Anyone who sees a problem can call
Levy’s office in Boston at (833) 634-8669.

$24.6 MILLION TO IMPROVE FOOD
SECURITY AND RESILIENCY – The Healey administration announced $24.6
million in grants to 163 Massachusetts food system enterprises to
help sustain Massachusetts’ food production and distribution
sectors.

“Our food system is an integral
part of our economy, our landscape, our culture and public health,”
said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “These investments will help ensure
that farmers, fishers, schools, distributors and other stakeholders
can continue to produce food and that all Massachusetts residents
rely on.”

“As food producers face growing
threats from climate change, the [grant] program helps farmers and
fishers build resilience so that they can adapt,” said
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “From
changing weather patterns to new invasive species to worker health
concerns, our food producers must constantly innovate to remain
sustainable, and we are proud to help them do so.” 

“As we learned from the COVID
pandemic, food insecurity is a real problem in the commonwealth for
too many families, said Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee
Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport). “I have made addressing this
disparity a priority and have worked closely with the Healey-Driscoll
administration to help grow and sustain food production for our
farming communities in the state.”

$7.8 MILLION TO ENHANCE SECURITY AT
NONPROFITS – Gov. Healey announced the awarding of federal funds to
56 nonprofits that are at heightened risk of an extremist attack in
the Bay State.

“These faith-based and community
nonprofits play such a critical role in our communities, and we are
proud to deliver this funding that will help them implement security
measures to keep their residents safe and ensure peace of mind,”
said Gov. Healey. “We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris
Administration for making this funding available to ensure these
organizations can continue to serve those who depend on them, without
fear or interruption.”

“Protecting our communities means
safeguarding the organizations that uplift, support and inspire us
daily,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy.
“This funding reaffirms our commitment to protecting these
essential community spaces, ensuring they remain safe havens where
people of all backgrounds can gather and feel secure.”

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"We are asking for the ability
to form a committee to start a captive insurance plan or start a plan
that would allow us to get assistance to fix these foundations. We
are mirroring a plan that's already in place and working in the state
of Connecticut. They've replaced over 1,000 homes. They use a $1 a
month surcharge on homeowners' policies, no more than $12 a year. The
first year alone, if we were able to put that together in
Massachusetts, we'd raise close to $22 million."

---Cynthia Poirier, an assessor in
Brimfield and Holland, urging Gov. Healey to issue an executive order
to create a committee to develop recommendations on providing
assistance to the many Bay State homeowners dealing with crumbling
concrete foundations, caused by pyrite or pyrrhotite minerals, which
could eventually render their houses unlivable.

"The Healey-Driscoll
Administration recognizes the importance of providing support to
homeowners whose concrete foundations are crumbling. We will continue
to work together with our partners in the Legislature to evaluate
potential solutions that would provide relief to homeowners."

---Karissa Hand, spokesperson for
Gov. Healey, responding to a State House News Service question asking
whether the governor is willing to issue the executive order to
create a committee to explore providing assistance to homeowners
dealing with crumbling concrete foundations.

"The public should expect
strong, clear and specific recommendations when our work is complete.
We will approach thorny questions humbly, diligently and with an open
mind. We will do our best to draw in voices that are not already
represented on this commission, including but not limited to,
Orthodox Jews, Israeli Jews and those who may have differing opinions
about what counts as antisemitism.”

---Rep. Simon Cataldo (D-Concord)
co-chair of the newly established Special State Commission for
Addressing Antisemitism, which held its first meeting last week.

"The latest report …
underscores the main issue driving residents out of Massachusetts.
Oppressive taxes aren't just a business community concern. This is a
quality of life issue for everyone in the commonwealth. Our polling
shows 80 percent of people agree Massachusetts taxes are too high.
The long-term consequences aren't hypothetical. If we don't turn the
tide, we will continue to lose talented residents, families and
entrepreneurs to states with more competitive taxes.”

---Chris Anderson, president of the
Massachusetts High Technology Council, on the release of the Tax
Foundation 2025 State Tax Competitiveness Index, which ranked
Massachusetts among the 10 worst states in the country (41st out of
50).

HOW
LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION?

Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the
length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week.
Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of
the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done
outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs
also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other
matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the
Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote
in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have
been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of
sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions
and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately
preceding the end of an annual session.

During the week of October
28-November 1, the House met for a total of 50 minutes and the Senate
met for a total of 54 minutes.

Mon.
Oct. 28 House 11:13 a.m. to 11:14 a.m.

Senate 11:11 a.m. to
11:49 a.m.

Tues.
Oct. 29 No House session

No Senate session

Wed.
Oct. 30 House 11:05 a.m. to 11:17 a.m.

No Senate session

Thurs.
Oct. 31 House 11:06 a.m. to 11:43 a.m.

Senate 11:10 a.m. to
11:26 a.m.

Fri.
Nov. 1 No House session

No Senate session

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at
bob@beaconhillrollcall.com