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2-23-2025 4:50am

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.

Volume 50 - Report No. 8

February 17-21, 2025

By Bob Katzen

CORRECTION: Beacon Hill Roll Call previously reported the wrong roll call tally by which the Senate rejected an amendment that would have required an independent review of the emergency assistance housing program by the Inspector General, to help identify savings and potential cost recovery. The amendment was in fact defeated on a 10-28 roll call vote.

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THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senator's votes on roll calls from recent sessions in which the Senate debated the rules by which it will operate in the 2025-2026 legislative session.

ADOPT SENATE RULES (S 14)

Senate 39-0, adopted a set of Senate rules for the 2025-2026 session.

Rules include requiring that the votes senators take in joint committees be published online; requiring in-person or written testimony received by Senate members of a joint committee be published online; requiring Senate committees to make bill summaries available online for legislation reported favorably out of the committee; and requiring every senator and Senate employee to undergo cybersecurity training every two years.

“These changes would provide more opportunity to residents to participate in the Legislature’s work, encourage greater insight into bills being considered by the Legislature and provide more transparency on legislators’ positions on issues that impact Massachusetts residents,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland).

"This comprehensive rule proposal was a collaborative effort that makes the work we do here in the Senate more transparent, more efficient and respectful to the needs of members and residents,” said Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem), Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules. “We are proud of the Senate’s work, and we want people to know what is going on in The People’s House. These measures take meaningful steps towards a more transparent Legislature and allow for more access to information by members of the public about our work, including easier participation.”

(A Yes” vote is for the rules package.)

Sen. Rebecca Rausch Yes Sen. Karen Spilka Yes

TIGHTEN RULES FOR REMOTE VOTING (S 14)

Senate 5-32, rejected an amendment that would change the current rule that allows a senator, who is not physically at the session in the Senate chamber, to vote remotely from any location and without giving a reason for his or her absence from the Senate chamber.

The amendment would have allowed senators who are not in the chamber to vote remotely only in cases of disability, illness, providing care for an immediate family member, pregnancy or childbirth for a senator, a senator's spouse, partner or domestic partner. The amendment does not require the senator to provide proof or documentation of the reason for not being in the chamber.

“Legislators work best when they have the kinds of discussions and collaborations only possible through in-person interaction,” said amendment sponsor Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). “Nearly every other state legislature, including the Massachusetts House of Representatives, meets in person. The Senate should do the same.”

Sen. Lovely said the current rule works well and does not need to be changed. She noted if there are empty chairs in the Senate chamber, it's not necessarily because those senators aren't in the building. They may be up in their offices or at another meeting in the building. She also noted that sometimes senators are needed in their districts on a day the Senate meets and argued that remote voting offers a rare opportunity to be with our constituents in our districts and still be recorded on a Senate vote at the same time. She noted it is rare that someone needs to operate from home for illness or disability.

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

Sen. Rebecca Rausch No Sen. Karen Spilka President rarely votes

BAN SESSIONS AFTER MIDNIGHT (S 14)

Senate 6-31, rejected an amendment that would prohibit the Senate from meeting beyond midnight. The amendment would replace the current rule that allows the Senate to meet after midnight if two-thirds of the Senate votes to do so.

“We have moved up the initial committee reporting deadline for legislation and will allow conference committee reporter to be considered for an extra five months,” said amendment sponsor Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). “These changes should make it unnecessary for a session to extend through the night into the next day. Few good discussions are made by sleep-deprived, overworked minds.”

Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) said that during the last few budget debates, no session went past 8 p.m. She noted that it is rare that the Senate meets past midnight.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment prohibiting the Senate from meeting after midnight. A “No” vote is against the amendment.)

Sen. Rebecca Rausch No Sen. Karen Spilka President rarely votes

REQUIRE THE SENATE RECORD TO REVEAL WHEN A SENATOR HAS VOTED REMOTELY (S 14)

Senate 6-31, rejected an amendment that would require that all Senate roll call votes, publicly published by the state, include “Virtual Vote” (VV) alongside any member’s name if the senator was not in the chamber and voted remotely from his or home, office or other location.

“I sponsored [this amendment] because senators are elected to represent their constituents on Beacon Hill, not in a Zoom room,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “We’re a full-time Legislature and our bosses are the constituents in our districts. They deserve to know when we are showing up to work. We shouldn’t get an unlimited pass to work from home without anybody who elected us knowing.”

Other amendment supporters said that the only way a constituent can know if a senator was present for a vote or voted remotely, is by watching the session online, which takes a lot of time and which most people don’t have time to do.

Sen. Lovely said that the votes that are cast remotely are of the same weight and impact and do not have to be singled out when a roll call is published. She noted that all Senate sessions are broadcast live online and are archived online on video. She said that anyone who watches a session will know whether his or her senator was in the chamber or voting remotely because it is announced at the session.

(A "Yes" vote is for the amendment requiring the notation "virtual voting." A "No" vote is against the amendment.)

Sen. Rebecca Rausch No Sen. Karen Spilka President rarely votes

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

BAY STATE COALITION OPPOSES ELIMINATION OF PROTECTED STATUS FOR 500,000 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS – The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition responded to the Trump Administration’s plan to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in August for up to 500,000 Haitian immigrants – thousands of whom reside in Massachusetts.

“Ending TPS for the half a million Haitians that have fled unimaginable violence and instability is deeply immoral and unjust,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of MIRA. “Terminating TPS for Haitians is just the latest step the Trump administration has taken to strike fear in our nation’s hardworking, caring immigrants – especially those seeking refuge here. Eliminating the opportunity for Haitians to live and work in states like Massachusetts, which continue to grapple with a severe workforce shortage and increasingly depend on dedicated immigrant workers, will cause even more long-term harm.”

AUDITOR DIZOGLIO UNVEILS MORE THAN $2.5 MILLION IN PUBLIC BENEFITS FRAUD - State Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s effort to help make government work better by investigating, fraud, abuse and illegal acts involving public assistance benefits across the state uncovered more than $2.5 million in fraudulent spending. Her office investigated a total of 814 cases and found overpayment in 207 cases with identified fraud.

The cases include funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $1,528,615; Medicaid $568,517; Department of Early Education and Care $307,324; Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children $112,787; Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children $28,392; and Personal Care Attendant $3,719.

“For many residents across the commonwealth, public benefit programs provide access to everyday essential items, such as food and medical supplies,” said DiZoglio. “Through the efforts of our fraud examiners, we continue to help ensure public benefit programs operate with transparency, accountability and equity. Our office will continue to work to ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and that resources are available to those who truly need and qualify for them.”

AG CAMPBELL OPPOSES THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DEFUNDING OF THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU – Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell joined a coalition that includes 23 other state attorneys general, to warn against efforts by the Trump Administration to defund and disband the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). On February 9, the Trump Administration directed the CFPB to stop all its ongoing work and to not begin any new investigations.

Supporters of Campbell’s warning say that the CFPB is an important independent agency that ensures companies follow federal consumer protection laws by overseeing big banks, lenders, credit card companies and mortgage servicers. They note that since its creation in 2011, the CFPB has helped millions of Americans by assisting homeowners facing foreclosure stay in their homes, stopping banks from charging junk fees and returning more than $20 billion to the pockets of consumers nationwide.

In an amicus brief filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the coalition argues that dismantling the CFPB would significantly harm consumers and hamper enforcement of federal consumer protection laws.

“The CFPB serves as a beacon for consumer protection and economic justice, working to lower costs, alleviate student debt and more,” said Campbell. “They have been an important partner to my office as we pursue consumer protection cases on behalf of Massachusetts residents. I continue to support the vital mission of CFPB, especially at a time when families across the country are struggling with sky-high costs of living.”

STATE REP. CAROL DOHERTY DIES AT 82 – Rep. Carol Doherty (D-Taunton) passed away last week after battling pancreatic cancer. Doherty was first elected to the House in 2020 and was re-elected in the recent November 6, 2024 election.

Gov. Maura Healey has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings until sunset on the day of interment, in honor of her life and legacy.

“I’m heartbroken over the tragic loss of State Rep. Carol Doherty,” said Healey. “She dedicated her life to helping the children of Massachusetts learn, grow and succeed – as a teacher, guidance counselor, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, school committee member and state representative. Her empathy and dedication to children and families are an inspiration for all of us in public service. My heart goes out to her loved ones, the Taunton community and her colleagues in the Legislature. She will be greatly missed and leaves behind an incredible legacy of service.”

The House will soon schedule a special election to fill Doherty’s House seat.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s unveiled its annual “Failing the Fix” scorecard which rates laptop and cell phone brands based on their “fixabilty.” The scorecard gives companies that make it easy for users to fix their devices a good grade, and those that do not, a poor grade.

Asus finished first with an A- for laptops while Apple and Google led the cell phone rating with each one getting a B-.

“Consumers pay good money for devices, and they deserve ones that can be fixed if they break,” said Lucas Rockett Gutterman of the U.S. PIRG Education Fund. “When it comes to repairability, you don’t always get what you pay for. People want to buy from companies that respect our right to repair and ensure that their devices are designed to last.”

Legislation pending in Massachusetts, filed by Rep. Adrian Madaro (D-East Boston) and Sen. Michael Brady (D-Brockton) would give consumers the right to repair for digital devices like phones, laptops and tablets. “At a time when we know Bay Staters are concerned about their pocketbooks and the environment, this bill would be a boon for both,” said Janet Domenitz of MASSPIRG.

Here are the repairability ratings:

LAPTOPS

A-

Asus

B+

Acer

B-

Dell, Microsoft and Samsung

Apple

Lenovo

CELL PHONES

B-

Google and Apple

C+

Motorola

C-

Samsung

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 Feb. 17-21, the House met for a total of six minutes while the Senate met for a total of five minutes.

Mon. Feb. 17 No House session

No Senate session

Tues. Feb. 18 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:03 a.m.

Senate 11:12 a.m. to 11:13 a.m.

Wed. Feb. 19 No House session

No Senate session

Thurs. Feb. 20 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:04 a.m.

Senate 10:06 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.

Fri. Feb. 21 No House session

No Senate session

Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com